Positive Leadership: It Makes a Difference

Positive Leadership: It Makes a Difference

Many people believe that positivity is an innate trait and you're either a naturally positive leader or not. However, the truth is that positivity is a skill that requires daily effort and cultivation. To outsiders, it may seem as though some individuals are effortlessly positive. Still, this perception often overlooks the continuous work these leaders put into maintaining their positive outlook despite facing health crises, personal challenges, overwhelming workloads, unexpected obstacles, and difficult personalities.

Leaders are often in the public eye and must always "be on," adding another layer of complexity to maintaining positivity. It takes focus and perseverance to stay positive each day. Positive leaders experience the same fears and struggles as everyone else but do not allow these challenges to dominate their behaviours and attitudes. After all, no one wants to follow a negative leader.

In my experience coaching numerous leaders, those who exhibit strong self-awareness, are open to feedback, are optimistic, and possess strong personal integrity tend to be more effective. These traits are integral to various positive leadership theories, such as Authentic Leadership Development, Transformational Leadership, Charismatic Leadership, Servant Leadership, and Spiritual Leadership. According to Bruce Avolio and his colleagues, these theories emphasise leaders' role in developing their employees and intentionally enhancing positive emotions within their teams.

Positive leadership has been linked to numerous beneficial organisational outcomes, including higher job satisfaction, improved job performance, increased willingness to go above and beyond, enhanced psychological well-being, more substantial organisational commitment, and greater creativity. Conversely, negative leadership is associated with higher turnover intentions, stress, anxiety, absenteeism, job burnout, and retaliatory behaviours. Essentially, leaders set the tone for their teams and organisations. Positive leadership encourages, empowers, and energises people, whereas negative leadership drains, discourages, and demoralises them.

Becoming a Positive Leader

If you aspire to demonstrate positive leadership, consider incorporating the following practices, based on research, into your interactions with employees. Positive leadership involves more than just smiling and appearing cheerful; it requires authenticity and genuine care. Here are some tips:

1. Empower Your Employees: Provide autonomy and flexibility, but ensure they have the necessary training to succeed.
2. Show Genuine Care: Get to know and listen actively to your employees.
3. Show Compassion: Understand why employees have good or bad days and offer support accordingly.
4. Support Your Employees: Advocate for them, speak up, and serve as their champion.
5. Serve as a Role Model: Demonstrate positive social exchanges and avoid letting negativity affect you.
6. Share Inspiration: Offer hope for the future and share inspirational stories.
7. Bring Energy to the Workplace: Your enthusiasm is contagious and a great motivator.
8. Remind Employees of Their Purpose: Help them remember why their work is purposeful, especially during tough times.
9. Treat Employees with Respect and Integrity: Show fairness and honour in all interactions.
10. Find and Share Humour: Use humour to create a positive atmosphere.
11. Be a Positive Change Agent: Focus on strengths rather than weaknesses, promote an affirmation bias, and find silver linings in situations.
12. Celebrate Wins: Encourage a culture of recognising progress and accomplishments.
13. Focus on Solutions: Tackle challenges head-on with optimism and a problem-solving mindset.
14. Address Conflict Timely: Accept conflicts and resolve them promptly.

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Characteristics of a Positive Leader

To effectively engage in these behaviours, positive leaders often possess certain characteristics that help them persevere through difficult times:

• Integrity and Ethics: Do what you say you will do and act honourably.
• Positive Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy: Believe in your abilities and control your attitude and behaviours.
• Resilience: Bounce back from setbacks and view failures as learning opportunities rather than overwhelming obstacles.
• Gratitude: Appreciate the good things in your life.
• Self-Care: Take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

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Conclusion

Positive leadership profoundly impacts individuals, teams, and organisations' satisfaction, engagement, and performance. Maintaining a positive perspective, especially during challenging times, is not easy and requires dedication, persistence, and continual focus. However, developing and practising positive leadership is essential for creating better workplaces and fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.

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