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.

The Power of Strategic Choice: Making Room for What Matters

By Cathie Leimbach • November 10, 2025
In most organizations, the instinct is to add —more goals, more projects, more meetings. But as Juliet Funt, founder of the Juliet Funt Group, teaches in her Strategic Choice process, real leadership strength lies in deciding what to stop doing . Strategic Choice is the intentional narrowing of priorities—cutting away the clutter so teams can focus on what truly drives results. It’s a disciplined act of letting go: saying no to good ideas so there’s room for the great ones. Funt’s approach challenges leaders to pause, think, and create the mental and operational space their people need to perform at their best. By removing unnecessary tasks and misplaced effort, leaders make room for precision, innovation, and real thinking time. This isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing what matters most. When businesses adopt this mindset, they replace overwhelm with clarity and regain control of their time, energy, and outcomes. For small to mid-sized companies, embracing Strategic Choice can transform busyness into focus—and that focus is where sustainable growth begins. Want a quick visual overview? View Strategic Choice: Making Room for What Matters to see how this process helps leaders focus on what truly drives results.

Unlock Your Team's Potential: Fix Dysfunction, Boost the Bottom Line!

By Cathie Leimbach • November 4, 2025
Hey team leaders! Ever wonder why some companies soar while others stumble? Patrick Lencioni's bestseller, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team , nails it: workplace dysfunctions such as no trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoiding accountability, and ignoring results lead to mediocre performance at best. But here's the good news—smart leadership development changes the game! Start with building trust . Train leaders to open up and be vulnerable. Teams bond, ideas flow, and costly mistakes drop. Next, embrace healthy conflict . Teach team leaders to make it safe for team members to share the pros and cons of current or new ways of doing things. This helps everyone understand different perspectives. Then, drive commitment . Leaders who clarify goals, ask everyone to share their level of buy-in, and address their concerns get everyone bought in. People focus on high value work and get more done. . Hold folks accountable through coaching. Leaders learn to give kind, direct feedback by praising good work and calmly providing more training as needed. Turnover plummets and the quality and quantity of work improves. Finally, focus on results . Be clear on expectations. Keep score by monitoring progress weekly or daily. Acknowledge team wins when the goals are met. Winning sports teams pay attention to these Five Behaviors of a Team. How would a World Series winner have been determined this week without trust among the players and coaches, openness to tough coaching, the whole team working together, players focusing on their specific positions, and getting players around the bases to get the top score? Every workplace can benefit from these team behaviors as well. Lencioni's research proves it: Companies who prepare their leaders to overcome these 5 common workplace dysfunctions, improve the culture and see huge financial gains. Invest in your leaders today. Your bottom line will thank you! Click here to learn more about the painful cost of team dysfunction.