Friday morning, I stopped by my daughters’ school to watch my oldest as she presented a PowerPoint to her class. All the kids prepared at least fifteen slides on a topic of their choice. Before they began, one of the teachers started a discussion about how they should behave during the presentations.
One of her most important instructions: be positive. She reminded the kids that they are all at different levels with their PowerPoint skills and gave them suggestions of encouraging comments they could share with their classmates.
As I watched, I noticed that the kids worked hard to be kind in their comments.
Staying positive is something we all need to learn. Isn’t it easier, sometimes, to point out deficiencies, to complain and grumble? Being encouraging with our words takes more thought and intention.
As leaders, what we say can greatly influence the attitude of our team. When we choose to use negative words, they notice. They may follow our example. When we are positive with our words, they pay attention.
Being positive in our words and thoughts is something to learn, something to practice.
Join the conversation!
What do you do to remind yourself to be positive?
How can you help your team members use encouraging words effectively?
This was originally posted at Mountain State University LeaderTalk and is reposted with permission.