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Learning to Be Proactive to Negativity Starts by Counting to 10 Before You Respond

Guest post by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Article Overview: Negativity abounds in the business world. How you respond to it reflects who you are. Beyond returning to the count to 10 strategy, this article provides several others.

Learning to Be Proactive to Negativity Starts by Counting to 10 Before You Respond

Many bloggers, business columnists, authors, speakers and even business professionals including sales people experience negative feedback. During the past year, I have experienced some negative feedback.

Human nature being what human nature is the first reaction is to react. However, there is a better way to behave and that is to be proactive by first counting to 10. Separating yourself from your immediate gut reaction is necessary because many of these negative feedback attacks are quite personal in nature.

Then take the time to see who is connected to whom through social media. In many cases you may discover just a small enclave or peer group who are thoughts different than yours. Additionally since people prefer to gossip instead of being forthright and addressing you directly, what they are saying may just stay between them.

Also ask yourself if you have ever met these individuals? Again, they may be individuals who you have never physically met, but for whatever the reason may have a professional dislike of you. Jealousy, envy are common human emotions and sometimes are intertwined in or a part of negative feedback.

Another strategy as you are counting to ten before you respond is to employ Socrates' three (3) filters:

1. Is it kind?
2. Is it necessary?
3. Is it truthful?

Sometimes no matter how you respond, these critics may just have “tight shorts” or in other words are just looking for an argument to keep fueling their own personal fires. If you believe this to be true, then this belief fails the “Is it necessary?” test because it is not necessary to engage in an argument with complete strangers who are truly unwilling to listen due to their personal agendas.

There will always be critics, people who do not like you. When you continue to exercise your positive core beliefs and business ethics, stay focused on your desired results or goals, then by counting to 10 and not responding to negative feedback may just be the better behavior showcasing you as the Red Jacket in a Sea of Gray Suits.

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Article Tags: business ethics, business world, count to 10, negative feedback



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