HR Management & Compliance

Workplace Negativity: Don’t Just Say No


News About the Nationwide Employee
Attitude Survey Mentioned Last Week


Last Friday, we asked if you would be interested in taking part in a nationwide survey of employee attitudes. The interest was there and the survey is a go. But we need your help. Please read more about this by scrolling down to view the National Employee Attitude Survey box below the article.


A reader recently wrote to ask how to deal with “negativity,” specifically, employees who can see only the dark side, people for whom the glass is always half empty. My first thought was, “Are you talking about me?”


Negativity is one of my bad natural tendencies. Left to my own devices, I often get myself in trouble by tossing off unintended, offhand comments that quash creativity and morale—sometimes across a large number of people, given my status as CEO. This is “negative leverage”—a very bad thing.


Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, speaks to this in his famous “4-e’s,” one of which is “energize.” A good employee energizes those around him, says Welch. Staff members who are consistently negative enervate (a much misused term that is actually the opposite of energize). This is true even of employees who are technically “good at their jobs.”


Dealing with my negative tendencies has been, shall we say, an “opportunity.” A first step was realizing how destructive they could be.


A consultant, Bruce Clinton, from Business-wise.com, helped me. He used a little survey that asked team members to evaluate me on a number of characteristics. Then I self-evaluated using the same survey. By comparing my (laudatory) ratings against their (less so) opinions, the picture emerged.


When I first read the results, my first feeling was anger at my team’s disloyalty. Later, after a facilitator helped us get to specifics, the hurt was replaced by the realization that they weren’t the problem; I was.


It soon became clear that some of what they perceived as “negative,” I thought of as “positive”! I love to fix things, to improve them. Unfortunately, this desire to improve often gets manifested in a poor way. When a memo or a suggestion comes my way, the first impulse is to point out how to improve it. Unfortunately, the writer of the memo, who may have labored for hours over it, doesn’t find my “criticism” energizing. Just the opposite, in fact. It’s seen as a put-down.


So, my positive is perceived as a negative, and perception is reality.


Clinton was the consultant who gave us the “like/change/learn” formula that I’ve written about in this column before. It has been the cornerstone of our never-ending effort to reduce negativity.


Starting with “What I Like”


In responding to an idea or a memo, we try to start with “what I like about it.” Then, “what I would change.” Finally, “what I think we should do.” The formula creates an energizing atmosphere because the praise at the beginning softens the blow, and “change” is different than “don’t like.” It puts responsibility on the would-be critic to be proactive and come up with some ideas. It is a good formula.


How do I deal with the negativity of others? I wish there were an easy way, but there seldom is. The hard fact is that it is difficult to change an adult’s behavior unless he or she wants to change. Unfortunately, most people don’t want to.


Rather than just throwing our hands up and admitting defeat, follow the model that helped me: First, get them to see that their negativity demoralizes. (They frequently don’t realize what power they wield.) Then, tell them about “like/change/learn” and ask them to use it.


Sometimes we make a little ceremony of it. (“Ok, that’s nice, now let’s go back and start over. Tell me, first, what you like about this.” “Now that we’re through with that, what would you change?”) This will work with some people; not with others. With the latter, my advice is simple:


If gentle hints don’t work, tell them flat-out that their negativity is a problem and make sure that their evaluations record the evidence thereof. Even if their work product is otherwise satisfactory, their behavior is career-killing. Above all, don’t make excuses for them. Doing so just “enables” them to continue.


Wishing you a positively good week!



Nationwide Employee Attitude Survey: It’s a Go!


Thanks to all of you who responded last week, saying that you are interested in a nationwide employee attitude survey, based on the survey form we’ve used at BLR for the past 10 years.

The response was good enough to allow us to continue planning for the survey, now scheduled for January 2007.

Many of you requested details about the survey, such as security to ensure confidentiality, the questions on the survey, and the nature of the reports. We are preparing documentation answering these and other questions and will make it available in the coming weeks. We recognize that confidentiality and privacy, both at an organizational and personal level, are very important considerations, and we are confident we can meet your needs in that regard.

In the meantime, we will be attempting to recruit as many participants as possible, to allow for meaningful response and greater segmentation. You can help by recruiting friends and colleagues at other companies. You can e-mail me their names, or have them contact me at Rbrady@blr.com. They can access last week’s article by clicking here. Please help in these recruiting efforts!

3 thoughts on “Workplace Negativity: Don’t Just Say No”

  1. I went to a Langevin Training and they had the same idea. What did you like about what you did? What would you change? What can you do better?
    I think it is a great practice and a great way for supervisors to approach their employees.

  2. re: Workplace Negativity: Don’t Just Say No
    Great Article!!!

    I was facing this situation at my work place and try to resolve it but not getting actual answer.So seeking help.

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