KATHMANDU, Sept 6: Negativity is a big, black hole that sucks energy from everything and everybody around it. That’s why we feel drained after spending time with somebody who is in a highly negative state of mind.
Being negative is not a person’s natural state and thus takes a lot more energy to fuel. Since one person cannot sustain the energy levels required, negativity will survive by attracting others and draining their energy to fuel the fire. It’s a vicious chain that can quickly spread across the entire workplace, sabotaging your productivity, performance and enjoyment of running a business.
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It’s important to point out that not all ‘bad’ feelings are bad. Sometimes, being angry, sad, unhappy, or stressed is a healthy and natural reaction; you should not go out of your way to suppress, ignore or bottle up your feelings. But if you experience these emotions on a frequent basis they can become chronic and even addictive. That is when healthy negativity turns into toxic negativity. Whenever you feel you’re witnessing workspace negativity, follow these simple tips to come out of it.
Stop Blaming and Start Learning
Next time something goes wrong, don’t point the finger of blame. You’ve probably heard the saying that whenever you point a finger at somebody, there are three fingers pointing back at you. Instead of blaming, first take a look at what you could have done differently to react to – or entirely avoid – the problem you’ve experienced. In most cases you will find there is always something you can do differently or better next time. Learn from your mistakes, adapt, and grow!
Stop Complaining and Take Ownership
Instead of complaining about a problem, do something about it. Does the guy in the next office constantly interrupt you? Are you not getting the recognition you deserve at work? Don’t complain to your friends or co-workers. If it bothers you enough to complain about it on a daily basis, then take action and make changes. Ask the guy to stop interrupting you or send you an email instead. Talk to your boss about a raise or a change of duties. Just do something. And if nothing works and you are still unhappy… maybe you have a much bigger decision to make.
Sometimes there is a fine line between complaining and simply communicating about a problem. A good general rule to go by is if you tell somebody about a problem more than once, you are complaining. Doing it daily will make it a chronic activity that is very poisonous to you and others around you.
Practice Random Acts of Kindness
One of the most effective negativity antidotes is to do kind things for others and feel the positive energy that comes with that. Next time you see a mom struggling with her baby trying to open a door, run over and open it for her. Help somebody carry something up the stairs. All of these simple little things can add up to you feeling really good about what you did. That positive energy can cut through the foulest of moods.
Build Positivity into your Organizational Culture
Make a positive, helpful and healthy attitude part of the mission, vision and values of your company. Hire people who light up the room when they walk in and bend over backwards to help others around them. Work with clients who love to do business and who are passionate about what they do. Work with vendors who care about their work as much as you care about yours. Make ethics a key ingredient of your cultural formula and enforce a strict moral code. Help others when in need and celebrate your victories loudly!
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