Your Next Clear Move
Welcome to Your Next Clear Move™—the podcast for leaders, professionals, and high-capacity humans who are done “getting ready” and ready to move.
I’m Debbie Peterson, Leadership Readiness Expert, and in each episode I deliver grounded insight, clarity-driven mindset strategies, and one actionable step to help you stop the drift and lead yourself forward.
This isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reconnecting to what matters—and making decisions that align with who you are and how you want to lead next.
Subscribe for weekly clarity drops that fuel your next level—with confidence.
Your Next Clear Move
Tackling Negativity: The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
Step into a realm where negativity doesn’t dictate your leadership journey! In this insightful episode, we dive deep into the damaging effects of negativity in the workplace and explore practical strategies to shift your mindset. As leaders, it is essential to recognize how both external negativity—stemming from challenging colleagues and workplace politics—and internal negativity, such as self-doubt, can sabotage your potential. We’ll uncover how allowing negativity to influence your decisions impacts not only you but also your team and workplace culture.
You’ll learn how vital it is to confront negativity directly. We discuss actionable steps you can take to foster a positive environment, such as reframing challenges into opportunities and leading by example. Discover how to set healthy boundaries with chronic complainers and cultivate a routine that promotes positivity. With practical examples and insightful guidance, this episode encourages you to not just manage but embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.
Join us in transforming negativity into a powerful force for personal and team success. Tune in, subscribe, and embark on your journey toward resilient leadership today!
Hey, hello and welcome back. I am Debbie Peterson of Getting to Clarity, and this is another episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast. This is the place that I would love for you to be if you want the tips, tools and techniques to make more of an impact in your leadership with less of a sacrifice in your life, and today we are talking about tackling negativity. You know, what I'm going to share today is a mindset shift that will help you look at things differently, so stay tuned.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Getting to Clarity podcast, the place where busy leaders discover how to create more success in their leadership journey with less sacrifice in their life. Here's your host, debbie Peterson, of Getting to Clarity.
Speaker 1:Okay. So what are we talking about today? Well, I want to start with why negativity is a leadership roadblock. You know negativity isn't just a bad mood. It is something that is a drain on your energy. It just sucks the life out of you. You lose focus and it also affects you because your leadership potential can be compromised at the same time. So you know it comes from outside of you, external sources, like difficult colleagues, or maybe it's your own head chatter where you've got doubts creeping in. You know negativity influences your decision-making, your relationships and ultimately, it's going to affect your performance. So we don't want to leave it unchecked, because if you do, it will spread and then it is affecting not just you, but it is overflowing to your team and your workplace culture, and I know that's not what you want to have happen. You know a toxic workplace isn't a place where high performers want to stay. So if that's the case and they leave, what are you left with? That's why this is so critical.
Speaker 1:So, as a leader, you don't have the luxury of letting negativity dictate your actions. You do, however, have the power to shift your mindset, and why exactly should you do that? Well, when your mindset is positive, you can keep a positive mindset, you see things more clearly, you make better choices and, most of all, you're not stuck. You keep moving forward. And the really good news is that overcoming negativity isn't about ignoring things. It's not about ignoring the difficult things or the challenges. It is about how you respond. It is your choice as to how you respond to these things. You have so much more influence than you think you do.
Speaker 1:So let me help you understand the power of negativity, because it has a way of taking root and growing if we allow it to, and it shows up in different forms. So let's cover those. We've got external negativity. These are complaints. They're toxic coworkers, they're company politics, they are difficult clients. We have internal negativity. That is self-doubt, your fear of failure. If you suffer from imposter syndrome which I advocate that everybody is suffering from imposter syndrome at one point or another it's not necessarily a bad thing, but I think we all go through it. And then let's not forget perfectionism Any perfectionists out there, my hand is up with you. And then there's also situational negativity. So we've got external negativity, internal negativity and then situational negativity, things like setbacks, unexpected obstacles or challenges, missed opportunities.
Speaker 1:So when negativity takes over, it's one of those things your mind looks for. Once you've planted that seed of negativity in your mind, then that is what your mind will find and it takes over. It starts skewing your perspective, it makes small problems feel huge and it blocks new opportunities. You won't even be able to see them because you're so focused on your negativity. That's the problem. So the key to overcoming isn't to pretend it doesn't exist because it does, I get it but it's to challenge it and shift your perspective. So how do you do that? How do you overcome negativity at work and in your own head, since a lot of it is happening there as well? So negativity is very powerful, is first what you need to know, but it doesn't have to take over. So I want to give you some real, simple, practical ways to shift your mindset and create a more positive work environment, external and internal.
