--- title: "Spark #3: Help Grumpy Find His Happiness...Even If It Is Not With You" description: Are your employees happy, fulfilled & engaged? Or unhappy, disenchanted & unproductive? Employees in the second group do the most harm to your business-learn how to address it now! image: https://www.donnellyeffect.com/hubfs/UNHAPPY-GRUMPY-EMPLOYEE-HELP.jpg --- [![Donnelly-Group_Logo](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/hubfs/Donnelly-Group_Logo.png "Donnelly-Group_Logo")](https://www.donnellyeffect.com) [(410) 212-4471](tel:4102124471) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/donnelly-effect/) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/donnellyeffect) - About - [About Us](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/about-us) - [What We Do](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/about-us-what-we-do) - [Who We Serve](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/about-us-who-we-serve) - [Our Executive Team](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/our-executive-team) - [Our Story](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/about-our-story) - Training - [Signature Service Programs](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/signature-service-programs) - [Kickstart](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/signature-service-programs-kickstart) - [Impact](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/signature-service-programs-impact) - [Ignite](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/signature-service-programs-ignite) - [Training Types](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/training-types) - [Executive Leadership](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/training-types-executive-leadership-development-workshops) - [Managers & Supervisors](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/training-types-manager-supervisor-training-workshops) - [Front-Line Employees](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/training-types-front-line-employee-development-training) - [Training Topics](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/training-topics) - [Customer Service](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/customer-service-training) - [Leadership](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/leadership-training) - [People Management](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/people-management-training) - [Service Culture](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/service-culture-training) - [Talent Selection & Hiring](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/talent-selection-hiring-training) - [Employee Onboarding](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/employee-onboarding-training) - [Training Delivery Methods](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/training-delivery-methods) - [Keynote Speaking](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/keynote-speaking) - Resources - [SPARKS! Blog](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog) - [Our Book: Unlock the Magic](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/unlock-the-magic) - [Book a Consultation](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/contact-us-donnelly-effect) #### SPARKS! Blog ### Subscribe to SPARKS! Blog ![SPARKS Blog Image-1](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/hubfs/SPARKS%20Blog%20Image-1.jpg "SPARKS Blog Image-1") # SPARKS! Blog Get inspiration and ideas delivered right to your inbox! ***Donnelly Effect delivers 17 in '17: 17 actionable SPARKS to ignite your team for better leadership, customer and employee experience and a better bottom line.*** ***![UNHAPPY-GRUMPY-EMPLOYEE-HELP.jpg](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/UNHAPPY-GRUMPY-EMPLOYEE-HELP.jpg?width=598&height=251&name=UNHAPPY-GRUMPY-EMPLOYEE-HELP.jpg)*** [During my time as a Disney leader](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/home/about/mike-donnelly-disney-institute-keynote-speaker-highest-rated-best-top), I noticed two common characteristics of GREAT leaders: **FIRST,** **they have an overwhelming desire to identify and fix what’s broken** - whether that be an outdated procedure, a faulty product, or an unproductive, unhappy employee. **SECOND, great leaders care about their team’s wellbeing.** With that being said, leading chronically unhappy people is the worst! When a relationship is doing more harm than good, leaders can - and should - help Grumpy find his happiness elsewhere. #### **Care about your employees…where ever they go** Unhappy people drag everyone down. Their down-in-the-dumps behavior affects everyone around them, from fellow team members to the customers they’re serving. Before their attitude transmits to a sinking office morale, or worse, your bottom line, world-class leaders need to address it. And the best time to address this situation was yesterday. **DON'T WAIT:** Think about the team you lead today.  Are they happy? Fulfilled? Engaged? Or are they chronically unhappy, disenchanted, and unproductive? Employees in this second group will do the most harm to your business – so address it now! **Communicate with EMPATHY**: Sometimes their moods have nothing to do with work and are solely dependent on an outside factor. Be supportive in this case. However, if your employee is angry as a result of work related issues, you need to step in immediately. Open a dialogue with them and get to the root of the issue. Leaders that care should say ***‘I care about you and I care about your career. You don’t seem happy. How can I help you find your happiness elsewhere?’ *** #### **Why this is effective:** While drowning in performance metrics and organizational development, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. We’re all humans who want to live a happy and fulfilled life - in whatever environment suits us best. If your employee would be better suited elsewhere, it’s your responsibility as a leader to care for them, regardless of their contributions to your organization. **Employees who feel fulfilled and empowered tend to thrive in their environments better than those who feel unattached**. For most, it’s not about the paycheck. It’s not the emails or the daily grind that influence their workplace moods. It’s about their emotional investment. Those who are inspired by the mission and put value behind their day-to-day responsibilities are the happiest. A team is only as strong as its weakest player. Therefore, you should strive to have everyone emotionally invested in a genuine way. From a business standpoint, the time you waste trying to mold the unhappy employee into something worthwhile may be better spent [leading a star employee to greatness](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog-2/spark-2-how-to-lead-in-3s). Disgruntled employees can cost your company millions in revenue due to low productivity, injury as a result of carelessness, and a lack of loyalty overall.  