Your first response is probably “of course not.” But take a longer look. “Negativity takes many forms: complaining, putting others down, pointing fingers to show who is to blame or focusing on/expecting the worst,” says Richard Podsada, nine10 Inc. “Negativity is very contagious and easily caught. In the workplace, it must be avoided at all costs.” It can sap the energy of your place of business. Is this the kind of culture you want to develop in your organization? Of course not!
Your first step toward building a more positive attitude is to develop a mission statement for your company. The statement should include the mission, vision and values of your company. The mission statement will contain “positive” energy. It is important that you nourish a positive attitude. You are the leader of your tribe and they look to you for guidance. Life has its ups and downs. When you experience a setback, move forward and remember everyone has them. TRY to find some good in the negative.
Dale Carnegie once said “replace negative self talk with positive self-talk. Negative thoughts lead to self-doubt and failure. Look for negative messages in your own thinking or in the thinking and actions of others. Try turning the negatives into positives. Positive thinking will result in positive actions and results. “ Trying this method, in my opinion, is almost like trying to stop smoking. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO! But it is necessity for your health. One study I read said negative stress can also exacerbate chronic health problems such as diabetes or asthma. Let’s try and do this together: Positive thinking all the way; or almost all the way. See, how I revert to my negative thinking? Let’s accept the challenge of seeing something good in every situation, no matter how small.
The next time something goes wrong, DON’T point the finger. Use it as a learning experience. What could have been done differently? How could the situation been avoided? Everyone involved will grow from this experience instead of carrying around guilt that he/she messed up.
Try being less judgmental. It is impossible to control every situation. You need to give more authority to other people. They might not do it exactly like you would but that is not wrong. Building confidence in others is another step to creating positive energy in your workplace. Compliment, compliment, compliment. Acknowledge when an employee does a good job. It does not cost you anything but smiles on everyone’s face.
Whatever the reason for your workplace negativity, YOU must address the issue. Get to the bottom of what is troubling your workers and fix it. This may take some time but to ignore it, only creates a pressure and the bomb will explode. It will not go away so you may as well take care of it. Have an employee meeting. Buy them donuts or pizza. Give them an opportunity to express their opinions. This can go a long way to allowing you to see if there are problems and where you may be able to make changes. There is a fine line between complaining and simply communicating about a problem It, however, can’t be a total gripe session. You need to extract the positive points as well.
Don’t argue is another one of Dale Carnegie’s euphuisms. “The only way to win an argument is to avoid it. When handled correctly, disagreements and debates are opportunities for positive change. When disagreements arise, show respect for the opinions of others. Never tell someone they are wrong. Try to see things from the other point of view.” You should keep this as a practice in your daily life, at work and off work.
I have to admit, I am more of a pessimist. While exploring this subject, it has helped me rethink my interactions with others. I am going to try harder to look on the bright side of things. I challenge YOU to do the same. I think we can do this together.
Spring Is Here. Time For Happy Thoughts And Actions! Stop And Smell The Roses. Enjoy All The Flowers Our Rains Brought.
