Most of leadership learning for me came from unhappy employees. I am lucky to have been given an opportunity in life to make a difference for them.

When I joined a company years ago, I was told that there was a person I had to "manage out".

He was deemed to be a bad apple with a highly negative attitude. Indeed, the very first meeting with him did not go well at all. He had developed an allergy for management.

After further investigation I learned that the previous manager had been routinely taking the employee's ideas and presenting as his own, that every time there was a serious issue that the employee brought forth, it was routinely swept under the floor.

Worse, his manager would undermine the employee and talk badly about him behind his back. There was a long list of other issues, actionable for me.

For me as a new manager, his list was a great starting point. I was very grateful to the employee for making such a list.

I asked him for help, and then subsequently recognized his contributions at the all-hand meeting. I remember to this day stunned looks of some people in the room and his amazement.

I wish you were there to see the faces...

He subsequently did so much for the organisation, and received awards, citations and promotions. I am forever grateful to him. He is now a senior leader at one of large companies.

I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity in life to make a difference for him.

When one person sees a disease, another looks for a cure.

When one person sees a problem, another sees an opportunity.

"Our prime purpose in life is to help others." Dalai Lama