Leading With Positivity

You are a leader. An amazing leader.

Your team looks to you for guidance. Your team are sponges, soaking up your energy, whether it be positive or negative. Clearly, they have a choice on how to feel, but the vibes you project can influence the morale of the entire team.

In Jeremy’s most recent post, 5 Reasons To Say Goodbye To Negativity, he discusses how powerful negativity can be when you choose to succumb to it.

As a leader on a management team, there are many challenges you face on a daily basis. You are responsible for giant team impacting decisions. It’s not always fun but it’s part of the gig.

Carrying negativity around only makes your job harder. And, it weighs the entire team down.

Imagine hiking a mountain while carrying 100 pounds of bricks on your shoulders!

But wait–you’re just human! It’s not possible to always be happy and positive.

While no, it’s not always possible–you do have some options:

1. Openly Communicate 

Bringing frustrations to the table sooner than later opens the door to further discussion. Perhaps the reason is due to a miscommunication. Or, perhaps you didn’t fully understand an element of a recent change. Schedule a meeting with those who can discuss the situation with open ears and honesty.

2. Anchor Your Attitude

When there is an opportunity for negative reactions brought to your table, anchor yourself to something stable for a few moments. I have an anchor tattoo on my wrist that I look to as a reminder to chill out (a.k.a. my attitude anchor, which you can read about here. Thanks Jeff and Jess). Otherwise, take three deep breaths or go outside for a walk before making any sudden moves or giving in to the negativity (or else you’ll owe a $1 fine to Jeremy’s jar). However, after the fact, make sure to bounce to #1 on this list to communicate!

3. Gratitude 

This last part isn’t always easy for some and it may seem super cheesy to others, but taking a moment to appreciate the great things you have in your life and reminding yourself to be grateful can often take the edge of the negativity. Whether this means you make a short list, journal or just ponder, tune into the gratitude station then, once you’ve brought yourself back to a neutral space, return to #1 on this list.

And remember, you can’t live a positive life with a negative mind.

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