“Can they stay” Vs “Do they want to”

A teammate resigned last week.
The first time that’s happened to me in nearly four years — so it put me straight into introspection mode.

It reminded me of something a mentor once told me:
“It’s not your job to motivate people.”

At first, it sounded almost irresponsible.
But over time, I’ve realised it’s actually the point.

A manager’s job isn’t to manufacture motivation.
It’s to create an environment where motivation doesn’t need constant fixing.

Mentally stimulating work. Check.
Problems worth wrestling with. Check.
The right context, resources, and mentorship to do your best work. Check.
And genuine acknowledgment when the work is done well. Check.

Money matters, of course.
But pay tends to answer a different question.
Can I stay?

The environment answers another.
Do I want to?

So yes — resignations sting.
But they’re also invitations.

To reflect.
To recalibrate.
And to ask the harder question:

What kind of environment am I actually creating?