Page 91 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

Putting the Kibosh on Negativity 71

Warning Signs That Negativity
Is Creeping In
• The “I can’ts” become frequent and addictive.
• Employees spend too much conversational time criticizing others or
the organization.
• Employees behave with animosity.
• Enjoyment and enthusiasm are lacking.
• Each new idea or program is greeted with a “This too shall pass”
attitude.
• People seem fearful.
• No one’s laughing.There are no signs of fun.

Fear

Fear is paralyzing. It feeds on everything that brings out the

worst in people. When fear sets in, it’s usually a sign that man-
agement hasn’t done its part to build confidence or tell employ-
ees everything there is to know. It can also be a sign that man-
agement is actually using fear as a tool to manipulate employ-
ees to work harder or do things a certain way because they fear

the consequences. In fact, some leaders use fear to motivate—
“Get the job done on time or you’re fired!” But it’s only weak
and ineffective leaders who use fear to get people to perform.
Smart leaders know that employee incentives and a promise for

personal growth and development are the best motivators.
Fear is a serious negativity invader. One way to keep it from
creeping into your workplace is to understand what employees
fear most and then address those fears upfront, open and hon-
estly, with everyone.

What employees fear the most:

1. That they will be rejected or not belong.
2. That they will be seen as vulnerable or weak.
3. That they won’t measure up and, therefore, will appear
inferior.

By having this information up front, managers and supervisors
can find ways to overcome the most common employee fears.