Negativity is Contagious

I am a student of human behavior.  I have been since I was a kid.  Most people call it people watching. One thing I noticed over the years is that emotions are contagious.

That would be the reason I run around here like Tigger. My co-workers chuckle or at least come away with a feeling that is positive. Yes, I am willing to look like a nutcake for the sake of those around me.

Truth be told, it is for mostly selfish reasons that I act this way.  I am what you would call empathic. I feel the emotions of others more intensely and am more aware of them than the norm.  I can't stand negativity.  So, if I make people around me smile, there is no negativity in my general vicinity.

Scientific studies have shown that negativity is contagious and bad for production.   Nowhere is this more apparent than in the workplace. Even my workplace isn't immune.

Contributing factors to negativity in the workplace include low morale, feeling unappreciated, lack of resources, favoritism of a small group, and miscommunication. What most employers tend to forget is that without a strong 'team' environment, there are is only a bunch of individuals with no bond. This is why a good and easy fix to most of the negativity are team building activities. The boss also has to ask why people are unhappy and listen when he/she is told.

Enough of that, onto how to cut some of the negativity. One way is to let go of the things you cannot change.  If you can't change it, why let it bother you?  Another way to cut the negativity is to communicate with your co-workers. Put yourself in their shoes and you will feel more bonded.

The bottom line is this: every workplace has negativity at some point. Once it spreads and the feeling is so thick you can cut it with a knife, it may be too late to fix. So, catch it before it spreads like the plague!

We did, by going out for restaurant week last night.