David Lee

David Lee is the founder and principal of HumanNature@work and the creator of Stories That Change. He's an internationally recognized authority on organizational and managerial practices that optimize employee performance, morale, and engagement. He is also the author of "Managing Employee Stress and Safety," and Dealing with a Difficult Co-Worker, volume one of the Courageous Conversations at Work series, as well over 100 articles and book chapters.

You can download more of his articles at HumanNature@work, contact him at david@humannatureatwork.com, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/humannaturework.

How Managers Can ‘Clear the Air’ Effectively

David LeeMarch 2, 2017February 24, 2017

Over lunch years ago, Stephen (not his real name), a senior executive at an insurance company, told me about a conversation he just had that perplexed and … Read more

Here’s a Way for Difficult Conversations to Be Less Difficult

David LeeFebruary 22, 2017February 20, 2017

If you’re like most people, you find yourself avoiding difficult conversations because you fear triggering a negative response and making the situation … Read more

What We Can Learn About Branding From a Super Bowl Commercial

David LeeFebruary 7, 2017February 6, 2017

I could not click to exit the You Tube ad to get to the music video. I was spellbound. “Man…I want to see this movie,” I thought, and looked forward to … Read more

Managing Up: How to Bring Up a Difficult Issue With Your Boss

David LeeJanuary 27, 2017January 27, 2017

Note: This is a classic TLNT post on bringing up a touchy subject with your boss. During a coaching session, Whitney, a mid-level manager, told me that she … Read more

How Managers Can Set Up Employees For Victory

David LeeJanuary 12, 2017January 11, 2017

Do your managers set up your employees for the “Thrill of Victory” or the “Agony of Defeat?” If you don’t remember the commercial … Read more

4 Steps HR Can Take to Improve Employee Feedback

David LeeNovember 29, 2016November 28, 2016

Employees are hungry for clear feedback and they’re not getting it. This was one of the major findings from a study conducted by the authors of The 2020 … Read more

How to Drive Your A-List Talent Out the Door

David LeeOctober 19, 2016October 18, 2016

Jennifer is A-list talent. She has a rare combination of high powered analytical skills and high emotional intelligence, which makes her outstanding at her … Read more

How to Get Honest Feedback When You’re the Boss

David LeeOctober 12, 2016October 11, 2016

Recently a manager, who I will call Robert, expressed his desire to know if he could do more to let the people in his department know how deeply he … Read more

What Surfing Taught Me About Giving Feedback

David LeeJuly 28, 2016July 27, 2016

While surfing with a friend, I was reminded about the importance of both giving and receiving feedback, and each person’s role in making it work. Here’s … Read more

Celebrate the Awesome With Video “Wow Stories”

David LeeJuly 13, 2016July 14, 2016

One of the best, and easiest to implement, ways of boosting employee engagement and strengthen your culture is to “Celebrate the Awesome.” Perhaps no … Read more

How Managers Can Get Better Results by Asking Better Questions

David LeeMay 19, 2016May 18, 2016

A manager’s ability to bring out the best in their direct reports is hugely affected by whether they engage them in conversations about what they, the … Read more

How One Company Lost An “A” Player and What You Can Do to Avoid Doing the Same

David LeeApril 28, 2016March 4, 2019

When Courtney told her manager she was leaving, every senior leader she had worked with in the company pulled her into their office asking what it would … Read more

The AAA Approach To Getting the Best Work Out of People

David LeeApril 26, 2016April 25, 2016

If you are a manager or leader, it’s no doubt obvious to you that your ability to elicit the best from others plays a major role in your ability to deliver … Read more

How a Seasoned Manager Skillfully Deals With a Disgruntled Employee

David LeeMarch 31, 2016March 30, 2016

It’s 8 pm on a Wednesday and Mike Royer, one of the managing principals of Berry Talbot Royer, an accounting firm, receives a text from an employee, who we … Read more

The Ultimate Workplace Power? When Managers Decide to Apologize

David LeeMarch 8, 2016March 8, 2016

“They weren’t quite sure what to do with it.” Cheryl chuckled after telling me what happened with her team. The “it” her team wasn’t quite sure how to deal … Read more

Selling Your Employer Brand: The Power You Find in Stories and Sound Bites

David LeeFebruary 17, 2016February 17, 2016

Does your organization have a set of stories and sound bites that your recruiters and hiring managers share with potential candidates, stories that say: … Read more

Want to Boost Employee Motivation? All It Takes is a Little “Show and Tell”

David LeeFebruary 3, 2016February 2, 2016

You want a more engaged, inspired, resilient, and resourceful workforce, don’t you? Who doesn’t? Here’s one simple thing you can do to make this happen: … Read more

15 Factors That Impact How Your Employees Respond to Change

David LeeJanuary 26, 2016April 11, 2016

Here are 15 factors that can impact how your employees’ respond to change: 1. Control The amount of input and influence the employee has around the change, … Read more

15 Employee Engagement Truths Employers Ignore At Their Own Peril

David LeeDecember 30, 2015December 29, 2015

Editor’s Note: It’s an annual tradition for TLNT to count down the most popular posts of the year. This is No. 15 of 2015. Our regular content will return … Read more

It’s Not About The Beer When Your Workplace Has A Beer Fridge Culture

David LeeDecember 25, 2015December 23, 2015

Editor’s Note: It’s an annual tradition for TLNT to count down the most popular posts of the year. This is No. 27 of 2015. Our regular content … Read more