Engaged employees invest mentally and emotionally in their work and contribute to their employer’s success. They feel a sense of pride in what their company is striving to achieve as well as a sense of empowerment that they have a role in helping to reach these goals. In this case Sambian has failed to create a mission and culture to which high performers feel connected and committed. When Tom’s pet project loses a bid, he’s disappointed because he feels a misalignment between the direction that the firm is taking and his own aspirations.