In business, as in the wider world, there are two main groups of people: those who are positive influencers and those who are negative. It’s often easy to assign those labels to people we know – there are probably faces swimming in front of your eyes right now as you think about all the different influencers within your business – however, it’s just as important to be considering which category you fall into.

Top 5 characteristics of a negative influencer:

1. Has a passive aggressive attitude
2. Only does what is required, never going above and beyond expectations
3. Focuses on the negative aspects of any/every situation
4. Is easily (and vocally) jealous of the opportunities others receive
5. Is looking to bring others down or pick holes in their achievements

Negative influences in your business – whether the attitude is coming from you or someone else – can greatly decrease the productivity of your team. Negative attitudes are almost contagious, and by letting them inside your business you’re inviting crankiness, unhappiness and discontentedness to run riot. Everyone has their bad days, but when those bad days turn into weeks or months, it might be time to get to the core of the issue, re-evaluate and work towards turning the attitude around.

Top 5 characteristics of a positive influencer:

1. Is looking to inspire and enable others to reach their goals
2. Supports people through the exciting times as well as the difficult times
3. Helps others to correct mistakes and has encouraging words
4. Comes in with a positive attitude and a smile
5. Goes the extra mile whenever they can

Much like negative attitudes, positive attitudes can also be contagious. We all feed off each others’ energy in business, so it’s important to have an energy that is conducive to getting work done. A positive attitude can lead us to have better strategies when facing challenges and making effective decisions.

If you’re a positive influencer – good news! You get to keep doing what you’re doing. If you’ve discovered some hater characteristics within yourself, it might be time to get to the root of the issue and work towards becoming a positive influence within your business.

In business, attitude is everything. Through our Business for Life program, we help business owners from across Australia build a toolbox of skills that they can use to grow their success. We’d love to chat about how we could help you. Call Bx on 1300 068 229 or find out about our Business for Life Program.