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9 Ways to Manage Negative People At Work · Enhance.training

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Being around negative people at work is energy sapping, demoralising, and frankly makes life at work a lot more difficult.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: The obvious step is to spend as little time around those people as possible.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you have to work with them because you are a colleague, you manage them, or you need to work on a project with them, then learning how to manage negative people at work becomes really useful and makes your life at work better.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll be sharing nine different ways to manage negative colleagues at work.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Try out as many of them as suit your situation and see what ones work best for you.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Firstly, control how you react.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Secondly, force them to talk positive.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Third, don't get sucked in.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, positive people counterbalance.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, praise positive behaviour.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Sixth, find the positive in the negativity.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: These next three are for managers and entrepreneurs particularly, so seven, set behaviour expectations, eight demand a solutions focus, and nine remove negative people.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Jess Coles and I've had a 25-year management career in corporates and household names through to SMEs.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: I've had to learn how to deal with negative people at work, as a colleague and as a manager.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: If you're new to this podcast, Enhance.training shares business and people management expertise to help you improve your performance and that of your team and business.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Please share this podcast and do come visit us at enhance.training.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: The first way to deal with negative people at work is to control how you react.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: This is easy to say and hard to do.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: The simple fact is you can't control the others' behaviour, even if it is your business.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: You can control your own reactions to their behaviour, no matter how hard you might find this.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Keep a positive mental approach to the negative person.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Look for the good in what they are complaining about or talking negatively about.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, if they're detailing everything that is wrong with a new process, which of the negative points they bring up is worth considering to try and improve the process, and which can be discarded as general moaning.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Control how you react to their negative behaviour.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: It is so easy to allow their negativity to start rubbing off on you and then finding that you are being more negative.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Don't let this happen, nor allow your reaction to become an encouragement for more negative behaviour from negative people at work.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: The second way to handle negative people at work is to force them to talk positive.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: The best way I have found to do this is to ask questions in a way that forces negative people at work to think positively and answer positively.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: Or it might be, why don't you tell me?
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Or that's nothing compared to these problems, and then start talking about all the negatives again.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Don't be put off by this approach.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: Calmly ask the positive question again.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, something like, oh come on, humour me, tell me what you think all the upsides are.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: You can use a positive or even a playful tone of voice and body language.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: The third way to manage negative people at work is don't get sucked in.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: It is very easy to get sucked into negative conversations.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean just picture the negative person complaining about a person or something that has happened and then asking you to comment or agree with what they have said.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: It is so easy to bow to social pressure and agree or make a confirming negative statement.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: If there is a group of colleagues who are all complaining together, then the social pressure to agree with them goes up.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Resist the pressure to join in and start complaining or talking negatively.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: You joining in, the negative talk is what the negative person wants.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: To achieve, so just politely decline.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And if you start talking negatively this time, then it'll be so much harder to resist the next time.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you can imagine where this could go.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Ask a question to turn the conversation to a positive aspect or one of the other suggestions here to sidestep the negative talk.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Don't allow yourself to be sucked into the negative conversations at work.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: The fourth way to manage negative people at work is to work on a positive people counterbalance.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: So what does this mean?
