***Reframe Your Attitude and Create a More Positive Work Environment

I often think about something that my uncle once told me when I asked him if he minded getting older. He said, “Age is a state of mind over matter, if you don’t mind it then it doesn’t matter.” With each passing year (and birthday) I have come to appreciate the wisdom of this statement. I have learned that what he did was to reframe his vision about age and that what he was really talking about was changing his perspective and attitude to appreciate something that might not otherwise have been an enjoyable event. Since I celebrate my birthday in February that got me thinking about my uncle’s wisdom and what would happen if we applied his wisdom to the workplace. Consider for a moment what your experience or the experience of your employees might be if each of you reframed the vision held about work by making some minor tweaks and adjustments to both your attitude and perspective. Here are a couple of ideas to help you reframe your vision about work. 1. Be the most optimistic person you know. Instead of finding fault, find what is right about the work that you, your team or company are trying to accomplish. Be positive and encourage others to do the same. You’ll be amazed at the change this will have on you and your work environment. 2. Always assume positive intent. As the pace of the work environment has picked up and as we are all doing more with less, sometimes others say and do things that frustrate, offend or even upset us. Next time you get a memo, phone message or email that makes you want to scream, take a deep breath and assume that the other person’s intent was a positive one. Ninety-nine percent of the time this will be the case. 3. Embrace the golden rule. We’ve all heard this one before right? That is, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Makes sense in your personal life works in business too. So next time someone does something that ticks you off, take a step back and try to react in a way that you would have liked that person to respond to you in the first place. You might just be pleasantly surprised. 4. Act “as if.” That is, act “as if” your job was the best job on the planet. Then deliver your work with the passion that you would if it were indeed your dream job. Guess what? You might find that it actually does become your dream job. If it doesn’t, don’t worry. It is likely that just by your actions you have probably put yourself in a better position of finding your dream job. 5. Assume responsibility for your actions and reactions. Responsibility can be broken down into two words: response and ability. Only you have the ability to control your response to any situation. Next time something doesn’t quite go your way, respond as if it had. See what happens. So as you wind dow February, try to reframe your thinking about work. After all, work truly can be a state of mind over matter, change your mind and work may just matter in a whole new way. What are you waiting for?