“69% of employees say they would work harder if they felt their efforts were more recognized.” – Oak Engage Employee Feedback Statistic

Have you ever led in a workplace where one employee significantly brought down the culture? We recently talked with a business leader who was replacing the retiring General Manager of a business. This new GM found themselves dealing with an unhappy employee who was making things difficult for everyone around them.

The negative yet high-performing senior employee was the most knowledgeable about the business and process. Not only would the business suffer if the employee left or was terminated, the new GM was struggling to learn from someone who did not seem to like them nor care to help.

When it came time for the GM to prepare for the employees’ yearly reviews, he found that this employee was actually quite underpaid compared to the salaries of similar employees in the company. And when it came to work performance, they excelled at their job and had the highest output.

The GM had to decide whether to address the employee’s negative attitude or focus on their performance and outputs during the review. Choosing the latter, the GM praised the employee’s efforts and offered them a significant wage increase and an offer to consider future leadership opportunities in the business. The employee was in shock. They shared that they had never received praise like that.

The GM was amazed at the drastic change this show of appreciation brought out in this employee, and in turn, the entire workplace culture. The negativity and bad attitude were replaced with a positive and helpful one. They were happy to listen to new ideas and help the new GM continue to learn the business operations. They were already excelling in their work performance before this show of appreciation and their outputs improved even more!

There is a historical account in the Bible similar to this one. Jesus Christ encountered a woman who was an outcast in society because of her promiscuity. In these times, she was shunned and Jesus should not have even acknowledged her but He started a conversation with her and went on to encourage her. Surprised, her heart softened and caused her to examine her actions and ultimately return to her husband and give up her promiscuous ways.

When a person is being difficult, our first reaction can be to jump on their flaws and failures and be difficult in return, or not even address them at all and simply terminate the person. Sometimes flaws and failures need to be addressed, depending on the situation, but after hearing these stories, the wheels started turning about the power of praise and appreciation.

Perhaps we need a new approach as leaders. Actively cultivating a positive environment and showing appreciation for employees regularly can make a real difference in the workplace culture, performance, and our experience as leaders. It is easy to get trapped in the cycle of negativity, especially when people are being difficult. Why not try to praise people’s achievements instead of focusing on their faults and failures? You may be surprised at the results!

Looking for a place where you can discuss your leadership experiences and get support from other leaders? At LeaderImpact, we recognize the power support from relationships with other leaders in a group setting has. LeaderImpact Groups are for leaders who desire to thrive not only in their professional lives but also in their personal and spiritual lives. Find out more about Groups: https://leaderimpact.ca/join/