Here are a few strategies that can help you cultivate a positive attitude, which can help re-energise an office that seems to be going through the motions.
Being optimistic can manifest itself in a host of ways, whether it's something as simple as a smile, holding the door open for someone entering the building or bestowing praise on a fellow colleague or co-worker for a job well done. In addition to helping people genuinely feel better, positivity can translate into tangible results in terms of performance, both at the personal level and within the organisation as a whole. As detailed in the journal Labour Economics, researchers found a link between the mindset of the employees studied and their overall sales. In short, whenever study participants' attitudes were more forward-looking and hopeful, sales tended to increase.
"The results of our empirical tests concerning the determinants of employee attitudes and the determinants of branch sales are consistent with an interpretation that workplace-specific factors lead to better outcomes for both employees and the bank, and that these factors are more likely to be some aspect of the branches' internal operations rather than some characteristic of the external market of the branch," the study's authors concluded from their analysis.
Knowing the importance of positivity is one thing. Fostering it so more of your employees adopt it and make it a priority is quite another, as difficult personal circumstances can make "mind over matter" a life motto that is easier said than done.
Here are a few strategies that can help you cultivate a positive attitude, which can help re-energise an office that seems to be going through the motions:
1. Appoint a positivity ambassador
Just about every workplace has at least one person who is constantly looking on the bright side and can find the silver lining in virtually every cloud. These individuals are true heroes when it comes to spreading good cheer. You may want to consider speaking to them to get their thoughts about what they do to stay positive and what tips they might recommend. For example, sending out a daily or weekly email with motivational quotes or humorous anecdotes can help set the right tone. You may also want to speak with personnel - whether in person or by email - to learn more about what would help them feel and act in a more optimistic manner.
2. Be accepting of mistakes
As referenced by The Undercover Recruiter, if there is one thing that just about everyone can identify with, it's the fact that we all make mistakes; even when we try to be perfect, sometimes our best isn't quite good enough. Reminding yourself that everyone has flaws helps to foster positivity because it helps everyone to recognise that it's OK to come up short every now and then, and this fact alone is something that enables people to feel like they're not alone - even though it may feel that way when blunders invariably occur.
3. Identify the contributions to negativity
It's a pretty simple concept: Whenever there is darkness, it can be rooted out by shining a light on it. That light is positivity, and the darkness is negativity. However, to do that, you may first need to recognise what's causing the negativity in the first place. As recommended by the Predictive Index, you can do this by putting together a survey, where employees get to answer anonymously what's causing their negative emotions. This can help you recognise similarities and devise a solution.
Fostering positivity is like building muscle; it takes ongoing work and effort to strengthen. But the exercise is well worth it and can yield remarkable results over time the more that you put into it. A Sales Incentive Programme from Power 2 Motivate can be a major boon to these efforts. Contact us today to learn more or request a demo!