The Positive Energy Workplace

The way I see it, there are two general ways to come at respect - be entitled to it and expect it; or be generous with it and earn it. Both are real approaches. Both bring completely different energy, elicit completely different emotions, and create completely different impact.

I'm working on a couple of articles right now - one on "leadership vitamins". Yep.

In working with clients, I get to observe some of the biggest beliefs that get in the way of positive, effective and joyful leadership. One of these beliefs is "If I work harder, I'll have more success, and I'll be happier." "If I just push through this...." Not so true.

Just back from SF for the past week where I had a really rich-for-the-spirit week of doing work I love, taking great care of myself, and hanging out with people I appreciate. From facilitating a team on vision and their "why", to doing a bunch of one-on-one's with members from that leadership team, to leading a private retreat for a client in a gorgeous penthouse, to meeting with some of my business advisors on what I'm up to and how my business can be even more helpful with this thang I do in leadership, it was a full week. When I got back on Friday and stepped into more intense meetings that were mainly all about 2012 planning for clients, I felt GREAT. Completely energized. Energized in a new sort of way. And I had to really pause and think about WHY.

It's easy to notice when things go wrong, and then to stir and marinate in them. It's easy to do a quick high five and move forward when things go right. What's not as easy, is to do the reverse; to bask and marinate in what's gone right; and to do a quick high five and move forward when things have gone wrong.

Both sets of circumstances warrant attention. Both impact spirit. Both influence effectiveness and creativity. The wrong will always demand attention, it will be obvious to those around it, it will sit in the spirits of those involved in it. It will stay. But the "right" - without awareness and intention - will often flee. It may be sensed for a moment, perhaps be less obvious, and get overridden by all else there is to move on to...next.

Human beings can be pretty masterful at brewing in the wrong; where they "fell short"; where they didn't meet a goal; where they could have done it better. Talking about what's not working, or what didn't work, or pointing out what needs to be better, is an easy default for some of the smartest of people who mean great and want to do even more. Talking about what's working or pointing out what's going well is not as easy. Nor is accepting the praise and recognition for things going right. Yet it's key.

And this is one of the reasons feedback can be so scary. Because so much feedback is geared towards the "bad", there can be an automatic human response of "resistance" and fear to feedback. Before the feedback is even out, the person is prepared for the "bad"; their lens and experience is already shaded. The unnatural comfort with stewing in the "wrong" is also one of the reasons that out of 10 things, if 9 go great and 1 goes bad - the 1 gets the attention. The "one" is the one that can stick with a reputation for years. The "one" is the one that keeps people up at night, inspires fear to take risks, has people get "careful." The "one" creates stuckness.