Oftentimes managers complain to me about a sense of entitlement on the part of their direct reports.  “It’s never enough” is how they might express it.  As I’ve mentioned previously, “We teach people how to treat us.”  Consequently, when a spirit of entitlement presents itself, consider what you might be doing to foster that spirit.  Consider that you just might be doing too much.

Start pulling back piece by piece support you’ve been giving to that person.  Wait until the person begins to ask for help rather than trying to anticipate what s/he will need.My experience has shown that s/he will eventually ask, and the response to your giving will be met with more gratefulness.  How might you be over-giving to those not responding with appreciation?Gratitude is a powerful energy source that you’ll want to help keep fueled in your followers.See the posters on Gratitude and Make Them Ask for more on this theme.