Positive Vibes Only

Jim is generally in a good mood. People think he’s funny and charismatic. I hear he’s up for a promotion soon. Jim says, “It’s draining having to be ‘on’ all the time. I see how it’s helpful to be positive, but it’s really hard on me.”

Jim is right. It’s unreasonable to think anyone is happy all the time. It can even come across as disingenuous in certain situations such as a corporate acquisition.

Did you know that smiling even when you’re not happy can trigger endorphins to help make you happy?

People don’t want to be around someone who is negative all the time. If you can’t offer any solutions to a problem you’re not helping. Pro tip: A manager loves people who make their job easier.

You can’t be negative and you can’t be positive so what are you supposed to do?

Be real and empathize - Show people they’re not alone with how they’re feeling and listen to them. Example: “That is a challenging situation. If you can overcome it, it’ll be a great story.” “We’re doing what we can right now and I’ll provide you updates once I have more information to share.”

Act with purpose - Being confident about decisions whether positive or negative is important in building trust. Be clear about your intent if you’re looking for feedback or if things are final.

Be open - Transparency is key. You don’t want to sound alarms unnecessarily, but people want to know what’s going on and how it will impact them. Yes, the new brand is new, but the services are still the same and clients have responded positively to it so far. OR Yes, the new brand is new, but the services are still the same and we need your help showing clients that they’ll still be getting quality support. I’m here to talk if you have any questions or concerns.

Even positive people might be depressed or anxious. Even negative people might want things to work out for the best. Perception can be seen as reality. If you’re having trouble getting to a positive mindset or want to talk through how to articulate a challenging situation at work, set up a call with a mentor. It’s also possible a licensed mental health specialist may need to be involved.