To suggest that you can switch off someone’s negativity is a bit like telling someone to stop smoking cigarettes. It’s an easy comment for a non-smoker to make, but a very difficult step for the smoker – even if the smoker knows it’s not good for their health.
This issue of switching off bad habits – for me personally, negativity – was recently raised again when I gained certification to facilitate Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). As we were discussing how different types were creative, we debated how personalities chose to exercise their creativity, either through practicality or experimention, and how negativity and criticism either inspired or deflated people around them. That led to how different types changed behaviours in others: what they did, how they did it, and why.
All that said, my takeaway came down to this.
Can we ourselves turn off a less-than-ideal pattern?
Or, is it just important – if not necessary – that we also rely upon others around us to help us change those patterns?
Negativity is such a powerful force. Like emotional intelligence, we must first begin with ourselves. How and why we carry it around, and then realise how that attitude and action generates and sustains negativity in the business environment. Once we understand ourselves, we can then have an open and constructive discussion with others, particularly if we are the team leader, coach or mentor who influences others.
Below are some suggestions which may be helpful if you want to start the conversation with your colleagues or team members.
How to Might Switch Off Negativity at Work
Remember the purpose of creativity: to produce the greatest volume of ideas.
The operative words in that sentence are the greatest volume of ideas.
Creativity is not one idea: it’s multiple, many, a lot, a significant amount. You cannot know whether something is good or bad if you only have a few. You want volume so it gives you the biggest choice possible.
That “choice” might be future products, enhanced features, improved services, new processes – any of which could generates new forms of revenue.
If you let negativity prevent creativity from happening, you’re fundamentally working against yourself and the good of the organisation.
People often say there’s nothing wrong with constructive negativity at work, but what they’re really talking about is criticism, not negativity. More to the point, the purpose of creativity is greatest as many ideas as possible. Go to for a re-cap on the difference between negativity and criticism.
Like any other business skills, creativity must be learnt, nurtured and rewarded.
Creativity is more than painting conference room walls vivid colours or placing toys on desks.
Creativity is a skill like any other, but it’s not necessarily taught like any other because creativity can only flourish in the right environment. In other words, creativity needs both the right skills and the right culture.
By right skills, I mean curiosity, imagination and play, problem solving, entrepreneurialism, networking, listening, negotiation and conflict, and change management, and yes, criticism.
By right culture, I mean recognising creativity, shifting how an organisation thinks about risk (risk-taking, not risk-aversion), collaboration, a lack of silos and open communications, experimentation, empowering and sharing.
If you are a leader of any kind, you must inspire and reward people for finding new ways to solve old problems, particularly in ways which run against the typical methods of your corporate culture. No successful company has ever remained the same. The people must change, and change and creativity go hand-in-hand.
You don’t need to “speed up” the lifecycle of a brainstorm.
Oh my yes, it’s easy to be impatient! But that’s not how creativity works. More so, the impatience is worse when you’re watching it from a distance. Get involved! Be part of the process.
Talk to your end users. Listen for what they’re trying to tell you, not what you want to hear. Argue about the merits and problems, and then improve them. Stop saying no, and ask Why Not? Build a prototype. Ask your end user for help. If you need to be negative, try your organisation’s product and service for yourself, and then ask: What can you do to make it better?
Focus your energy on what you like – not dislike.
Every brainstorm has both good and bad ideas. Focus your attention on the ideas that have potential. Encourage people to improve interesting into good. If you simply can’t control your negativity, then be specific and constructive. Saw exactly what is wrong with precise words. “Bad” is vague.
If you must be negative, be negative about your negativity.
Challenge yourself, not the team. Why are you dismissing an idea? Instead of asking Why?, ask Why not?
Is there another issue or problem to address? For some people, it’s their own natural fears or insecurities. Perhaps you aren’t sure how to sell an idea to a supervisor. If so, brainstorm ways to merchandise and package it. Are you wary about how you’ll build acceptance internally for a particular idea? These questions make good brainstorm topics.
Finally, remove yourselves from the creative situation if you can’t curtail your negativity.
This is the toughest one of all. Maybe you’re the problem, not the process. You need to get out of the way.
Here’s all you do:
- Put the right people together.
- Be precise with the objectives.
- Prioritise the problems.
- Appoint a leader and tell them what your criteria for a successful idea are (you only get three criteria, by the way).
- Give them some leeway and time, perhaps bit of budget. (They don’t need much. A lack of money can be a great motivator and challenge.)
- Give them a time frame.
- Leave them alone.
You might be surprised at what you get when you let people live up to their potential
How else have you managed to switch off your negativity? Please add your thoughts and comments below.
A Three-Part Series on Negativity and Creativity
The topic of negativity is one that keeps cropping up in both brainstorms that I run for clients, as well as in conversations in my workshops and training.
There are three articles beyond the initial post: The Difference Between Negativity and Criticism in Brainstorming
How Negativity Affects Creativity
Can You Switch Off Your Negativity? (This Article)
No comment yet, add your voice below!