Positivity in the Workplace

Thursday, 10. 1. 2009  –  Category: T2 Communications

Remaining positive in the workplace can be a challenge sometimes.  A lull in activity for the company, a current assignment that is monotonous or tedious, and the bad economy can all be causes of stress, anger, or boredom.  Whether the organization is being restructured or it’s just the colder, darker months of winter, positivity needs to be emphasized.  Trying times will come and go, but we all have a job to do; so we might as well be happy about it.  There are a couple ways to turn your attitude around that should be common practice for each individual.

Avoid the “Negative Nancy”: There is typically at least one person in a workplace that seems to always say negative things about the company, ownership or co-workers.  Avoid these people.  It would be counteractive to continue interacting with this person on a regular basis for two reasons.  First, your interaction with them may be viewed poorly by management.  Second, they’re only going to make your attitude worse.  If you’re already having a hard time staying positive and motivated in the office, they aren’t going to help.  If completely avoiding contact with this individual or group is impossible, then it’s okay to let them know that the next time they approach you to complain that you are working on a positive attitude and would appreciate it if they could avoid negative remarks or topics in your presence.  That is a completely respectable request, and any professional should have the courtesy to comply.

If you’re wondering whether you may be the negative voice in your company, the answer is that you may be contributing to it at the very least. Others may not like being around you if you’re always a downer; and you can be sure that management will take notice of your poor attitude.  If you aren’t thought of as the one person who always has something to complain about already, you may be a close runner up.  And the worse part about your negative remarks is that you may be cultivating more negativity.  It’s hard enough to stay motivated during a trying week at work without others constantly reminding you of how awful they think it is.

Stop These Bad Habits Immediately: You and your teammates have to come to work everyday.  There’s no getting out of it without quitting or depleting significant amounts of paid time off.  Everyone has to work on staying positive in their own way and time, so please don’t ruin the effort for everyone else.  It’s nice to have an outlet for particular frustrations, but when it comes to the workplace it’s best to avoid a constant flow of complaining and insulting remarks.  The old saying, “If you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say anything at all” has more value than just schoolyard manners.  If you work on avoiding negative comments about your workplace or co-workers, you’ll train yourself to avoid negative thoughts too.  Then you can work on thinking and saying positive things instead.

Fake It: When you just can’t seem to get out of your negative groove, pretending to be positive can have surprising effects.  First, you will not be spreading any more negativity, and second, it’s a great way to work up to really feeling upbeat.  While you’re pretending to be positive, you will appear to be an advocate for your company, remaining optimistic.  Your supervisors will notice and potentially give you a pat on the back for remaining so.

Why stay negative?  It just breeds more negativity, depression, and dissatisfaction.  Optimism is encouraging.  Soon enough you will really be optimistic because all this time you have been brainstorming the positive aspects of your job, your boss or your current assignment.  When you’ve shared these things with others, you’ve reminded them of the good things, too.  Hopefully, they will catch on to your new way of thinking.  The whole organization could eventually be a little brighter.

Katie Petre works for T² Communications, a CornerWorld company.

Tags: attitude, employees, Katie Petre, morale, negativity, positivity