Was (s)he a body hacker? I've seen people also experiment with nootropics in an aim to improve their output. The fact that it was a boss in a 1:1 is a bit weird but ... what if it had simply been a coworker telling you what worked for them?
That would be entirely different for two reasons. First, a coworker is not in a position of power over you. Second, there's a world of difference between saying "this was effective for me" and saying "you should do this."
"Nootropics are drugs, supplements, and other substances that may improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals."
So CNS stimulants like methylphenidate (which definitely increase motivation in healthy individuals) are nootropics by that definition.