Negative Attitudes

I surveyed a group of managers and supervisors recently to be ready for my first day of training with the group.  The question was:  “What is your single biggest frustration that you find at work?”  The most frequent answer was – negative attitudes at work.  

When you work with someone who has a negative attitude it’s a drag.  You don’t want to go anywhere near that person.  You may walk on egg shells because you don’t know what might come out of their mouth.  
 
Managers and supervisors can’t have a negative attitude.  You know how you feel when you have to work with a negative attitude, imagine if the negative attitude was your boss – double and triple the effect on your workplace.  Don’t even think about doing that to your employees.
 
If you have a negative attitude it puts stress on others as well as you.  Over time the stress can have a profound effect on your health.  Stress is directly linked to illness.  Who wants to be sick all the time?
 
Bad attitudes come from all sorts of places.  
 
Some people were raised to look at the negative so they develop a bad attitude habit, they may not know how to be positive.  
 
Some people may feel insecure in their job and use a bad attitude to keep people away – so they don’t find out they don’t know what to do.
 
Some people are just unhappy in their job or in their life.
 
Here are some tips to get out of the negative.
 
Tip 1:  Find a solution.  If you are thinking about problems at work, ask yourself what could fix the problem?  Make a list of all the problems and come up with solutions for each one – even if they aren’t realistic or you don’t know if you could get the resources.  Your boss will thank you!
 
Tip 2:  Ask for help.  Concentrating on learning from others leaves the negative behind.  You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to teach you what they know.  You’ll strengthen your relationship too.
 
Tip 3:  Find a new job.  If you hate your job, you can’t be a great employee.  You’re also making everyone else around you miserable.  Do yourself and everyone else a favor – brush up that resume and do something about it.
 
Tip 4:  Hunt for the good.  Each day for one week, write at least five things about your job/workplace that you do like.  Don’t repeat anything on the list.  Hunting for the good will produce a better outlook and great energy by the end of one week.
 
What’s been your experience?  What’s worked for you?  Share your comments and tips below.  What do you do when you encounter a negative co-worker?

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4 Responses to Negative Attitudes

  • sue says:

    I love my job and encourage everyone I know to find a job they love too…if you follow your passion the money will come so do it in that order!

  • Evette says:

    A negative attitude is lethal in sales, so I've used the following:
    1)  Limit time and conversations with colleagues who are unhappy with your job/company/career.  If they're always complaining about our job, it does nothing to improve the situation. 
    2) Spend time with postive people, focused on achievement. An accountability partner/mastermind group/busines coach are all valuable resources–people focused on helping uplift you and strategize ways to overcome your obstacles. 
    2)  Although I love my job, there are aspects of it that I don't like.  Generally a negative attitude develops when I don't want to do it, then I procrastinate, then it gets worse.  This is where your suggestion for getting help comes in handy.  I've been able to decrease my anxiety and negativity by outsourcing the undesirable task to a colleague or virtual assistant .

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