<h2 id="7ff776c5-7b23-4c39-8028-3c49e6df58b0" data-toc-id="7ff776c5-7b23-4c39-8028-3c49e6df58b0" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Leaders often ask me: </h2><ul><li>Where do I start to create a productive and engaged team? </li><li>How do I know if someone is truly engaged or just going through the motions? </li><li>What do I do when the spark has clearly gone out?</li></ul>These questions point to something fundamental that most leadership and coaching frameworks miss. They focus on behaviors, outputs, and performance metrics while ignoring the energy dynamics that drive everything underneath. Leaders can sense when someone's energy has shifted, when alignment is slipping, when disengagement is setting in, but they lack the language to name what they're observing and the framework to address it effectively.I created The SHINE Model™ after years of watching well-intentioned leaders struggle with this gap. They knew something was off with a team member, but by the time it showed up in performance reviews, the decline was already advanced. They wanted to support their people genuinely, but defaulted to surface-level check-ins that missed what was actually happening. They could see the difference between someone truly engaged and someone just going through the motions, but had no systematic way to coach toward real integration.The SHINE Model™ is designed for managers who want to lead beyond task management, for coaches working with leaders and teams to build sustainable engagement, and for HR professionals creating cultures where people actually thrive. It provides a practical coaching framework that maps the seven distinct energy states every person moves through in their work, from initial Aligning through the flow of Shining, into the warning signals of Declining, and through to the honest acknowledgment of Resigning.This isn't another engagement survey or performance management system. It's a lens for seeing what's real, a language for naming the energy dynamics you already sense, and a structured approach to coaching conversations that support genuine work-life integration rather than perpetuating fragmentation.<h2 id="0c5e9084-005b-4aa6-bf8d-557e26141b42" data-toc-id="0c5e9084-005b-4aa6-bf8d-557e26141b42" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Understanding Energy Integration</h2>Before diving into the seven states, let's be clear about what we're actually mapping. Work-life integration isn't about balance or juggling competing demands. It's about conscious alignment between who someone is, their core values and strengths, and what they're being asked to do.When this alignment exists, energy flows. People bring their full selves to their work. They experience meaning and engagement. The organization benefits from their authentic presence and contribution.When alignment breaks down, energy withdraws. People fragment themselves between who they are and what they do. Disengagement sets in, performance suffers, and both the individual and organization lose.The SHINE Model™ provides a map of this territory. It identifies seven distinct states that emerge as energy either integrates or disintegrates within someone's relationship to their work. Each state has recognizable characteristics. Each requires specific leadership responses.<h2 id="b2ffa019-1d75-4032-be27-aaab9d90e7cd" data-toc-id="b2ffa019-1d75-4032-be27-aaab9d90e7cd" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">The Seven States: An Overview</h2><img src="https://ezycourse.b-cdn.net/2392/cmjwjij810gw4js9naiw09xbt.png" alt="image" containerstyle="position: relative; width: 960px; height: auto; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px auto;" wrapperstyle="display: flex;"><h3 id="01835936-ac88-4f21-a33d-133cc0b8d617" data-toc-id="01835936-ac88-4f21-a33d-133cc0b8d617" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State One: Aligning</h3>Alignment happens before employment begins. This is where honest assessment determines whether genuine fit exists between a person and an organization. Not surface-level cultural fit, but deep resonance between who someone is, their values and aspirations, and where the organization is actually headed.For organizations, this means presenting reality in job postings and interviews. If your culture has problems, name them. If people are leaving, explain why. If there's a gap between your stated values and actual practices, acknowledge it. The goal is finding people who genuinely believe in your direction despite current challenges, not selling a fantasy version of your company.Interview to assess alignment, not just competence. Ask: <ul><li>Does this person believe in where we're going? </li><li>Can they see their personal growth connecting to our mission? </li><li>Can they operate authentically within our actual culture? </li></ul>If any dimension shows misalignment, don't hire regardless of credentials.For candidates, do real research. Talk to current employees. Read critical reviews for patterns. Investigate leadership track records. Understand the business reality. In interviews, ask direct questions that reveal truth: <ul><li>Why did the last person leave? </li><li>What percentage of your team works over 45 hours weekly? </li><li>Can you describe how you actually handle work-life conflicts?