What causes our outlook to be negative and how can we change it?
Everyone has experienced times when there is a negative view or vibe among people. I have seen over my career many instances where people are struggling to remain positive and just enjoy life in general. I know I have struggled to remain in a good mental state. We have seen an increase in recent years and the struggle has been real. I know when I find myself being a little too negative in certain situations, I do not like myself. It is hard to always remain positive. I wanted to share a few examples on the directions we take when our mind is in a negative state and what we need to consider as we change our ways.
Blaming others or our situation is generally the main culprit that contributes to negativity. I am guilty of this, just like many of us. When we are in a situation where things are not going smoothly, we want to blame others or the situation itself. How easy was it for everyone to blame COVID for their negative thoughts a few years ago? It was easy to slip into a funk and speak negatively about those around us. When we start the blame-game, people from the outside see this and it accelerates the negative views. Negativity grows like wildfire, but you have the power to stop it.
Defining your ownership. We all must decide whether we want to contribute to a negative or a positive outlook. We must take ownership of our behavior and our mindset. If a change in either is needed, make it as quickly as possible. When we recognize our negative ways, we can track the moments or situations that cause them. This helps to keep the negativity away from the public eye.
A fantastic way to end a negative outlook is for the people to come together and allow others to walk away, who are unwilling to change their ways. When the people of an organization feel a positive change is needed, they tend to work towards common goals. We will also have people who will not accept the changes and that is ok. Those individuals may choose to step aside or leave an organization all together. We never want our friends to leave but sometimes that is exactly what needs to happen.
Expect difficult conversations with alternative opinions. Everyone will have their own unique outlook in a situation. Various views on the direction of an organization can get difficult because everyone thinks their ideas are better. Hard conversations will be had, feelings may get hurt, but in the end the best decisions will be made for the organization. This only occurs when everyone wishes the best for the organization. The best ideas always win.
Who or what are we blaming for our issues and how do we stop it?
How are you taking responsibility for the outlook in your organization?
Who needs to be invited to participate and who needs permission to step aside?
Are you willing to have hard conversations to make better decisions?
Many things can cause our outlook to become negative, and it can get out of control quickly. When we see better approaches and better attitudes our outlook takes an upward trek to positivity. It is a hard path to stay on, but great organizations are built on a positive foundation that everyone takes ownership of. I hope you are on a positive trajectory this week. Thanks for looking in on this post and I hope you have a wonderful week. Please leave a comment below that will contribute to this conversation.
Steven C. Bucks- Leading Conversations
~Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member~
