By Published On: December 10, 2019

“Your vibe attracts your tribe”. This was a quote on the inside of a Dove chocolate wrapper (thanks Libby from California). This statement resonated with me on a personal level and I wondered how that same sentiment applies to clients and work in general.  Since we have a fantastic group of clients – smart, hardworking, professional and funny – I’d say we are giving off some pretty great vibes.

Dove

But what if your workplace is not giving off good energy? The companies that can’t seem to overcome the negative attitudes and have perpetually unhappy people. The notorious places with continuous turnover who are always hiring (beware). Or maybe, it is a great company that is undergoing a major change or facing uncertainty.

Regardless of your position within the company, there are some simple things that we can all do to help create and attract those good vibes.  Here are some tips I found from the experts on how to create or sustain a positive work environment:

Have a positive focus.  Research in neuroscience has shown that we can train our brains to be more positive. The more we push ourselves to look for the positive and ignore the small negative things, the more we will see good things. Be intentional about focusing on the good. Here are some ways we can do this: celebrate small wins, talk about what is going well, acknowledge others strengths and offer encouragement.

But, the simplest ways to increase positive thoughts and feelings is to smile. Smiling makes you feel happier even if you are down by prompting your brain to produce feel-good hormones.  As an added bonus, when we smile we are perceived by others to be more attractive, likeable, courteous and competent.

Be optimistic. Optimistic people expect desirable outcomes.  They believe that their goals can be accomplished.  This leads them to take risks, try new ideas and make changes, which further increases their chances of success. Optimists view setbacks as temporary obstacles that can be overcome. As with positivity, optimism can be learned.  How we choose to interpret events is within our control.

Show gratitude. Be thankful. People experience positive emotions each time they stop to think about what is good.  Put this into practice by showing appreciation and thanking others for their work.

Be forgiving. Dwelling on bad situations decreases positivity and increases negative emotions.  Forgive one another for mistakes and don’t waste time looking for someone to blame or dwelling on what happened.

We spend a lot of our time at work.  So, why not make it as enjoyable as possible?  Amp up your good vibes.  Not only will you feel better, but you will attract positive people and be contributing towards a healthy and successful environment. If you need more inspiration, a little chocolate never hurts either.

About the Author: Sheryl Doyle

Sheryl Doyle
A problem solver by nature, Sheryl loves working with clients to solve a tough marketing challenge. She gets to the heart of it by first uncovering their real business needs and then works to develop marketing-based solutions. As if they were an extension of her family, she strongly advocates for her clients and keeps their best interests at heart. With her broad base of marketing knowledge and experience, ability to see the big picture, and knack for managing the details, Sheryl marshals the right resources and confidently wrangles the process to ensure a successful outcome every time.
Communicating about a communications degree
2019 ANA ECHO Awards