Assuming positive thinking and drive is very, very powerful. Positive thinking is another very important element of the Business Caring Formula. There has to be positive energy in the work environment and there has to be positive leadership.

Especially now, when the world feels such unrest. No continent feels secure. Not the Middle East, not Eastern Europe, not Asia, not Latin America and not even the United States. The economy’s growth is still slow, companies are laying off thousands of employees, are still letting people go. If you look at the whole picture the negative is looking you back smack in the face. The leaders of countries, government and companies need to bring positivity and positive leadership to their people and to their work place.

Companies, indeed any type of organization, need to establish a motivational way of managing and leading people—a positive culture. This is so critical. And sometimes being very positive may not even be looked at as the right way of finding and doing everyday business.  Positive thinking is critical to turn all the stress and uncertainty we are feeling into good and useful energy and drive to create value and accomplishments.

For example, a colleague working on a large project recently came to me for some coaching. She was frustrated, saying she was getting no support.  I shared what I would do in her place and that instead of thinking about how much support she is getting or not getting, she should think about how much support she is giving. Do you think you have been giving others enough support? Are you holding back? She replied that she gives the reports every week and is still on time with all that is needed from her. I noted that I was not talking about the technical things that you do because that’s your job. Your team needs to know that you are driven, positive and going above and beyond; that you care about all involved. What are you doing to help your immediate team member on top of just providing these reports? When was the last time, I asked her, you said, “I am here to make you successful. I am behind you!” Did you say that to any of your team members, client or friend? My colleague said no. I advised her to say it today and tomorrow and every day. Then I asked my colleague, in the 6 months that she and I had been working together how many times have I said to her “I am here to make you successful”?  She answered, “Probably every meeting”. Exactly, I said, because I don’t want you to just assume that I am here to make you successful, I am going to confirm it to you every time, with passion and with drive!

People often come to me and say, “how can I be positive when there are so many challenges, old rules.” And I answer, see obstacles as opportunities to do things differently and learn; challenge the rules that don’t make sense anymore. If the rule doesn’t make sense, try to build an exception to the rule. If the exception is the right solution, then make more and more exceptions and before you know it, the exceptions become the rule and the rule changes itself and becomes an exception. It is important for people to know that it is possible to turn any challenging and negative situation into a positive experience by truly trying to find that small, very small light of change. When was the last time you turned a negative into a positive? When was the last time you cared to help someone do that?