Are Your Managerial Methods Too Negative?

Negativity is the bane of any otherwise successful company. It can drag employee morale down to unimaginable depths, create unbearable tension among coworkers, and slow once-galloping productivity to a crawl. Negative thought and behavior can spread like a virus, affecting even the most upbeat and stalwart staff member-including you.

So how can you help your office to stay on track when negativity knocks on its door? The first and most obvious answer is to look at your own reactions to negative stimulus. If you're very negative in your personal life, the chances are pretty good that you also speak and act negatively at work. Staff will inevitably pick up on that, and follow suit. After all, if you hate your job as their manager, how could working there possibly be a positive experience for them?

If you can stop yourself from living with such a negative mentality, you can consciously focus on making your office a positive place to work. By supporting your staff members a little more, keeping them responsible for their own respective tasks, always being honest with them and letting them know you trust them to do a good job, you're setting a good example for a more positive work atmosphere.

In addition to remaining aware of your own negative tendencies, you need to keep an eye out for negativity from others and take an active stand against it. Don't avoid it or pretend it doesn't exist; it will only feed on your silence and grow into an uncontrollable monster. Your employees will take your tendency to avoid negativity as a sign that you aren't well-connected with the troubles they face, and will lose faith in your ability to lead. By acknowledging when and where negativity pops up, whether it arises from a situation or a specific person, you're sending the message that you're on top of your game and won't allow any room for negative behavior.

In addition to recognizing negativity, you should also take the time to acknowledge members of your team who make an effort at positive behavior. Let that employee know how much you appreciate their efforts. If that employee needs correction in other areas, wait a bit before mentioning it so your praise of their efforts isn't lessened; otherwise, it sounds more like a backhanded compliment.

Every company will face times when it struggles with negativity, whether from external forces or from within its own ranks. You are a key player in determining how much of that negativity will affect your department. By keeping your own negativity in check and watching out for the negativity of others, you will develop a more positive atmosphere at work for both you and your employees to enjoy.