Our VP of Operations is a decent performer and believes in our vision, but their constant pessimism and negative energy are draining the leadership team and killing momentum. How do we address this attitude issue using our Core Values and the principle of driving a positive bus?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A leader who constantly brings negative energy to the table is a slow-growing cancer on your culture. Under the principles of The Energy Bus, you are the driver of your company's bus, and you cannot allow negative passengers, especially on your leadership team, to ruin the ride for everyone else. You must address this attitude issue using your Core Values as your primary filter. Sit down with your VP of Operations for a direct, one-on-one conversation. Share specific examples of where their pessimism has drained the team's energy during your Level 10 Meetings or quarterly planning sessions. Explain that being Humbly-Confident and practicing a Help First mindset requires them to bring constructive energy, not just constant complaints, to the table. Make it clear that while you value their operational capability, their attitude is a non-negotiable component of their cultural alignment. They must choose to take responsibility for their energy and become a positive force on the team. Give them thirty days to shift their behavior. Encourage them to focus on solutions rather than just admiring the problems. During this period, catch them doing things right and acknowledge when they bring positive, constructive ideas to the room. If they refuse to change their attitude or claim they cannot help being realistic, you must realize that their realism is actually toxic defeatism. If they cannot align with your cultural expectations, you must remove them from the bus. A leadership team needs positive energy to navigate the friction of rapid scaling and prepare the business for a clean exit.