Are Cynics the Secret to Success?

Dictionary.com says "a cynic has an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others". In other words, a person who is constantly complaining, but not doing anything to resolve the problems. Here's where the positive side of a cynic comes in…... can a cynic be used for innovation and idea generation? Let's face it, if there are no complaints or objections, then there is no indication that a change needs to be made. Change can come in the form of a ground breaking idea, product, service, you name it.

Could these negative thoughts be used by positive change masters? Can we pick up new ideas and innovations from the cynics? Next time someone is complaining or ridiculing something, take a minute to detect whether there is an idea or innovation to be found in the situation that you, as the positive change master can take and run with.

For more information on the history of cynicism, check out this fun link hosted by Rick Bayan.

Positive Attitude

A positive attitude in the office is critical to keeping the morale up; however, the opposite typically takes place around the water cooler. Instead of joining forces and approaching the problems in a positive light, negativity breeds. I’ll be the first to admit it, the conversation can be pretty entertaining resulting in a few laughs, but this only creates a false sense of acceptance over the situation, the problems are still there, just humorous.

People want to be around positive attitudes; it really does create a much more productive environment. Attached are a few links to some sites with best practices to review and put into action. One of these actions includes taking the negative thoughts, writing them down, and then re-writing with a positive perspective. Go ahead and try this, then respond to this post with the results.

The Powers of a Positive Attitude

How to Keep a Positive Attitude

Utilize the Frontlines

Your front-line employees have a wealth of knowledge that can only be found at the lower levels of an organization. Utilize this information to your advantage - you'll be surprised by what you find out. Often, valuable information, does not always float upwards to top management. Take a walk down the hall, pop into someone's office and ask a few questions. Read this article by Carol Bartz, CEO of Yahoo! The key takeaway is the directive to listen to your workforce, really listen. By tapping into these employees, you will find a wealth of ideas that are not just found at higher levels of an organization, but at times from the most unlikeliest of candidates.