POSITIVELY BRILLIANT

Have you ever met someone, or maybe you have someone in your life right now, that just makes you feel good…about everything??Just having a conversation with them can brighten up your day?

Several years ago, I met Jennifer.?We both belonged to a club dedicated primarily to charitable work and over the years we worked on various projects together, some that she got me to be involved in, and some, vice versa.?

The first time I met her I saw a kindred spirit, but it was more than that.?We could have a meeting about something, and I would leave feeling so energized, like anything was possible; that I could do anything!??Jennifer just has that effect on people.?Her positivity is completely infectious.

Having a positive attitude at work is hugely important.?Studies have shown there are myriad benefits to thinking positively in the workplace:

? Positive thinking stimulates your brain to function better and increases energy levels both of which make you more focused and more productive

? Thinking positively opens you up to more possibilities and that can help you think outside the box

? Feeling more positive has been shown to reduce stress?

? It can help you build better relationships at work which in turn will enable greater teamwork

Positive people are just nice to be around at work.?It may not be possible for most of us to be positive all the time, everyone has a bad day once in awhile after all.?On the flip side though, we probably all also know someone who is frequently negative.??These are the people who complain about things at work, a lot.?They often are not willing to expend any extra effort because “there is no point”.?Sometimes, we will even avoid getting into conversation with these people because they bring us down.?Kind of proves the above list, I guess.

As a leader, your outlook will greatly influence the people who work with you.??And how you approach a new project or task will also influence your team.??

If you are given the task of implementing a new way of doing something to improve efficiency for instance, and you have a team to help you, how you approach it will set the tone for the project.?For example, if your attitude with your team is:

? We have another attempt by management to increase efficiency around here

? It will probably fail like the last time

? But we have to do it, so we might as well get started…

Then yes, it probably will fail like last time.??You and your team are defeated before you even start.??

Perception is everything.?Your perception of any given set of circumstances will colour how you see a situation and will also colour how you present that situation to others.?It is very difficult to fake passion for a project that you don’t really feel.?So, instead of only?seeing the negative, flip it on its head and look for the Positives.???

In their book The Art of Possibility:?Transforming Professional and Personal Life, by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, one of my favourite quotes is:

“Many circumstances that seem to block us in our daily lives may only appear to do

so based on a framework of assumptions we carry with us.?Draw a different frame

around the same set of circumstances and new pathways come into view.”?

It’s kind of like that picture we have all seen where if you look at it one way you see an old woman but if you kind of squint or unfocus your gaze, you will see a young woman in a hat.??It is all in your perception.??

If you look at the situation above of the new process to increase efficiency and you look at it differently, from a place of possibility and positivity then maybe your initial conversation with your team would go like this:

? We have been given a great opportunity to find ways to increase efficiency here

? I know we all have great ideas on how to make things better, that’s why we were chosen?

? So, let’s start spit balling ideas – I can’t wait to get started

What a difference.??

If you have been used to seeing only the negative side of things for some time, it may not be easy to change overnight.?Being able to see the Positive and the Possibility will be something you may have to work at.??But think how much better it will feel!??And the same goes for your Team and colleagues.??They too may have to work at it, but they will take direction from Leadership.?Remember though, this isn’t something you can fake and have people follow you.?Great leaders work with people who will follow them because they believe in them.

From Jen Sincero, author: “Your reality is created by what you focus on and how you chose to interpret it.”?