Unhappy employees bring down the mood of other workers *and* your customers. A customer’s intent to return is heavily influenced by their service interactions. If a Grumpy is exposed to an unassuming customer, the customer is less likely to have a positive customer experience. ##### Take the time to have HONEST and OPEN CONVERSATIONS with your employees this week. You’ll find that this thoughtful and caring approach will serve both you and your staff better in the long run. ##### Want to BE MORE EFFECTIVE? Follow us to learn every 17 in '17: - TWITTER: [@DonnellyEffect](https://twitter.com/DonnellyEffect) - LINKEDIN: [Donnelly Effect](https://www.linkedin.com/company/donnelly-effect) & [Mike Donnelly](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedonnellyeffect) - SPARKS BLOG: SUBSCRIBE on the upper right hand side of this blog post =) ##### Missed SPARKS #1 & #2? Check them out below! - [SPARK #1: The Power of the Pre-Shift Huddle](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog-2/spark-1-the-power-of-a-pre-shift-huddle) - [SPARK #2: ](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog-2/spark-1-the-power-of-a-pre-shift-huddle)[How to Lead in 3's](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog-2/spark-2-how-to-lead-in-3s) ***ABOUT MIKE DONNELLY******:** With over 20 years of Disney leadership experience, [Mike Donnelly,](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/home/about/mike-donnelly-disney-institute-keynote-speaker-highest-rated-best-top) Chief Experience Officer (CEO) of Donnelly Effect shares his insights on [Talent Selection and Hiring](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/home/solutions/recruit-hire-retain), [Employee Onboarding](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/home/solutions/new-employee-orientation), [Customer Experience](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/home/solutions/customer-experience-cx), [Service Culture and Leadership](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/home/solutions/service-culture)- among others. Donnelly Effect is home of the exclusive "[World-Class Workshop](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/world-class-workshops)" series and offers [consulting services](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/our-approach/organizational-development) and [keynote addresses](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/disney-keynote-speaker-leadership-customer-service-new-employee-orientation-service-culture) to audiences of all sizes and industries. Since 2007, Mike Donnelly has been a contracted Disney Institute Facilitator, delivering Disney customer service training to audiences across the United States. * Topics: [Employee Engagement](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/employee-engagement) [Employee Care](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/employee-care) [Effective Leadership](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/effective-leadership) #### Leave a Comment: #### Related posts - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fline-by-design-why-great-guest-experiences-begin-before-the-front-door&t=Line%20by%20Design:%20Why%20Great%20Guest%20Experiences%20Begin%20Before%20the%20Front%20Door) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fline-by-design-why-great-guest-experiences-begin-before-the-front-door&text=:%20) - [Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fline-by-design-why-great-guest-experiences-begin-before-the-front-door&title=Line%20by%20Design:%20Why%20Great%20Guest%20Experiences%20Begin%20Before%20the%20Front%20Door&summary=) - [googleplus](https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fline-by-design-why-great-guest-experiences-begin-before-the-front-door) #### [Line by Design: Why Great Guest Experiences Begin Before the Front Door](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/line-by-design-why-great-guest-experiences-begin-before-the-front-door) [Mike Donnelly](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/author/mike-donnelly) | June 12, 2026 From physical lines to virtual holds, the way guests wait shapes how they feel long before the main experience begins. #### Related posts - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fthe-human-advantage-building-trust-in-a-trend-driven-world&t=The%20Human%20Advantage:%20Building%20Trust%20in%20a%20Trend-Driven%20World) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fthe-human-advantage-building-trust-in-a-trend-driven-world&text=:%20) - [Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fthe-human-advantage-building-trust-in-a-trend-driven-world&title=The%20Human%20Advantage:%20Building%20Trust%20in%20a%20Trend-Driven%20World&summary=) - [googleplus](https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.donnellyeffect.com%2Fsparks-blog%2Fthe-human-advantage-building-trust-in-a-trend-driven-world) #### [The Human Advantage: Building Trust in a Trend-Driven World](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/the-human-advantage-building-trust-in-a-trend-driven-world) [Mike Donnelly](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/author/mike-donnelly) | January 16, 2026 Every year around this time, my inbox fills with "top trends" and "predictions for the year ahead." #### Posted by:- [Mike Donnelly](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/author/mike-donnelly) ### Posts by Topic - [Leadership (85)](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/leadership) - [Customer Service (82)](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/customer-service) - [Disney Service (78)](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/disney-service) - [Effective Leadership (72)](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/effective-leadership) - [Employee Experience (67)](https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/topic/employee-experience) ### Unlock the Magic! 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Blog Posts © Copyright 2022 | All Rights Reserved | The Donnelly Group ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mike Donnelly", "url" : "https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/author/mike-donnelly" }, "datePublished" : "2017-02-24T19:21:36.000Z", "headline" : "Spark #3: Help Grumpy Find His Happiness...Even If It Is Not With You", "image" : [ "https://www.donnellyeffect.com/hubfs/UNHAPPY-GRUMPY-EMPLOYEE-HELP.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.donnellyeffect.com/sparks-blog/spark-3-help-grumpy-find-his-happiness-even-if-it-is-not-with-you", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.donnellyeffect.com/hubfs/Donnelly-Group_Logo.png" }, "name" : "Donnelly Effect" } } ```