Speaker 1:So, number one control what you can. There are some things that are just out of your hands, but your response to them isn't. So when a situation turns negative, you know, take a moment, take a breath, take a Twix moment, right? What part of this can I influence? Ask yourself that question. You know, what can I do so that things turn around. What can I do that you feel like you're more in control and that you'll actually be able to make progress? It might not be everything, but what is that one piece that you can focus on?
Speaker 1:Number two reframe the situation. So, instead of focusing on what's wrong, look for what's possible. If a project gets derailed, okay, ask yourself what's the next best step, anything that is going to get you into action. Other great questions around this point are what can I learn from this? Right, if you went through it, it was an obstacle. What do you learn from it so you don't do it again? And another question could be how will this help us move forward more effectively next time?
Speaker 1:Number three lead by example. You know your team is always watching you. They take their cues from you, and if you handle challenges with a very solution-focused mindset, then they'll learn to do that too. So turn complaints into solutions. Get other people involved. Instead of getting stuck in what's wrong, focus on what can be done next Okay, so that you get into action.
Speaker 1:Number four sometimes you have to set boundaries with negative people. You've got to protect your precious energy, so maybe you limit time with chronic complainers. Maybe you extricate yourself from those draining conversations, or at least put some parameters around it. I've got five minutes, I've got 10 minutes. I can't do this today, I can do it tomorrow. Five minutes, I've got 10 minutes. I can't do this today, I can do it tomorrow. Shift discussions towards solutions that you and they can stay focused on what's going to make a difference or what's going to make an impact.
Speaker 1:Number five start and end your day with positivity. This may sound trite, but I cannot over amplify this particular point that where you begin and end, how you bookend your day, sets the tone. It makes a huge difference. So maybe in the morning you begin with a small win or a gratitude practice. Maybe at the close of the day you reflect on what went well instead of what went wrong Over time. This is retraining your brain to seek solutions, to seek the positive rather than to dwell on the problems. That makes positivity your default mindset, and that is a win.
Speaker 1:Number six turn complaints into challenges. So there's a difference Instead of dwelling on frustrations. Ask yourself how can I see this as a sign that I'm one step closer to my goal? Because whenever you come across an obstacle, that means you're in motion and that means that you are one step closer to your goal. So every obstacle is proof that you are making progress. So how can you turn the complaint, the challenge, into an opportunity for growth or improvement? What are you going to learn from it? What is one simple step that you can take that is going to get you back into action? Just little things like that can help shift the mindset. And then finally, number seven create a reset button right.
Speaker 1:Number seven create a reset button right. Just develop a go-to strategy that, when negativity creeps in, that you have something that you can reset with. Maybe it's a short walk, maybe it's some deep breathing, or maybe it's a quick mindset shift that can help break the cycle and help you get a healthier outlook. And here's the thing you are the only one who has control over this. It is your responsibility to manage your mindset, not anybody else for you. And you do this not just for yourself, but because of the example that you were showing for your team and for you as a leader as a whole. So here's an example of how this works in real life.
Speaker 1:Let's say you're facing a frustrating situation at work daily, right? Okay, maybe a project is delayed, maybe it is causing you a lot of extra stress. Maybe your default reaction is you get frustrated, you blame someone or something else, you feel like a victim, and it turns into a downward spiral of negativity that you have no control over it. But what if, in that moment? If it happens, okay, it's already happened. But what if you can shift your approach? So what if you pause and you reframe where you're at?
Speaker 1:So, instead of immediately reacting, just take a moment and ask yourself okay, in this moment, what is within my control? Maybe you look for an opportunity and think about can this setback help me to improve something in the future? Am I going to get a learning out of this that's going to benefit me the next time? You know? Is there a chance to innovate and learn something new? Maybe you then just take a small positive action.
Speaker 1:So, instead of venting about the issue, focus on one step, one proactive step that can help you move forward, and then the result is, instead of negativity controlling you, you're controlling it. You take control of your mindset, you take control of your leadership and your ability to influence outcomes. So what is your next step? Well, it's to break the cycle. So here's my challenge to you In the next 48 hours, identify one reoccurring negative thought or situation, and then I want you to look at it differently. I want you to ask yourself what opportunity or lessons exist within it. Just pull it apart and shift the focus from frustration into action, and then notice how your energy changes. So until the next time, here is wishing you all the clarity that you deserve, and if you would like some more strategies for a more, let's say, resilient leadership style, then head on over to my website at wwwdebbiepetersonspeakscom. I have lots of resources there for you. So take care of yourself and I'll talk to you soon. Bye-bye for now.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to this episode of the Getting to Clarity Podcast with Debbie Peterson. If you enjoyed this show, please rate and recommend it on iTunes or wherever you enjoy your podcasts. To learn more about how you can bring Debbie and her transformational clarity leadership strategies to your organization, visit DebbiePetersonSpeakscom.
