Our meetings are a misery. How can we get some positivity?

Our team meetings and discussions seem to be all about misery and problems these days – how can we recover a bit more positivity?

This is a great question, because in my opinion, as a coach and corporate consultant, positivity is more important now that it’s ever been. 

Now before I go on I should clarify – I’m not talking about the cheap and nasty variety of “positive thinking” (which for many people is patently absurd and even, in some situations, dangerous) but rather about the version of positivity as used by positive psychologists, which certainly does invite a focus on the positive but which also encourages a clear and realistic focus on the cold hard realities (but a focus that tends towards solutions!). 

So why is positivity so important now?  Because positivity is not just about enjoying the good times; positivity is also about getting through the tough times.  According to Barbara Fredrickson’s ground breaking work on positive emotions and her renowned “broaden and build” theory, positive emotions actually broaden our repertoire of coping strategies and allow us to more effectively build on our skills and strengths. 

In short, then, positivity allows us to more effectively and productively deal with challenges and overcome adversity. 

Sounds good, I hear you say, but how do we do this?

Well, there are many paths to positivity, but to draw from an indirectly related area from my clinical psychology background, there are numerous studies that indicate that writing promotes coping following traumatic events.  More recent research has begun to pay more attention to the benefits of writing in other situations to boost positive moods.

In January this year Gary Lewandowski (from Monmouth University) published an article in the Journal of Positive Psychology summarising a study in which it was found that people encouraged to engage in a positive writing exercise experienced significantly greater positive emotion than those invited to engage in negative or neutral writing.

There’s little doubt that this strategy could be of benefit to many people in all manner of situations, so today I’m pleased to present to you an overview of the instructions for the writing strategy with the suggestion that you try it out and let me know how you go!  All you need to begin is some paper and a pen…

Do not worry about grammar and spelling.  Please follow the instructions below for 20 minutes a day for at least three consecutive days.  When you write, please do so in a place of your choosing that is comfortable and free from distractions. 

Try to relax your mind as much as you can and write about your deepest positive emotions.  The important thing is that you dig down into your deepest positive emotions and explore them as fully as you’re able in your writing. 

Now this isn’t just something you can do as individuals in pursuit of more positive emotions; this is also something I encourage you to consider utilising within your businesses and specifically, your team meetings. 

For example, one of the businesses with which I’ve been working recently integrated a modified version of this concept by beginning every team meeting with a focus on the positive. Before doing anything else, they went around the room and each team member was invited to describe a positive experience they’d had during the week. 

The examples varied considerably, from personal triumphs to experiences with colleagues and clients, but they were all (in one way or other) positive. 

What they found was that this positive start to their meetings led to them approaching all other matters much more positively and, therefore, much more constructively. 

So, that’s it! Simple really. 

But if you experience the gains that those in Lewandowski’s study did, you’ll find, just as they did, that setting aside just a few minutes every day or week to engage in positively focused writing or discussion will significantly increase the positive emotions you experience… and that, surely, would be a good thing!

Dr. Sharp’s latest book (out now) is “100 Ways to Happiness: a Guide for Busy People” (Penguin). You can find out more about corporate programs, presentations, and coaching services at www.drhappy.com.au and www.thehappinessinstitute.com. You can also ask him questions using the comments panel below.

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