---
title: "A High Performer Stopped Going the Extra Mile. The Reason Had Nothing to Do With Motivation"
description: "What leaders can learn from a trauma-informed approach to employee engagement."
section: leadership
published: 2026-10-28T12:36:15.913081+00:00
canonical: https://valorandventures.media/article/a380ff8c-8515-46e0-922f-ac157d166fad
publisher: "Valor & Ventures Media"
source: "Inc."
source_url: https://www.inc.com/tony-martignetti/high-performing-employee-engagement-motivation-startup-founders/91425220
access: free
---

# A High Performer Stopped Going the Extra Mile. The Reason Had Nothing to Do With Motivation

*What leaders can learn from a trauma-informed approach to employee engagement.*

## Executive Summary

A shift in discretionary effort from a previously reliable, high-achieving worker often triggers immediate concern among managers, yet the underlying causes may run deeper than simple fluctuations in workplace enthusiasm. In an analysis published by Inc., leadership advisor Tony Martignetti examines the phenomenon of high performers who abruptly cease putting in extra hours and unprompted labor, arguing that organizations frequently misdiagnose such behavioral changes as deficits in personal motivation. Rather than reflecting an abrupt loss of drive or commitment, the piece suggests that these performance pullbacks often stem from unaddressed systemic pressures that conventional engagement metrics fail to identify. The report points to trauma-informed leadership principles as a critical framework for diagnosing and responding to changes in personnel engagement. According to Inc., traditional management instincts frequently treat an employee's decision to stop going beyond basic job descriptions as an issue of declining morale, requiring standard incentives or corrective measures. In contrast, evaluating employee retention through a trauma-aware lens acknowledges that chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, or adverse workplace experiences can prompt capable professionals to establish strict boundaries to protect their well-being. Under this framework, withdrawing surplus effort serves not as an act of resistance, but as an adaptive response to sustained organizational friction. For expanding enterprises and startup founders, understanding this distinction is crucial to maintaining operational momentum and organizational culture. As emerging ventures scale, they often rely disproportionately on top performers who consistently absorb surplus workloads without formal boundaries. The analysis highlights that when corporate cultures normalize this reliance, they inadvertently foster environments where boundary-setting is perceived as a failure of engagement rather than a natural response to fatigue. By integrating trauma-informed perspectives into managerial practices, organizational leaders can better identify environmental stressors, prevent severe burnout, and establish support systems that do not penalize professionals for managing their personal capacity. For executive leadership, founders, and military veterans accustomed to high-intensity operating environments, these insights underscore the necessity of diagnostic precision in personnel management. In demanding organizational settings, distinguishing between a loss of mission commitment and a protective survival mechanism is vital for preserving core talent. Implementing leadership approaches that account for underlying stress and institutional demands enables executives to sustain mission effectiveness while safeguarding the long-term resilience of the workforce.

## Article

What leaders can learn from a trauma-informed approach to employee engagement.
— Inc.
Read the full report: https://www.inc.com/tony-martignetti/high-performing-employee-engagement-motivation-startup-founders/91425220

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Originally published by Inc.: https://www.inc.com/tony-martignetti/high-performing-employee-engagement-motivation-startup-founders/91425220