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Building Positive Leadership -The Brain Power of Negativity

Guest post by: Dr. Maynard Brusman

Article Overview: Do you feel that company leaders and managers at work appreciate you? Do you regularly have the chance to do your best work? Do you have clarity on what is expected of you at work? Does your manager care about you and provide focus? Fully engaged people at work can answer these questions with a resounding yes! Most of us start a job motivated to perform our best, but sometimes working for a poor manager can adversely affect your motivation. Positive leaders help people tap into their innovative spirit to improve performance. Optimistic leaders inspire people to a better future. They have a strong sense of significance. Do you model servant leadership?

Building Positive Leadership -The Brain Power of Negativity

Positive Leadership

Do you feel that company leaders and managers at work appreciate you? Do you regularly have the chance to do your best work? Do you have clarity on what is expected of you at work? Does your manager care about you and provide focus? Fully engaged people at work can answer these questions with an appreciative yes!

Most of us start a job motivated to perform our best, but sometimes working for a poor manager can adversely affect your motivation. Positive leaders help people tap into their innovative spirit to improve performance.

Optimistic leaders inspire people to a better future. They have a strong sense of significance. Do you model servant leadership?



Wired to Focus on Bad over Good

It is hard to focus on the bright spots in our work and lives.

In one study, for example, scientists analyzed 558 words in the English language that denote emotions, and they found that 62% were negative (versus the 38% positive).

Across the board, no matter the situation or domain, we are wired to focus on bad over good.

• Example A: People who were shown photos of good and bad events spent more time viewing the latter.

• Example B: When people hear something bad about someone else, they pay more attention to it, reflect on it more, remember it longer and weigh it more when assessing that person. This tendency is called "positive-negative asymmetry."

• Example C: A researcher reviewed 17 studies of how people interpret and explain events in their lives, such as how fans interpret sporting events or how students describe their days in a journal. Across multiple domains - work, politics, sports, relationships - people were more likely to spontaneously bring up negative versus positive events.

It's no wonder performance reviews and feedback are usually aimed at what's not working. Yet, individuals can override this brain tendency and focus on the positive, at least enough to create successful relationships both at work and home.

A psychologist who studies extensive marital conversations, finds that couples who sustain long-term marriages use language that reflects five times more positive statements than negative ones. In fact, he calls this "the magic ratio" and claims it will accurately predict if a marriage will last.

He urges managers to use a ratio of 5:1 positive statements in conversations with employees. Ask yourself: "What percentage of time do I spend solving problems in relation to the time I spend scaling successes?"

Given the advantages of a solution mindset, it's surprising that more managers fail to gain a foothold in this managerial style. Remember: You can't give praise and recognition if you see only the negative and focus on what's broken.

Are you working in a professional services firm or other organization where executive coaches are hired to provide emotional intelligence skills and positive leadership development for organizational leaders? Does your organization provide executive coaching to help leaders improve their ability to focus on what's right? Leaders at all levels need to improve their emotional intelligence and social intelligence skills.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is "Do I regularly focus on the positive?" Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching for positive leaders who help their employees to be fully engaged and happy at work.

What actions can you take today to be a more positive leader? What activities unleash your people's strengths? Companies need more great managers and leaders.

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  Using Powerful Questions To Be More Positive.
  How to Create Collaborative Business Teams - The 3:1 Positivity Ratio
  Neuroscience of Goal Setting
  How to Be More Positive at Work
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  Positive Affirmations to Successful Thinking!
  A positive work-out for your brain for business owners and would-be business owners alike
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  CHALLENGE YOUR BRAIN

Article Tags: better future, brain power, clarity, company leaders, motivation, positive leadership, servant leadership, spirit



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