</li></ul>Before accepting, assess three dimensions: <ul><li>Mission alignment - do you genuinely care about what they're building? </li><li>Values alignment - can you accept how they actually operate? </li><li>Growth alignment - does this role offer what you actually need to develop? </li></ul>Misalignment in any dimension means don't take the job, regardless of salary or title. Everything else in the SHINE Model depends on this foundation.<h3 id="047f2179-78cf-44c0-abe5-d3e643a55703" data-toc-id="047f2179-78cf-44c0-abe5-d3e643a55703" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State Two: Designing</h3>The first ninety days determine everything. This is when the initial promise either becomes reality or reveals itself as fantasy. A new employee is actively figuring out how their personal values, gifts, and aspirations connect with the actual demands of the role and the organization's real direction.Most onboarding focuses on systems, processes, and company culture presentations. The SHINE Model™ asks different questions during this phase: <ul><li>What genuinely excites you about this work? </li><li>Where do you see your strengths connecting? </li><li>What are you discovering about the gap between what you expected and what you're experiencing? </li><li>Can you commit to both your own development and what this role actually requires?</li></ul>Leaders who treat this as a structured coaching process, with regular check-ins and honest conversation, create the foundation for genuine integration. Those who assume things will work themselves out often discover misalignment six months too late.<h2 id="2e4f3884-b835-480c-8570-bdecef80d35f" data-toc-id="2e4f3884-b835-480c-8570-bdecef80d35f" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State Three: Refining</h2>Integration isn't a destination. It's an ongoing practice of staying attuned to what's working and what isn't, then making constant small adjustments. Someone in the Refining state actively maintains and deepens their alignment through continuous awareness and iteration.This requires leaders who observe energy dynamics, not just deliverables. <ul><li>What's lighting this person up? </li><li>What's draining them? </li><li>Are they still connected to our direction? </li></ul>The conversations here aren't performative check-ins. They're real explorations that sometimes reveal misalignment before it becomes a crisis.Employees in this state take ownership of their own integration. They notice patterns. They request adjustments. They bring observations forward rather than waiting for their manager to notice. This mutual responsibility creates sustainable engagement.<h3 id="171c8c17-f67a-4602-859f-0cf9e8126422" data-toc-id="171c8c17-f67a-4602-859f-0cf9e8126422" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State Four: Shining</h3>This is the flow state. Someone in this condition feels genuinely connected and aligned. Their energy moves effortlessly through their work. They motivate others simply by being present. The organization benefits from the full expression of who they are.Leaders sometimes make the mistake of pulling back attention when someone reaches this state. The truth is, Shining requires maintenance. Small, constant refinement keeps someone here. Recognition of what created this alignment helps sustain it. When someone is truly shining, their impact extends far beyond their individual contribution.For the individual, this state combines satisfaction with responsibility. You're shining because you're aligned, because you believe. Maintaining that connection, continuing to refine, and using your energy to lift others becomes part of the practice.<h3 id="3fd0ef90-0866-477a-b989-483320268826" data-toc-id="3fd0ef90-0866-477a-b989-483320268826" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State Five: Declining</h3>This is the early warning system. Alignment begins to slip. Energy starts to fade. Most leaders miss this moment because they're focused on outcomes rather than the energy driving them. By the time performance metrics show problems, the decline is already advanced.When you sense a shift, dig deeper immediately. <ul><li>Has something in their personal situation changed? </li><li>Has their vision evolved? </li><li>Have they lost faith in where the organization is headed?</li></ul> Sometimes the answer is recommitment. Sometimes it's an honest acknowledgment that alignment can no longer exist.For employees, this state demands honesty about what you're experiencing. What specifically has shifted? What would genuine recommitment require? This isn't about blame or failure. It's about recognizing when the relationship between your energy and your work needs attention.