Founders and Workplace Negativity

Ok, you know not to allow yourself to indulge in negative self-talk about some future event that may or may not happen that will ruin your life or your chance for happiness. As Founders it is equally important not to let employees and colleagues engage in negative self talk as well. This includes gossiping, sniping about clients and predicting potentially negative outcomes to important initiatives.

You may have heard this a million times. But how easy is it to do? It is absolutely essential that Founders role model and foster a positive workplace culture that does not foster negativity.

When we are anxious about the future, it can actually can cause stress hormones like cortisol to increase and negatively affect one’s immune system. 

 So, what can we do to stop workplace negative speech about the work itself, the clients - who happen to to be the company's bread and butter, or the future in general?

One suggestion is to gain some mastery over one’s thoughts by being kind but firm with yourself about not allowing those thoughts to repeat - and then doing it with one's staff company-wide. Just like exercising our bodies, it is essential to exercise our willpower and resist repeating negative stories, and then communicate this willpower throughout the organization. This practice of the firmness of the mind creates respect and builds a type of strength that will serve you in all sorts of situations.

How is this done?  To start one needs to make a firm commitment to that you will not dwell on negative outcomes with staff and board members. Your firm commitment is to stay present in the moment, making it clear you are pursuing positive choices for yourself and the company. This builds a perception of leadership, which is key for a founder to maintain at all times.

This is mental training; a firmness of the mind, not to allow yourself for one minute to go down paths of negative outcomes. I call this "MindFit" as it is mental training. This absolute refusal to indulge in negative self-talk is a path to freedom and will build an internal power to keep you safe and strong through the inevitable challenges to come.