Praising Employees is Overrated!

Cathie Leimbach • September 10, 2020

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Are you a leader who believes that ‘no news is good news’? Perhaps you figure that there is no reason to comment on an employee’s work if you have no major complaints. After all, they are doing their job, right?


I used to be a member of this camp, but luckily, I changed my thinking. I was sure each of my team members knew when they were doing a good job and there was no reason for me to confirm or acknowledge. Then, thankfully, a few of my business friends told me that I was being perceived as caring only about getting things done without investing in relationships with team members. Even though I’ve always thought people mattered, I wasn’t showing it. I also discovered I was not alone in my management style. In fact, lack of praise and the impact on employee performance is a serious problem.


Here is the conundrum. Research shows that 85% of employees say that FEELing valued and appreciated is the most important factor in them liking their job. Yet, only 17% of people FEEL valued at work. That means that almost two-thirds of employees (maybe even yours) aren’t happy with their job because they don’t FEEL valued and appreciated at work.


And guess what? That leads to higher turnover and lower productivity. No great surprise, the research also shows that the most important workplace relationship is that between an employee and their supervisor.


Providing positive feedback may seem like a lot of effort, especially if you supervise a lot of people. It does take time, however, it takes much less time than dealing with staff turnover. And, having engaged and productive employees results in a stronger bottom line as well. Starting a habit of regularly praising your team members involves just a few simple steps. 


The Results of Praising Employees

In case you still aren’t convinced, the numbers are compelling. Research shows that praising employees:

·        Increases productivity 10%-20%.

·        Decreases turnover by 65% reducing the need for hiring, onboarding, and new employee training. That leads to cost savings and increased efficiency.


The Process for Praising Employees

It makes good business sense to implement positive feedback loops for our employees. 


And it isn’t hard. Here is how you can start:


  • Catch each direct report doing something right at least once per week.


  • Immediately provide positive feedback by expressing your appreciation for their good work. Be specific about what they are doing well. (e.g. "It sounds like you had an upset customer on that call, yet you remained calm, listened patiently, and repeated back what you heard to confirm whether you understood them correctly. Thank you for paying attention to their concerns and finding a solution that meets their needs.") 


  • Tell them how their actions are beneficial. (e.g. "That’s how we retain valuable customers.")


Start providing positive feedback right away. Think about the specific actions or tasks that contribute most to high performance. Imagine if your employees do more of these, how it will impact the success of your company. And, then take action. Get started now. 


If you want more tips and strategies for motivating your employees, reach out and we can schedule a free consultation to talk about employee productivity in more detail.

4 Leadership Behaviors That Drive Trust, Performance, and Accountability

By Cathie Leimbach • March 31, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.

Three Small Shifts That Change Everything

By Cathie Leimbach • March 24, 2026
You don’t need to make big changes in your leadership practices to get better results. Often, it’s small shifts in everyday leadership conversations that quietly change how work gets done. Here are three that work:  1. Make priorities clear Start meetings by stating current priorities. That creates focus right away and helps conversations stay on topic. 2. Ask instead of solve Instead of answering an employee’s questions, ask, “What are your suggestions?” Such questions encourage employee thinking and stronger follow-through. 3. Hold short monthly one-on-one check-ins Meeting with each employee one-on-one allows the regular review of goals, progress, and obstacles. These short conversations surface issues early and keep everyone aligned. These small habits keep teams steady and focused. Your challenge this month: Pick one shift and try it. Notice what changes in clarity, buy-in, or accountability. Sometimes the difference between teams that struggle and teams that move smoothly comes down to a few simple leadership conversations happening consistently. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation on March 30th at 3:00 PM to see how small shifts in everyday leadership conversations can quickly improve clarity, ownership, and results.