Episode 206 - How To Deal With a Persistently Negative Team Member

<p class="p1"><strong>Summary</strong></p> <p class="p2">Negativity can really impact a team’s motivation and performance. This week we explore how to manage a persistently negative team member.</p> <p class="p3"> </p> <p class="p1"><strong>Transcript</strong></p> <p class="p2">Hello and welcome to episode 206 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to manage a persistently negative team member.</p> <p class="p2">Having a negative person on your team can be really draining. The tendency to always point out the downside and limitations can drag others down and reduce motivation. It can be a difficult situation to address. We don’t want to shut down criticism or pretend that everything is perfect, and we don’t want to respond in a way that makes them feel like they don’t belong. However, we also don’t want to become trapped in negativity that can impact others’ enthusiasm and commitment. Here are some tips that will help you to manage a persistently negative team member:</p> <ol class="ol1"> <li class="li2">Don’t assume it will get better with time. Negativity doesn’t tend to go away. In fact, the more you allow it to take hold, the more it can grow within the team. You need to address unreasonable negativity early. Just hoping it will get better by itself is not going to work.</li> <li class="li2">Don’t assume it’s all about work. Often the person who complains the most at work may also be facing challenges outside of work. An honest conversation can help address this.</li> <li class="li2">Provide feedback on impact. Look for examples of negativity from the team member and provide feedback as soon as possible. You want to clearly anchor the feedback in a specific situation, and provide insight into the impact of the person’s actions on you and others. For example, “during the meeting earlier today when you described our new project as a waste of time that will never work, I saw several people look discouraged, and I felt like your