Nobody likes an informer—a stoolie, stool pigeon, fink, canary. Certainly somewhere along the line of your upbringing you learned not to tattle. We all did. So what about those bumper stickers? You’ve seen them on the backs of semis. “How Am I Driving? Call 1 800 EAT DIRT” or something to that effect. How do you feel about being asked to be a snitch?

It kind of bothers me. And what about those comment cards you find in run-of-the-mill, franchise restaurants? The ones that ask you to rate the performance your server. Someone who’s no doubt underpaid, overworked, and at the mercy of some short-tempered, short-order cook.

Every employer wants to inspire great job performance, better customer relations, and maybe even a creative suggestion now and then. But they’re certainly not going to get any of those things by holding a hatchet over their workers’ heads.

Remember the seventh-grade tattletale? You know, the loser who used to volunteer to take names in the lavatory. Why would any employer want to attract remarks from the likes of a squealer? After all, what’s the difference between relying on the word of the class tattletale and taking phone calls or comment cards from the general public?

Do employers honestly expect to raise morale with on the word of a lavatory monitor? Remember what happened to him, don’t you? They made him eat the urinal wafer. No, I think comment cards and “How Am I Driving?” stickers mean to intimidate employees.

Of course, you don’t have to file a bad report. You can call the 800-number on the back of a truck and say, “I’m driving behind your rig number so-and-so, and whoever’s at the wheel is doing a wonderful job.”

A hospital I visited had a more creative idea. In the elevator I spotted a supply of “Care Grams”—cards that asked you to complete this positive thought:

I would like to send this Care Gram to note the outstanding RITE values of Respect, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellence displayed by:

I think the self-fulfilling prophecy is at work here. If you think your people are out to take advantage of you, then you ask the public, “What’s wrong?” Is it any surprise that your negative approach attracts equally negative responses? From people too cowardly to address a grievance head-on?

If, on the other hand, you believe that your people are doing their best and you ask for examples of excellence, you’re going to receive positive ideas you can use to encourage continued improvement.

I always fill out comment cards. Typically like this:

Pay your people well. Give them room to grow. Listen to their ideas. Let them share in your accomplishments. And you won’t have to print anymore of these nasty tattle cards.

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