Handling Negative Thoughts

1) In today's environment, a team first philosophy toward your job description combined with a positive attitude is necessary for your success as a health care worker.

2) "Team first" attitudes versus "me first" attitudes will make the workplace more productive and enjoyable.

3) A solution-finding approach versus problem finding approach is required from all health care workers. The definition of a positive attitude is a person who offers solutions when they encounter/observe problems. The definition of a negative attitude is a person who brings up problems without offering possible solutions, and who is not willing to participate in implementing the solutions.

4) People who have chronic negative attitudes (always bringing up problems without solutions) are known as BMG's. BMG stands for Belly-achers, Moaners and Groaners.

5) BMG's come in three forms. There is the active "Belly-acher," who is the person who aggressively approaches every situation with negativity. (Often, finger jabbing accompanies their complaints.) Next comes the passive "Moaner," who uses a weak-kneed approach to bringing up problems by constant whining, moaning, whining, moaning and more whining. The third type is the "Group Groaner." This person uses a cult-like leadership approach, bringing other negative people as backups to join in their aggressive problem finding and announcement process.

6) In the beginning of establishing your team's dynamics, a good way to handle BMG's is to make early interventions to their negativity. The easiest intervention is to actively help them find and offer solutions to whatever problem/complaints they make. This includes how we handle "take-off" behaviors.

7) "Take-offs" are the most important part of any flight or other activity. Like an airplane taking off, if you don't handle the early part of the loading and have the necessary speed to get into the air, it doesn't matter. You're never going to experience a good flight or achieve a landing.

8) By asking BMG's to be involved early on in offering solutions to their problems, your team's "take-offs" will be smoother and more successful.

9) The same approach for handling BMG's works well with a team that approaches its tasks or meetings in a negative manner everyone taking turns being negative. Instead, we must decide to be involved in solution-oriented conversations with each other about whatever problems the group is facing.

10) It does no good to handle BMG's by complaining with them, avoiding them, or griping about them. The only way to be successful with BMG's is to ask them for their solution is to their problem.

11) This also works with negative customers as well. Start by using the 5-step approach to customer service. Help the customer get involved with you in the problem-solving process instead of just the problem-identification process. The 5-step customer service process helps turn problematic situations into solution conversations, and consequently more satisfied customers.

12) To handle BMG's you have to assess how well you handle BMG's? Obviously, the first and most critical question is…"Are you a BMG?

13) Negativity Breeds Company If you're a BMG the folks around you will be negative, too. You'll have to decide that if you're not going to be a BMG you have to keep BMGs away from you. When possible, involve BMG's in solution-finding and problem-fixing approaches to the obstacles they face.