What is positive leadership (and why do you need it in your business)?
What do we mean when we talk about positive leadership? Creating a false sense that everything is perfect all the time is not positive leadership - it’s toxic positivity. Positive leadership is focused on constructive and creative problem solving as well as growth - employee growth, team growth, and the growth of your company and profits. Some important elements of positive leadership include:
Open, honest, and transparent intentions and communication
Elimination of gossip and company politics in order to create a psychologically safe space for your team
Creative and constructive problem solving
A culture of open and safe feedback - both positive and constructive
Ongoing training, coaching, and development of employees
Personal and professional goal-setting for leaders and employees
Mindful wellness practices that help employees and leaders avoid burnout and excessive stress
The benefits of positive leadership are numerous, but include:
Lower absenteeism and employee turnover
Employees feel more fulfilled and happier in their jobs
Positive work relationships between managers/employees and co-workers translate to better customer and client relations
Higher productivity and company growth
Higher revenue (better workplace relations and culture = better customer relations = more profits)
Think of positivity like a bank account - by creating a healthy work environment, you are boosting the positivity bank account so when negative things happen, you are not completely depleting yourself or your team.
To start creating a culture of positive leadership, try these three things:
Make an effort to eliminate gossip, drama, and unnecessary venting (or put a limit of 5 minutes or less on venting if you feel it’s needed in order to move on). Pay special attention to employees whispering or holding lots of unnecessary closed door meetings. Whether accurate or not, employees are likely to feel that the meetings or hushed conversations are about them.
Start meetings with “what went well this week”. By starting on a positive note instead of with negative issues, you set the tone for more constructive and creative discussions throughout the meeting.
Give positive feedback to your employees and/or co-workers. This can be a verbal work-related compliment, but can also include a thank you note for something particularly amazing. Make sure the feedback is genuine and specific - “great job team” doesn’t have the same effect as “that financial report was incredibly well-written and thorough, Anna”. Set a goal to give at least one employee some positive feedback each day and/or have your managers write one thank you note to an employee each week. You will see an immediate boost in not only the overall culture, but your mood as well!