<h3 id="68b609ec-6301-4810-83df-33ac31090b07" data-toc-id="68b609ec-6301-4810-83df-33ac31090b07" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State Six: Mining</h3>When most of someone's energy has withdrawn and serious disengagement has set in, you've arrived at Mining. If the SHINE Model™ is being applied properly, you should never reach this state by surprise. Something has been ignored, probably for a long time.This requires serious conversation and clear coaching. <ul><li>What's fundamentally shifted? </li><li>Has their alignment with the organization's mission broken down? </li><li>Are personal or professional factors overwhelming their capacity? </li></ul>Sometimes this is salvageable through honest dialogue and real support. Sometimes the most honest path is supporting them toward the exit.For individuals in this state, radical honesty is required. <ul><li>Can you genuinely realign with what this role demands and where this organization is heading?</li><li>Do you want to? </li></ul>Faking alignment doesn't work. Your continued disengagement affects everyone around you. Either commit to the work of returning to integration, or acknowledge it's time to move on.<h3 id="3b026142-fea9-46ab-810b-06d29f6ddeee" data-toc-id="3b026142-fea9-46ab-810b-06d29f6ddeee" style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">State Seven: Resigning</h3>Sometimes your energy genuinely belongs elsewhere. Sometimes you've evolved beyond what this organization can offer. This isn't failure. It's evolution.For leaders, this moment calls for one final real conversation. <ul><li>What's the true reason they're leaving? </li><li>What can you learn to help others thrive? </li></ul>Then support their transition with genuine good wishes.For those leaving, honor what this decision means. Take responsibility for your next step. Before entering a new role, return to the Aligning state. The cycle begins again, and how you approach it determines whether you create genuine integration or repeat old patterns.<h2 id="68a0f91d-4b27-43db-9172-a810c41bab9e" data-toc-id="68a0f91d-4b27-43db-9172-a810c41bab9e" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Applying the SHINE Model™ in Practice</h2>Understanding these seven states creates a foundation. Actually using this framework requires a fundamental shift in how you lead.If you're a leader, consider these questions:<ul><li> Which of your team members are in each state right now? </li><li>What conversations have you been avoiding because you're focused on deliverables rather than energy? How would your leadership change if you treated people as whole human beings with energy that needs alignment? </li><li>What systems could you create to support genuine work-life integration from the hiring process through ongoing development?</li></ul>If you're navigating your own career, ask yourself:<ul><li>Which state am I in right now? </li><li>Am I taking full responsibility for my own energy and integration, or waiting for others to manage it? </li><li>What honest conversations do I need to initiate about alignment between who I am and what I'm doing? </li><li>If I'm declining or in mining, what would genuine recommitment actually require?</li></ul>If you're a coach working with leaders or teams:<ul><li>How can you help surface the energy dynamics that existing frameworks ignore? </li><li>What conversations can you facilitate that name the actual state someone is in rather than talking around it? </li><li>How can frameworks like this support leaders in moving from performance management to energy alignment?</li></ul><h2 id="ea4d52b2-e13a-4799-a388-76d0feb5482a" data-toc-id="ea4d52b2-e13a-4799-a388-76d0feb5482a" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Beyond the Framework</h2>The SHINE Model™ provides language and structure for something leaders already sense but often struggle to address. You know when someone's energy has left. You feel the shift when alignment breaks down. You recognize the quality of presence when someone is truly shining.What this framework offers is permission to work directly with these dynamics rather than pretending they don't matter. It provides a common language for conversations that need to happen. It creates a pathway for supporting genuine integration rather than managing disconnection.The old approaches to leadership and engagement aren't carrying us forward. They treat symptoms while ignoring the energy moving underneath everything. The question isn't whether energy matters. The question is whether you're ready to work with it directly.If you're ready to explore how the SHINE Model™ applies to your specific context, to discover what emerges when you bring this lens to your leadership or coaching practice, reach out. This isn't about implementing someone else's system. It's about developing your capacity to see and support the energy that's already moving through your organization.The future of leadership demands this shift. The only question is whether you'll make it.

Discover the SHINE Model's seven states of work-life integration. Learn how to recognize energy patterns, coach teams effectively, and build sustainable engagement.

The SHINE Model™: A Guide for Leaders and Coaches to the 7 States of Employee Energy & Engagement 

Tips, Insights, Stories, Education For Leaders, Managers, Supervisors or anyone who manages staff or contractors.

The SHINE Model™: A Guide for Leaders and Coaches to the 7 States of Employee Energy & Engagement

The SHINE Model™: A Guide for Leaders and Coaches to the 7 States of Employee Energy & Engagement

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