Don't
get hooked into complaint sessions and gossip. When faced with negative
conversations, try changing the subject or switch the focus to a discussion of
what can be done about it (solution-oriented).
Focus
on solutions not problems, and issues not people. Identify the positives
each day and talk about them. Recognize even the smallest actions that bring
positive results.
Hold
team meetings and invite everyone on the staff to share their creative
ideas on how to make the work environment more enjoyable. (Make sure these
are facilitated well to keep it from becoming a gripe session.)
Model
positive behavior. Remember that while attitudes and great service start
at the top of the organization, every single person is responsible for their
own attitude! Managers who want their employees to have positive attitudes
must demonstrate what that looks like through role modeling--every day.
Acknowledge negativity because ignoring it will not make it go away. Pay
attention to the frustrations and negative feelings, and then ask the employee
for their suggestions regarding what to do about the problems.
Check
your own attitude! If you find yourself faced with a bad attitude every
day, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself why that is.
Your attitude about your life and your situation is
entirely within your control. Life and time is precious . . . Hurricane
Katrina has made that dramatically apparent. So don’t let negativity bring
you down . . . be a part of the solution and not the problem.
