Conventional wisdom tells us that a positive attitude produces positive results, both in personal life and at work. But what exactly are the benefits you can get from being a positive thinker, particularly at work?
Before we answer that question, let’s first
define what positive attitude means at the workplace. Essentially, positive
attitude is composed of the following: approaching your job with enthusiasm, encouraging
others, avoiding giving others negative feedback, not taking part in office
gossip, and treating others with genuine respect.
If you are tasked to do something
difficult, a negative response would be, “I don’t think I can do this.” But if
you have a positive attitude, your response would be, “I’ll take on this
challenge. I might need help, but I’ll get it done.”
If you’re in a brainstorming session and
someone on your team comes up with an idea that’s on strategy but a bit
unconventional, a negative response would be, “The client would never approve
that.” On the other hand, a positive response would be, “That’s an interesting
idea, let’s look into it. Maybe we can tone it down a bit.”
Now, what are the benefits of having this
type of attitude? Read on, because some of these aren’t as obvious as you may
think.
Staying positive beats stress. Tight deadlines, unreasonable demands, and long hours of overtime are some of the great destroyers of enthusiasm. If you let these get the better of you, you’ll make a stressful situation even worse. But if you stay positive, your enthusiasm level will stay high, and you’ll get the job done more easily.
Staying positive beats stress. Tight deadlines, unreasonable demands, and long hours of overtime are some of the great destroyers of enthusiasm. If you let these get the better of you, you’ll make a stressful situation even worse. But if you stay positive, your enthusiasm level will stay high, and you’ll get the job done more easily.
A
positive attitude is infectious. Being a positive
thinking employee makes people want to work with you, and more importantly,
makes you a positive influence. Your officemates will see you as a role model.
Working relationships become more harmonious. The end result is what all employers
want to see: increased productivity.
Positive people earn respect. Managers like to see people who think positive. They see such
employees as assets, and this translates to respect. When you have the respect
of you boss, you know that you will eventually be rewarded, with a pay raise,
and ultimately, a promotion.
A positive attitude ensures job security. One of the hard realities of corporate life is that companies now
and then have to cut down on their workforce. When such tough decisions have to
be made, employees’ attitudes are a major factor in deciding who will be let go
and who will be retained. Maintain your positive attitude, and your job
security is greatly increased.
Positive people are happier. Studies reveal that people who maintain a positive outlook are by
nature more satisfied in life. When you spend more time trying to correct
problems rather than worrying or complaining, when you keep your criticisms
constructive, and when you always see something good even in a bad situation, you
definitely live a happy life. And a happy employee is a good employee.
One final, important
note: staying positive does have its share of challenges. What’s important to
remember is, you have the power to overcome these challenges. You are the one
who decides to stay positive no matter what the situation. And once you’ve made
that decision, there are always rewards that await you. Always. Whatever form these rewards take, you’ll find that the
effort is well worth it.
