Image source: https://www.surveycrest.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Negative-Feedback.jpg
In essentially every workshop I present, someone describes a co-worker with a bad attitude: one who continually complains, puts others ideas down, or just makes all of us else miserable. The comments usually set a buzz round the roombecause all of us has had to handle negative individuals who bring them down. So, what are you prepared to do when other individuals sap your positive energy?
Let me be special you that you are not imagining the impact of a co-workers bad attitude on you. Negativity, depression and unhappiness are all contagious. Several years ago, Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) Management Associate Professor Sigal Barsade conducted an experiment. She had groups of scholars act as managers trying to agree how to divide up a difficult and immediate sum of bonus money among their staff. Unbeknownst to the groups, one of the vital participants turned into a drama student named Rick, who had been trained to act out a choice mood with every one group. In the groups where he exuded negativity, the other participants took on his bad mood, and as a consequence behaved less cooperatively.
Now for the silver lining. Positive emotions are as contagious as negative ones. Back to the Wharton experiment it turns out that once Rick acted calm and satisfied, the remainder of the group turned into high quality and cooperative. "I turned into in the room," recalls Barsade, "and it turned into palpable: you could just see the emotions being transferred among the students." Barsades end: the more positive the emotion, the more the cooperation and the less the conflict.
Finally, remember that that's possible to stay positive in the face of someone elses negative mood. This is your "control sector." The trick is to be acutely aware of your individual thinking. You dont have to purchase into negativity. When your co-worker is complaining, think to yourself, "Whats up with him (or her?) Whats his/her problem?" Then think of something that makes you experience good. Keep your mood positive inside regardless of what is occurring outside. By staying acutely aware of what is occurring, you are not any longer at the mercy of your co-workers attitude. With awareness, you choose how you want to think, experience and behave. You are, indeed, a POWER Optimist!
So, how are you prepared to apply the findings from this evaluation to your work situation? First, keep in mind that you cannot make anyone else more positive. This would be operating in what I call the no control sector. The reality is you cannot modification another persons thoughts, feelings or behaviors. But what we do know from this evaluation is that you can influence their emotions by being positive yourself. You act from the "influence sector" once you undertake a positive outlook, steer conversations away from complaints and griping and present the other person whats possible by your positive attitude. Will your co-worker modification? Maybe, and maybe not. When you operate from the "influence sector," you need to let go of the final results. Instead of focusing on changing your co-workers attitude, talk about keeping your attitude positive.
