Making a Simple Shift: 3 Steps to Powerfully Leading Your Career
As a professional looking to improve your career and create meaningful connections with others, it’s important to understand the impact of your word choice and attitude. According to positive psychology researcher and best-selling author, Michelle Gielan, broadcasting negativity can decrease meaningful connections and hinder individual and collective business outcomes.
Gielan shares her story of working in the news industry and constantly complaining about being exhausted. This negative attitude only led to unproductive conversations with colleagues. Gielan’s research has found that by focusing on an empowering, optimistic vision at work, individuals can increase Sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, profits by 50%, and decrease the negative effects of stress by 23%.
To make a simple shift towards powerful Leadership, Gielan provides three steps:
Step 1: Watch Your Word Choice
The words we use have a significant impact on the way we are perceived and how others respond to us. By starting conversations with positive language, we can increase the likelihood of productive and meaningful interactions.
Step 2: Share an Empowering Vision
When we focus on an optimistic and empowering vision, we can positively impact the thinking of those around us. This, in turn, leads to improved creativity and problem-solving skills in our colleagues.
Step 3: Start Strong
The way we begin conversations, meetings, and emails can set the tone for the entire interaction. By starting off with a positive attitude and message, we can influence the outcome of the conversation in a meaningful way.
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Overall, taking the time to improve your word choice and attitude can lead to powerful Leadership and improve career outcomes. As Gielan’s research shows, the impact of our communication style can have a significant influence on our personal and professional lives.
BrainApps – Helping You Grow Professionally and Sharpen Soft Skills
Making a Simple Shift in Your Conversations
It’s fascinating to learn that the way we initiate a conversation can significantly influence people’s behavior toward us. Is there a better way to start a conversation than responding with the default reply? Yes! It’s called a “POWER LEAD.” A power lead means beginning your talk with something positive and meaningful. Here’s an example:
Instead of saying “I’m overwhelmed and have so much to do,” start with “Doing fantastic today! I had breakfast with my kid, and he was being really funny.” Similarly, instead of saying “Feeling frustrated with this project,” you can say “I’m looking forward to putting our heads together during this meeting to figure out a plan here.”
According to research, what we talk about not only changes the focus of the conversation but also influences others’ behavior. For instance, a study revealed that participants exposed to rude words were almost 50% more likely to interrupt others’ speech, while the majority of those exposed to polite words waited for their turn to speak.
CBS’s employees experienced the impact of changing the way they start their conversations. One employee decided to try using a power lead to steer away from a complaining tone. When a coworker asked how she was doing, she responded positively, mentioning she was enjoying her cup of coffee. This shift in the conversation led to a more upbeat tone, revealing the coworker’s good news that she was pregnant.
Are you looking to advance your career, enhance your leadership skills, and polish your soft skills? BrainApps is a personalized self-growth app that can help you achieve your goals, guiding you through bite-sized learning topics. Start using BrainApps and see your life transform!
The Art of Power Leading: A Research-Based Approach
Are you struggling to find happiness and success in your life and career? Look no further than the power of social support and authenticity. According to research, the depth, breadth, and meaning of our relationships with others is the greatest predictor of happiness. The Power Lead, a tool for cultivating positivity and activating one’s social support network, is one way to boost happiness and success.
When connecting with others, authenticity is key. The strongest Power Leads stem from real, positive experiences and events. One simple, research-based way to put this into practice is to begin your day with a Power Lead. Before you dive into your inbox, take two minutes to send a positive email to someone you know, praising or thanking them. By doing so, you activate your social support network, fueling your own positivity for the day.
In a study conducted by myself, Arianna Huffington, and researcher Shawn Achor, we found that when we shift focus from merely discussing problems to presenting possible solutions, we increase the creative problem-solving abilities of those we are talking to by 20%. This approach not only inspires happiness in others, but it creates a positive feedback loop that cultivates more positivity for ourselves.
Take this tool and implement it for the next 21 days by choosing a different person to send a positive email to each day. By broadcasting positivity, you not only fuel your own happiness and success but have a positive ripple effect on others.
So what’s your Power Lead today? Start positively and authentically connecting with others to unlock your full potential.
