A mindset increasingly prevalent in today’s workplace that infects other team members’ motivation and drive is a negative attitude. In order to learn how to influence an employee’s negative outlook, it is important to first understand its origins. In an article published in the The Journal of Organizational Development, researchers determined three major internal events that feed negative emotions in the office:
1) perceptions of an insecure future
2) perceptions of inadequate treatment by the employer
3) perceptions of inadequate working conditions
Obviously, as a leader you cannot control how an employee perceives or interprets communication and events. But you can influence how they respond, and offer up mindful solutions and tools so they are more prepared in the future to respond differently. The more open, positive, enthusiastic and accountable you are as a leader, you can provide the conditions for that same attitude to permeate the workplace.
Meet Haley, the Company HaterHaley starts work at 7 am in a dark cubicle. When her team members get in she doesn’t bother to say hello or good morning. During meetings she frowns, keeps her arms crossed, and focuses on problems instead of solutions.
Research shows that employees…
