I agree with you on everything except:
"I have never been about getting cash incentives for doing a good job over the long term"
Because that is you - many expect this now on certain projects.
It really does depend on the job and comes in many guises.
This is one that may not be thought of:
Doctors for instance want to save costs, not for the NHS. Because they get the
savings - that is their incentive.
The 'talent' can be a cloak for nepotism and being in the
Club, or wearing the right school tie.
The real talent will be somewhere else -
normally sub-divided so they do not
realise just how important they are to
the organisation.