We live in a time where complexity and change are the “new normal.” Most of us are tasked with doing more with fewer resources. My clients often ask me, how can they continue to motivate their teams, not to mention themselves, in a world where many are feeling overloaded and downright tired?
The good news is that there are a number of simple changes that can be very effective. Over the last 10 years we continue to prove how closely positivity and higher performance are related. Even a small boost in positivity can result in better performance. Let me showcase a couple of these findings.
A group of physicians were asked to diagnose the probability of cancer from reviewing patient data after they were given a brief puzzle to complete. Half of the doctors were praised for their performance; the other doctors simply had their puzzle sheets collected. The physicians who were praised for their puzzle performance not only made their diagnoses in less time, they also went beyond the instructions in their review of the files, generating further ideas and insights about the patients. Let’s look at another study.
Another group of doctors were given patient data and asked to make a diagnosis in their area of specialty. One third of the doctors were told to begin work on this task immediately. Another third were asked to read a list of statements about the importance and intrinsic satisfactions of being in the medical field before they began. The final third of the doctors were placed in what the researchers called the “happiness condition:” before they addressed the files, they were given a small bag of candy. So what were the results? Interestingly, the doctors in the “happiness” group made more frequent accurate diagnoses than doctors in either of the other two groups.
Yet another study looked at the effects of positive and negative mindset on performance. A group of individuals in the UK were given the same test to take: half of the participants listened to positively oriented words like “smart and clever” before performing a test. The other half heard words like “stupid and ignorant” before taking the same test. The result? Those listening to the positive words performed better on the test than the group that listened to negatively oriented words. And here’s the even more interesting news: the research subjects were hooked up to brain imaging technology during testing. When individuals in the “positive words” group made mistakes, their brains showed increased activity in the area that is involved in learning and reflection. In the “negative word” group, there was no increased activity in this area. This suggests that we are more likely to learn from our mistakes when we have a positive mindset than we will if we are in a negative mindset.
So the good news is: some very simple steps toward a positive mindset can create better bottom-line results. The bad news is that many leaders don’t believe the power of these small steps, and more
importantly, don’t even try them.
How often do you lead with the positive? When do you trend toward the negative, and are you aware of the
effect on others? Clearly all leaders have to deliver difficult news and tough messages. What we’re finding is that the style of delivering the message strongly affects the performance and motivation of others.
And it doesn’t take much: an inquiry about one’s life and loved ones, noticing good work, small tokens of appreciation…..even a simple smile. And it needn’t cost even a cent.
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About the Author
Patricia Wheeler, Ph.D. is a consultant and executive coach who helps smart people become better leaders. A recognized authority in leadership development as well as a trained psychologist, Patricia works with organizations to deepen and develop their talent pool to drive current and ongoing success. With her background as a clinical psychologist, Patricia’s approach to coaching is practical and down-to-earth. She combines extensive experience with her knowledge of cutting-edge research to optimize executive performance and drive bottom-line results.
Patricia is one of the first coaches certified in the Behavioral Coaching methodology created by world-renowned executive coach, Marshall Goldsmith. She serves as a coach for the #1 ranked non-university executive education program, the Global Institute for Leadership Development and is the past Managing Director of the global coaching alliance Alexcel. She was formerly Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine and currently Guest Lecturer at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. She is a contributor to Linkage's Best Practices in Leadership Development and the AMA Handbook of Leadership. She is a contributor to the AMA Handbook of Leadership and the upcoming Coaching for Leadership. She and her partner, renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, publish Leading News.
To contact Patricia or to learn more about The Levin Group LLC, visit www.thelevingroup.com. To learn more about Leading News, please visit www.LeadingNews.org.
