Dear Dr. Bob:

I am sick! Sick and tired, that is, of whining, complaining employees who are never satisfied. They keep quitting or transferring out of my department. They say I don’t recognize them for their hard work and contributions to the company. I say that I recognize them every week with a thing called a paycheck. We’ve got work to do and I don’t have time to waste stroking egos. How can I get these ingrates to shut their mouths and see how good they’ve got it?

Sincerely,
Missy Von Derschtand

Dear Missy:

When treating a patient, we doctors apply a famous medical model that shows that problems at one level can cause symptoms elsewhere. To do my job right, I must first diagnose and treat the root cause, which will then relieve the resulting symptoms.

Let’s apply the medical model to your situation.  

Most HR professionals can tell you that people join companies, but they quit bosses. Why? Because a person’s boss is the single most important influence on an employee’s work life.

The symptom is people fleeing your department. The reason is the lack of caring and recognition. The root cause is YOU.

Research from the Gallup Organization tells us that once basic work needs (such as adequate pay, resources and position) are met, the most important need for any employee is to know that he or she is valued and that his or her work is appreciated. And the appreciation needs to be meaningful to the employee, not the supervisor. Your weekly paycheck may be all the kudos you need, but each of your employees needs feedback and recognition that he or she personally values.

If you want to stop the symptom, you’re the one who needs to take the medicine.

Dear Dr. Bob:

My employee, “Barney,” has a problem—he’s a lazy bum! I was very optimistic when I hired him four months ago. His references and background were excellent. But things have gone downhill ever since. He regularly misses deadlines and he just doesn’t seem to “get it.” I am trying to help and be motivating. Every day I tell him that if he does not get with the program he’s not going to make it. Should I just sweep this guy out the door, or is there something I can do to light a fire under him?

Sincerely,
David Ense

Dear D. Ense:

Have you ever heard the story about the angry man? He gets chewed out at work every day, so he goes home and yells at his wife. His wife is upset so she yells at their son, who gets mad, goes in the back yard and kicks the dog.

Let’s pretend that you’re the dog. Every day you get a kick and you don’t know what you’ve done wrong. Luckily, you are a bloodhound so you start sniffing the trail backwards and find that it leads from the kid to his mom to his dad to his dad’s boss. Since you’re there you growl menacingly and the boss cleans up his act and stops yelling. Your detective work helped you achieve your goal of not getting kicked every day.

You need to be a bloodhound and follow Barney’s trail. Why is he always missing deadlines? He may not have received proper training or have the resources he needs to get his job done. He may be a great employee, but not be in the right job at your company.

Before you get out the broom to clean house, make sure you understand why it’s getting dirty. Barney may just be your best friend.


Names are ficticious, and have not been changed, as there are no innocents who need protecting. Dr. Bob is not a medical doctor, psychologist, or PhD. Nor does he play one on TV. He has, however, been to the doctor on many occasions.

		Bob Metzger is a corporate learning officer for a Michigan-based insurance company.