How to handle the negative Nancy on your team.

We have all experienced someone who likes to look at the less positive side of things. Let’s be honest, someone already popped in your head!

So how do you navigate that dynamic when it’s negatively impacting your team meetings?

It can seem nearly impossible to address the negativity without stirring up drama in the workplace, or looking like you’re picking on that person. We get it, this is something that comes up more often than not.

I won’t make you wait for our solution…This is how we turn things around for the better with clients.

We have to first, mentally reframe their love for negative comments into a skill of identifying potential objections. 

Most people live on autopilot and don’t realize fully what harm they are causing others. Or maybe they do realize, but feel trapped in this persona and don’t know how to act differently.

We have to always put things in perspective before we start to solve problems.

Once we have reframed the negativity into an opportunity, “give them” this task of poking holes.

I know what you’re thinking “but then they still are being negative and getting everyone to look at objections”. So let’s also give them the task to find potential solutions too.

For every objection, they have to come up with 1-2 potential solutions.

Now you have leaned into their strength and challenged them with their weakness. 

Honestly, you’ll probably find that they are pretty good at coming up with solutions! Most of the time, they probably get shut down. Offering them an opportunity to create might be just what they needed.

In every plan or process, we need those people good at seeing potential problems. The problem is, those people don’t speak up until you’re right in the middle.

So remember, encourage them early on and make sure they provide solutions to combat every potential objection.

Everything in team dynamics is shifting and nurturing. 

Your role as leader is to identify your team's strengths and use them for their highest good!

We have more tips and tricks like this that we share with clients! We want to work with you, give us a call!