In the business world I see it at probably a 10:1 ratio of people getting it wrong the other way - thinking money should be enough, and not getting that people want more out of a job. There's a baseline above which greater pay alone produces diminishing returns in terms of people's commitment to the work if there's not something compelling for them on a personal level.
In the low/no-budget indie film world it probably swings the other way - a lot of people thinking their project is the next greatest thing and just being associated with it should be enough to get people committed to the project.
You're right that it takes both, but I'd say it's not about platitudes at all - that's the kind of thing you need to be avoiding, as it's the more common indie approach. It's the difference between saying "I've got this awesome project; help me make it happen!" and "Let's make an awesome project together". The latter requires you to give up some degree of control, in order to make it their project as well. You may still exercise control over the project (especially if you're paying them), and have the final say in most of the decisions, but you're also seriously soliciting, evaluating, and incorporating their input in that decision making process.
