Do you consider yourself a negative thinker and do you sometimes feel undervalued for it? This month’s blog looks at how to get best value from the ability to look on the dark side and how to do it well so you aren’t misunderstood or your contributions overlooked.
We have written before in praise of negative thinking. The ability to be someone who can
- See the flaws in an argument
- Notice the mistake colleagues have missed
- Highlight a problem others are not seeing
- Spot clouds on the horizon while everyone else is staring at the sun
- Be prepared to look over the edge of the cliff to assess the risk
…is a real gift to team working and organisational effectiveness. Yet negative thinking is much maligned. Perhaps we should change the name. It’s sometimes referred to as critical thinking which seems to sit better with us, but essentially it’s the same thing.
In the end it’s all about how you do it. Just as positive thinking without substance can make you look a bit giddy, negative thinking without hope means you come across as a drain. Every silver lining has a cloud and all that.
It isn’t helped by a rather sinister trend that has entered our work culture – that of Toxic Positivity. This is the belief that you should show up smiling no matter how dire the situation is. Toxic positivity rejects all difficult emotions in favour of unending cheerfulness and an often, falsely positive façade. Not good.
We need negative thinking to take its rightful place as a useful input to projects, conversations and team working. Here are 4 ways to help you do just that.
Construct don’t destroy
This means making your negative feedback build on a situation not tear it down. It helps if you acknowledge that others have a point and don’t begin everything you say with “Yes, but..”. The essence of constructive negative feedback is that it has a future, suggests there is hope and leaves people feeling like it was a valuable contribution.
Add a pinch of practical problem solving
Negative thinking together with a willingness to act and a problem-solving approach is a great combination. It means you are bringing action as well as critical thinking to the party. Get in the habit of holding back on a negative opinion until you have some thoughts on how move forward with a solution too. Preferably one you’re prepared to have a hand in.
Surprise them occasionally
No one likes being labelled “negative” but if that’s all people see you do, can you blame them? Instead, balance it with times when you approve, praise and agree – with no caveats. Not only will you surprise those who label but you will also balance your approach. It works both ways – the natural positive thinkers could do with learning to apply critical inputs now and then too.
Read the room
Become more aware of how you are being received. Applying constructive negative thinking is rarely a bad idea, but sometimes you have to pick your times. Look out for signs that people are struggling, have had their fill for the day, are switching off from what you say, or simply need a bit of encouragement not criticism. And save it for a better time.
And finally, never apologize for it. Without our negative thinkers we’d make mistakes – some of them howlers – that cost time, money and energy. So, you do mean to be negative, because you do it well and for the right reasons. And when you do it that way, it’s a gain not a drain.