6 Ways To Stop Negativity Before It Affects Morale, Productivity

The world can be a negative place. The workplace shouldn’t be.

In fact, you want to stop negativity before its energy takes over.

If negativity gets its grip on Finance — or another team that impacts yours — it’s usually hard to break. You don’t want to ever become so bogged down in old protocols and negative vibes that only an overhaul will turn it around.

Negativity as an Emotional Contagion

Researchers call negativity an emotional contagion and these are the three top negative energy bugs that you should guard against:

1. Short-Fuse Rudeness

Ever hear someone abruptly dispatched with a brusque “I don’t have time for this right now” from a boss or colleague?

You’ve probably thought it was rude. Even worse, you probably mentally slapped yourself on the forehead if you said it.

Everyone has those moments. But it’s when you realize too many people have them, all the time, that things need to change.

Give people enough stress with not enough downtime, and knee-jerk rudeness becomes the default. And most of us know rudeness and negativity when we see them.

2. Arguing Just To Argue

Your team takes on a lot, and so do you. So you know how testy things can get when you’re involved in a project that has a million pitfalls, or mired in paperwork that never seems to end.

Faced with daily frustrations, it’s easy to snap and turn helpful suggestions into arguments or even fights: “I’d appreciate it if you just let me get this done the way I know how!“

Some people just love to argue, it’s true. But if every employee interaction turns into a contentious debate, it’s a sign that they could simply be venting about a larger problem.

3. Subtle Bullying

This results when employees feel overworked and under-appreciated. Incivility at work has been on the rise and it’s costly.

What happens: Someone bosses us around, so we use the same tactic on the next person who needs our attention.

After surveying people in the workplace, University of Arkansas researchers found that when people experienced incivility earlier in the day, their own levels of self-control were reduced, which resulted in their increased incivility later in the day.

In other words, insults and slights frequently harm employee performance and can provoke payback later.

Good News: It’s Curable

It turns out, positive energy spreads, too. We already know this intuitively, but it helps to remind ourselves that an upbeat outlook can be contagious.

Researchers identified six ways managers can spread positive energy:

1. Show Off a Sunny Attitude

You don’t need to plaster a smile on your face all day. But recognize that you do set the tone for how you feel about your job.

If employees see you approaching your day (even the bad ones!) with good humor and enthusiasm, they’re likely to adapt and extend that enthusiasm.

2. Create and Follow an Inspiring Vision

Leaders need to communicate organizational goals in a compelling way. This is especially important to get your team through mundane and less rewarding tasks day after day. But you don’t need flowery, over-the-top language to do it.

Stick consistently to a short list of aspirations or goals to routinely reference when new opportunities come up. This emphasizes to your team that reaching those goals is a real and valuable accomplishment.

3. Contribute Meaningfully To Team Conversations

You let your team do most of the talking, and that’s great. But they also want signs that you’re still listening.

Signal that you respect their contributions by seizing on their ideas and thoughts, even on things you’re not directly supervising. Engaged employees are happier and more productive.

4. Stay Fully Present and Attentive

You might be the busiest person in the room, but everyone deserves your attention.

Encourage behaviors that promote attentiveness. Institute a no-texting rule for meetings, or take discussions to a break room or another place where you know you won’t be interrupted. Giving people your solid attention helps overcome indifference (and it’s polite).

5. Give Credit Where It’s Due

Being treated as an equal boosts an employee’s outlook, says Mary Jo Asmus, a former Fortune 100 executive and founder of executive coaching firm Aspire Collaborative Services LLC. “Nobody has a corner on the best ideas. Most people, including the smart ones you hire, love to think for themselves,” she says.

6. Celebrate Successes

When you reach important benchmarks, praise and reward the effort. It boosts the mood and helps maintain momentum.