What Kind of Leader are You?

Are You a Positive Leader?

“Complaining does not work as a strategy” - Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

Why do people complain at work? The source is generally caused by a feeling of fear or being helpless. No doubt many people today are being asked to do more with less, working longer hours with greater expectations and fewer resources. The result is often frustration about their job, supervisor, co-workers, and the organization. Frustration leads to complaining, complaining impacts the work environment, and as leaders we are expected to engage. 

I attended a meeting several years ago where an unpopular HR policy was being introduced. The team was very frustrated and the meeting soon turned negative. The leader invited differing opinions as long as a potential solution was included. He ended the discussion by admitting he was not happy about the policy as well, but the team needed to make the policy work. I was impressed the leader took a risk by revealing his personal frustration, rather than just insisting the company is always right or there is nothing they could do, and the team appreciated his honesty and the group moved forward. 

As leaders we experience deposits and withdrawals from our energy tank every day. Our tank rises when we encounter a positive individual or experience, and the reverse is true when we are told the glass is half empty. So how do we effectively lead others and manage our attitude through negative energy?

Here are three steps to leading positively: check your attitude, promote a fair process, and use positive language.

Check Your Attitude
Before you address the negative behavior of others, ask yourself if you are contributing to the problem. We often have a tendency to grade ourselves on a generous curve. Great leaders resist the easy road – contributing to the negative messages to remain popular or simply ignoring the situation. They understand the importance of remaining objective to promote a positive work environment. Check your objectivity by getting feedback from a trusted peer or mentor.

Fair Process 
Your first goal is to understand the root cause of the negative behavior. Pursue the facts, ask questions, and expect solutions. Give your people the opportunity to be heard, a fair process, but remember success is a positive solution – not unanimous agreement. Experience tells us people are often more concerned about the process than the final decision.

Positive Language
One of my favorite questions in a negative situation is “what is the good news?” There are two sides to every story and complaining is centered on attracting others to a single point of view. A common definition of intelligence is being able to hold two competing thoughts at the same time, and we need to expect our people to be objective. Leaders welcome alternative views and set ground rules for team discussions to prevent gripe sessions. For example, playing the devil’s advocate to clarify thinking is fine – complaining with no solutions is not.

The reality is our human condition can cause us to see the dark side during challenging times. Challenge yourself to check your attitude, promote a fair process, and be a role model by leading with positive language. Your people are looking for a positive leader – let it be you. 

Todd