Dear Dan: I Manage a Large Facility that’s very Negative
Dear Dan,
What’s some advice to give a manager who leads a large facility that’s been very negative for many years? There are many complaints and no teamwork.
Sincerely,
Dealing with negativity
Dear Dealing,
You’re right to be concerned about negative culture. History shows that the best culture wins.
Culture is simply the way we treat each other.
Negative culture is the result of toxic behaviors.
7 ways to overcome a negative culture:
#1. Avoid bubbly optimism.
Negative people despise frivolity.
Anytime you say, “It’s not that bad,” when someone thinks it’s bad, you seem out of touch. Try saying, “Wow. I see your concern. I wonder what you would like to do about that?”
Turn conversations toward imperfect solutions.
#2. Stop doing things that aren’t working.
What have you done to build the desired culture? Whatever it is, it isn’t working. Stop pouring energy into failed strategies.
#3. Explore simple new strategies. (See below.)
Forget about perfection. Choose small improvements.
#4. Oil squeaky wheels and run.
When a squeaky wheel asks for a meeting, schedule it soon. Make it brief. Focus on the future. Get them out of your office.
You can’t build a positive culture by spending all your time with negative people.
#5. Focus on true believers.
Spend most of your time with people who want to make things better.
When toxic employees complain that you’re playing favorites, thank them for their concern and invite them to join the team.
“Thanks for your feedback on how I’m using my time. I working with Betty to build a positive culture. I’d love to work with you as well. How might you be involved?”
#6. Ask the right questions.
The problem with toxic culture is focusing on problems.
- What do we want work to be like?
- How would you like to show up?
- What does success look like?
- How can we make this better?
- What do you suggest?
- How can I help?
- What’s the next step?
#7. Leverage respected employees.
Recruit a few long-term employees who are willing to nudge the culture toward bright. When you hear them complain, ask, “Would you help me improve our culture?” If they say, “Yes,” form a small team of culture advocates.
Meet once a week to choose language and behaviors that reflect a healthy culture.
Establish a secret team of culture builders.
Bonus: Appoint a culture champion. Someone who:
- Feels dissatisfaction with the present.
- Believes things can be better.
- Commits to nudge the ball forward.
- More: Move in the Right Direction with a Culture Champion.
6 quick tips for building a positive culture:
- Express gratitude everywhere you go.
- Honor the right people.
- Reward the right things.
- Celebrate pockets of light.
- Remove the worst offenders.
- Show interest in people.
Toxic environments are the result of neglecting culture-building and tolerating toxicity.
I believe small changes will nudge your organization in the direction you’d like to go. It won’t be easy. That’s why it’s important to include others.
Best wishes,
Dan
What suggestions do you have for Dealing with Negativity?
Dan,
Spot on! If we can get input from everyone to determine the source or multiple sources of negativity and break them down to determine the fix.
Definitely not an overnight fix, but fixable.
Have a great day!
Thanks Tim. Sometimes we complain about something, but we aren’t doing much to fix it.
Have a great Saturday.
I begin a new role Monday as a Customer Experience Team Supervisor. THIS IS BRILLIANT feedback! Love your blog Dan.
I inherited a negative team who would look to undermine the business operations. The problem was, they all did the same job but all reported to different bosses yet they had to work together as a team. The first thing I did was bring them together for a weekly meeting to discuss aspects of their job and how we might improve. One of the things I did to try to change their thinking was in our weekly meeting was to ask them around the table, “What did you do well this past week?” or “What went well for you this past week.” I would follow up with “What do you hope to achieve next week?” For some this was a real challenge. It was an effort to focus them on the positive not the negative.The next week I would ask them about their previous weeks commitment to keep them accountable. Eventually they got it – I must say it was hard work. What I found was, there were two ring leaders and what this forum did was take away their power to influence others negativity because it gave the other members of the team a positive voice.
Acknowledge it’s presence. Pull ‘the team’ together by having a frank, open discussion re. the negativity, how long it has been present, why does each feel this negativity. Take each comment on board, acknowledge, move forward with each, working to address each point raised, continually improve one by one, don’t run, walk.
Express empathy. Acknowledge imperfection. The difficulties experienced by team members are often real. Help individuals to identify ‘negativity bias’ and its protective/beneficial role. And then lever towards solution focused problem-solving. Engage humour. Leave each meeting focusing on one element most deserving of change. Promote acceptance that which cannot be changed, most resistant to change, or of least benefit to the team and or customers being served by the organisation. It is an imperfect world, what do I need to be able to give my best today? Build relationships and new commonalities.
Dear Dealing with Negativity,
While I was working at DuPont, I recall a plant manager of a 4,000+ employee chemical manufacturing plant who had recently been assigned to the plant, which had some significant negative issues, to include manufacturing, productivity, safety, union, etc. Along with a number of Dan’s suggestions, he made a point of getting out of his office and walking the plant and talking to his folks on a variety of different topics, from issues of accomplishing work, to their family life, sports, the importance of safety, their kids, etc. His metric was to spend at least 2 hours per day out in the plant. This included coming in on the weekends and visiting at night. He was great at asking questions and a terrific listener.
There are a thousand reasons to stay penned up in your office, but one great reason to get out of your office and that reason centers on the success of your business.
People admire leadership, especially leadership that cares about their well being. Always remember, “Leadership is a gift given by those that follow.” Watch this video. General Mark Welsh, III, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRgNVpCi6rY
Best of luck to you, because what I am suggesting above is not easy.
Collect data. For the next two weeks, track the number of negative comments and positive statements you hear from people. Also, keep a record of some of the actual negative statements you hear.
Next, have a meeting with your entire group. Present you findings.
For example, “Over the last two weeks, I heard 28 negative comments and 2 positive comments. Here are a few examples of the negative comments.
Ask the group—–1. What do they see as the consequences of this level of negativity?
2. “What specific changes do you think need to be make?”
(Your group may not even realize they are as negative as they are.)
As Dan stated and several others mentioned–focus on the positive. Shine a light on the people and processes that are producing good results.
In each meetings ask—“Who helped you achieve some of your key accomplishments this week.” Then, after the meeting —ask each person to go and thank the person who helped them. Or–another version—- have another team member go and thank that person.
Some people won’t change. they need to be removed as Dan stated.
It is challenging to change bad culture especially when it is cultivated by leadership. Whatever is permitted in the organisation will grow, sometimes management tends to turn a blind eye to negative culture. I have seen this happen in an organisation, where a new manager comes in and tries to change the culture but because the top leader is friends with the employees they rebelled against the new manager rather openly and disrespected him. The pressure was too much so he left not because he was incapable but because top manage openly encouraged bad culture by being part of it.
Thoughtful insights. Cultural fit is the one which binds people together. I have worked in organisation where coupled with cultural mismatch negativity was a big issue. Bringing both the forces to deliver was a challenge. Though I don’t claim to have done wonders, I could at least achieve some semblance of success
I wonder whether most of the views have things the wrong way round: people seem to focus on the consequences of negativity. This is like saying “There is too much coughing going on around here. We need to stop this before is disturbs people”. Rather, should you be than wondering if there’s an epidemic of bacterial pneumonia. Would it not make some sense to assess what the negativity is a consequence of? Or would that be admitting the problem isn’t the people?
Great piece.
Thank you Prof.Dan , for your thought mark.
It really inspires.