If we read recent reports, India Inc. is facing tough times across sectors. And the reasons are many – weak consumer demand, regulatory policy upheavals, drying up of credit and last, many businesses reeling under stress due to bad decision making.
The situation is worrying, but what we need to ask ourselves is that should be keep on mulling over such issues? Or accept that it is a condition that requires implementing tough decisions to get out of the same. Scientific studies have proven that one of the critical attributes to come out of any difficult situation is to stay ‘positive’. It gives individuals and organizations the strength to keep calm. Psychology, neuroscience and organizational behavioural studies have proven that positivity is a management attribute that goes hand in hand for corporate and professional success.
Positivity at the workplace has many benefits. The first being, it helps you stay calm and composed in any situation, mainly, at times of crisis. We have enough examples where corporations that have gone down during a financial or business challenge is when they have lost their calm that led to making rash decisions. We need to have the ability to sit back and identify the key measures both of the past and action a future plan in a calm manner. It is the key to coming out of a stressful situation. Large organizations with multiple manufacturing sites, offices and thousands of people, need a demonstrate positivity at the workplace in spite of the worst challenges.
Secondly, positivity at the workplace ensures that the entire team is motivated to work towards resurrection. During hard times, the most significant challenges organizations face is a lack of motivation, across levels of the organization. Demotivated staff at junior levels may lead to quality and rework issues further increasing cost. Demotivated senior leadership may result in inaction or deserting the ship at a crucial juncture. It is my personal experience and belief that a motivated team can move mountains. The leader in the organization must ensure that whatever be the situation, motivation levels across employees should remain high.
Third, positivity at the workplace can cement ‘faith’ in coming out of such adversities. Often during trying times, most of us fail because of giving up too soon. Sometimes we start losing faith in our leaders, organizations and self, and this is suicidal for every company. History has proven across businesses that the ‘faith’ in one’s ability to come out of a situation or otherwise translates into results. In any case, however tough the situation, human ingenuity when powered with faith and intent can come up with the long term and enduring solutions.
Fourth, positivity at the workplace can drive the entire organization to conduct themselves in an honest, hardworking and noble manner. Without getting into specifics, many of today’s business challenges are due to improper conduct, often due to laxity in business risk and leadership ethics. Positivity helps organizations realize that any shortcut or ‘not so clean’ means ultimately catches up on performance. Teams are driven to work harder during the crisis and take bold decisions that are honest, even if it is painful. Leadership and organization’s tendency to act in a wrong manner is deterred in a positive environment.
Today ‘positivity’ at the workplace is no more a ‘feel good’ or ‘soft’ attribute that is displayed either through motivational posters and signages or spoken about in HR meeting or employee gatherings. A culture of positivity can drive organizations to perform to their best and manoeuvre themselves to success even in the most challenging times.
As I open any news channel or pick any newspaper, we see news of economic ‘gloom & doom’. While nobody can deny the current economic situation is tight, it is not permanent. The only way out of such trying times is to stay positive. Drive all your energy towards identifying the bottlenecks, taking the correct measures and executing your plan with diligence, and tenacity.
Organizational positivity is no more a mere buzzword but a scientific approach to deliver productivity and profitability.
