Imagine this-
You are getting out of your car and into your office building. The first person you see smiles at you and wishes you a wonderful day. The next person holds the elevator door for you as you almost miss it. You sit at your desk and check your emails. The first one you see is from your boss- thanking you for the latest effort and asking you for a follow up. The email is signed with a “thank you.”
How does all of this make you feel?
Now imagine the opposite-
You are ignored when you walk into the building, you run towards the elevator and now one holds it back, now you have to wait or take the stairs, and the email from your boss is a short line asking for an immediate follow up.
How do you feel now?
How do you think you will treat others during the day in each scenario?
Let’s talk about REINFORCING SYSTEMS, or in other words- BEHAVIOR IS CONTAGIOUS!
Positive regard leads to more positive, and the negative cause more negative.
So how can we make sure that positivity increases, and negativity decreases in our workplace?
- Be patient zero- spread the positivity! Act the way you wish others to act towards you.
- Be clear about unacceptable behaviors (Anchor attitudes in behaviors).
- Hold a workshop in which people state what desired behaviors are and come to agreement to hold each other accountable for our behaviors.
- Remember Newton’s first law of motion- trajectory will remain unless interrupted by an outside force. Meaning- negative behavior will continue and grow unless stopped.
So, what’s going to be your first action to spread positivity?
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