How to Counteract Negativity in the Workplace
Overcome a Negative Work Environment with a Positve Attitude
Workplace negativity has been called a disease of the twenty-first century. In Managing Workplace Negativity (AMACOM Div. American Mgt. Assn., 2000), Gary Topchik states, "the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that U.S. companies lose $3 billion a year to the effects of negative attitudes and behaviors at work."
Symptoms of Negativity at Work
Topchick notes these symptoms of a negative work environment: "increased customer complaints, high turnover, low quality of work, increased absences, loss of morale and motivation, lack of creativity and innovation, loss of loyalty to the organization."
The Personal Impact of Negativity
While the aforementioned symptoms characterize the impact of negativity on an organization, these translate to individual workers as: low morale, workplace stress, loss of motivation, and absenteeism. It's certainly no fun to work in an environment of complaints, criticisms, and cynicism.
Positive Attitude Leadership
The best way to counteract negativity is to model a positive, problem-solving attitude. Though someone with leadership responsibility is best positioned to model positivity and affect the workplace, any worker can make a positive difference in workplace culture. Perhaps more importantly, being positive in the face of a negative culture will help worker morale.
Positivity is Attractive
A culture of negativity can be contagious because people want to fit in and be accepted. Complaints, criticisms, and cynicism can become so prevalent that normally positive people join in without consciously considering the impact of their actions. A positive attitude is also contagious, so whether a person has formal leadership authority or simply asserts positive thinking, the workplace environment can be moved toward the positive.
Positive psychology researchers find that positive people are happier, healthier, more creative, and more productive than those biased toward negativity. These characteristics are highly attractive to others and can sway even a negative culture. Positive employees energize those around them. Author Jon Gordon amplifies this in his book The Energy Bus (Wiley, John & Sons, 2007).
How to Model a Positive Attitude
When faced with a negative workplace, an employee can overcome negativity with these alternatives:
- Stop Criticizing: Business consultant Bruce Clinton offers a model to replace criticism. Rather than pointing out everything wrong with an idea, memo, or suggestion, Clinton recommends the "like/change/learn" model, suggesting to first point out what is liked about the idea, what might be changed, and what can be learned or done to improve it. g
- Block Rumor Spreading: Rumors and gossip tend to be negative. Counter these by asking specific questions, such as "who told you that?," "where did you read it?," or "how do you know that's true?" Probe for facts and verifiable data. Simply asking these questions will tend to squash irresponsible gossip and rumor spreading. When a rumor is prevalent ask leadership to comment.
- Counter Cynicism: Cynics love to point out the flaws in new ideas, not as a means of overcoming them, but instead to stifle innovative solutions. A cynic left unchallenged can appear wise, but challenged to supply possible solutions, a cynic may become more positively oriented. If unable to suggest solutions to the problems highlighted, a cynic loses power.
Overcome Negativity at Work
Positive Psychology research studies show that a positive attitude correlates with greater health and happiness. What is true of individuals is also likely to be true of groups of individuals. Organizations with a prevailing positive attitude are likely to be more productive, healthier, and have happier employees.
For more on keeping a positive attitude, read Positive Attitude and Affirmations.
Negativity at Work
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