How to Stop Negativity in Your Team

Negativity in teams can be subtle. It’s not always an all-out cycle of complaints and moaning. Often, it’s quieter—team members raising concerns without offering solutions, avoiding accountability, or focusing on what’s wrong rather than what could be improved.

It’s easy to dismiss this as “just how people are.” But more often than not, it’s not who they are—it’s a habit. And like any habit, it can be broken.

Why Negativity Becomes the Default

For some people negativity becomes habitual. Here's why it happens:

1. It’s easier than problem-solving: Pointing out flaws doesn’t require the risk of proposing a solution that might fail.
2. It’s been normalised: When negativity isn’t challenged, it becomes the status quo.
3. They don’t know how to change: Problem-solving requires confidence and tools that many team members haven’t developed.

What looks like negativity is often a reflection of uncertainty. People stick with what they know—complaining—because they don’t see another way forward.

How to Change the Habit

Breaking the habit of negativity isn’t about overhauling your team overnight. It’s about small, intentional shifts in behaviour that build momentum. Here’s how:

• Help Them See the Pattern - Negativity often becomes second nature—people don’t even realise it’s happening or the real effect it has. The first step is creating awareness. Highlight the behaviour without blame, encouraging reflection and a shift in perspective. When your team understands the habit, they can start to change it.
• Give Them the Tools - Negativity often stems from not knowing how to act. Equip your team with frameworks that build confidence in their ability to solve problems. When they feel supported and capable, they naturally shift from focusing on problems to seeking solutions.
• Shift the Conversation - Every time a problem is raised, ask the person for at least one solution. The solution doesn't need to be perfect—it just shifts the focus from what’s wrong to what’s possible. Over time, this simple change encourages proactive thinking.
• Reinforce What You Want to See - Habits change through consistency. Celebrate solution-focused behaviours—publicly acknowledge when someone tackles a problem with a constructive mindset. The more you highlight and reward these behaviours, the more they’ll stick.

A Real Example

One MD I worked with had a team stuck in this subtle form of negativity. It wasn’t outright complaining, but every meeting revolved around challenges—rarely solutions.

We started with a simple shift: requiring solutions to accompany every problem. To support this, we ran a quick session on how to break problems down and propose actionable next steps. Within weeks, the tone of their meetings shifted.

Instead of waiting for the MD to fix things, the team started addressing issues themselves. Morale improved, accountability increased, and the MD finally had space to focus on strategy instead of firefighting

The Leadership Mindset Shift

Negativity isn’t about who your team is—it’s about what they’ve learned to do. And with the right leadership, those habits can change.

As a leader, your role is to:

• Help your team recognise their patterns.
• Build their confidence to take action.
• Shift conversations toward solutions.
• Reinforce the positive changes.

These small shifts create a ripple effect, transforming your team from problem-spotters to problem-solvers.

Want to Create a High-Performing Culture in Your Business?

Negativity is just one part of the puzzle. To build a truly high-performing culture, you need the right conditions to support accountability, ownership, and results.

I unpacked the strategies to do this in my masterclass last week.

These are the exact strategies I use with my clients—CEOs and MDs—breaking down everything we do and how we achieve it.

The replay is available right now—for you to watch and implement these strategies in your business.

If you want a high-performing team that delivers, don’t miss this replay of the masterclass:

"How to Get Your Managers to Actually Manage"

Click here to access it today: https://go.leannebridges.com/highperformingteam-replay

It’s only available for a limited time. Watch it now.