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Well, positive people build the energy of others and are enjoyable to be around for this reason.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Lift your own mood and mindset by spending as much time as possible with positive people in the team and the company.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: I know this seems obvious advice, yet, making the effort to build friendships, to fit in that lunch or coffee when you are busy and under pressure is not as easy.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: Also, take the time to think positively.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: A really good exercise is at the end of each day, write down three or more positive things that you have achieved in the day in a notebook.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Writing these down is powerful.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: It forces you to think positively.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Even more so as each day creates a list and then you can go back and look on the week and see all the good things that you have done and experienced.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: If you are positive and behave positively around colleagues, you will attract to you positive people and bring out other people's positive thinking and behaviour.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: The more people that are positive in the workplace, the harder it is for negative people at work to remain negative.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: The fifth way to deal with negative people at work is to praise positive behaviour.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone likes to be told they have done good work.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone likes to be complimented.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: It is human nature.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Positive reinforcement really does work.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Handle negative people at work by looking out for any positive comments, suggestions for improvement, positive anything in fact, and praise it.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: By praising good behaviour and attitude, it will encourage the negative people at work to be more positive as they will get praised for it.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: As a word of warning, don't praise negative people at work more than the positive people at work.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: This will send the wrong message to the positive people who you absolutely want to keep on side.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: The sixth way to manage negative people at work is to find the positive in the negativity.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: Listen within reason to what the negative people at work are saying.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Some will be having a general moan, and listening to the complaining will often, but not always, provide little of much value.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: Others are glass half-empty people, always looking for what can go wrong, the risks and so on.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: Listening to these negative people can help identify problems or risks that you had not considered or thought about.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: When you know about the issues and problems and risks, you can do something positive about them.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: So work out what type of negative person you are dealing with and whether the negative talk will be useful to you, the team, and the business.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: I remain constantly impressed by the insights and positive actions you can get from listening to those complaining.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Find the positive in the negativity.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: The seventh way to handle negative people at work is to set behaviour expectations.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: If you manage a team with one or more negative people on the team, set out your expectations for their behaviour.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: Some examples might include, you know, firstly no complaining without purpose or benefit, or it could be providing constructive feedback rather than only negative feedback, or it could be providing solutions as well as the problems, more on this in a sec.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: Or it could be raising concerns in private rather than public.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: Or it could be framing concerns raised in a more positive way.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: It is important as a manager that you listen to concerns and issues and take action on them.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't listen or take any action consistently, your team will stop raising these issues and you and the team will be a lot worse off.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Against this, you are balancing the morale and how the team operates and feels to work in.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Too much negative griping, moaning and complaining will make the team an unpleasant place to work and you will lose the better staff.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: With people that always look for the problems, issues and challenges, coach them in how to raise their concerns without impacting the morale of the team.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Setting expectations is setting out the rules that you want the team to follow.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Just make sure you carefully stick to the expectations you set out to.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: The eighth way to manage negative people at work is to demand a solutions focus.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: Demanding or requesting that a negative person provides a solution along with a problem can turn a person who is constantly bringing up the problems and issues into a source and owner of the solutions for those problems.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: This gets them thinking positively and helps you and the team solve the problems that they are so good at spotting.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: For those that just like to complain, requiring them to provide a solution to problems and issues stops the general complaining as they know that you'll be asking them what they are going to do about the situation.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: Don't let the negative person's silence or refusal to provide solutions put you off.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: Keep asking them for a solution.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: And be careful, don't provide any yourself.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: This will keep the focus on them and how they bring up problems.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, you have the groundwork for performance management if they don't provide any solutions at any point.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Ask for solutions and behave in a way that supports this request.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: The ninth way to deal with negative people at work is to remove negative people.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: As a manager or leader, you, I hope, want to ensure that the team is happy and productive.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: This is in everyone's interests, especially yours.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: Negative people at work can make a big negative impact on both.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: Consider the benefits negative people at work bring and compare to the downsides.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Consider on an individual level and more importantly on a team level.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: If the upsides are not well ahead of the downsides, then removing the negative people from the team is an option that is worth serious thought.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: If the downsides are ahead of the upsides, then I think removing them becomes a no-brainer.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, be fair, give them the opportunity and help to allow them to improve their behaviour and change their negative impact on the team.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: If they are unwilling or unable to change for the better of the team, then remove them.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: In summary, there you have nine ways to imp in summary, there you have nine ways to manage negative people at work.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: You should be able to put most or all of these into practice depending on your position at work.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Don't let negative people at work ruin the team atmosphere and make it a less enjoyable place to work.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: Please share this podcast and do come visit us at enhance.training.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks very much for listening, and I look forward to speaking to you again soon.