Assuming positive intent is the ultimate productivity driver. When positive intent is absent, trust disintegrates. Without assuming positive intent, people begin to make up stories about their coworkers’ motives, agendas, and driving intents. Allies turn to enemies. Productivity and camaraderie degrade or dissipate altogether. The assumptions of negative intent create a reality and basis for interaction. Consequently, it takes longer to become aligned to work on the critical problems facing the business.
The lens you use to view others’ intent can distort the trust you place in them. It spins a web of negativity and doubts over the culture. Even more, it will bring your most important initiatives to a grinding halt. The reality of your assumptions can be positive or negative. Assume positive intent and you drive toward your goals. Conversely, assume negative intent and you hold yourself back.
It is too easy to fall into a cycle of thinking about what someone could have done or should have done. It is easy to spend time thinking about how poorly someone handled something or how disrespectful they acted. Thinking this way is easy because you are focusing on negative criticisms of their actions or lack thereof. Focusing your energy and attention on being critical and assuming negative intention puts you in a bad mood, distracts you from your goals, and directs your attention to things that are not productive.
Bad experiences, a cynical culture, or the way we were raised created a habit of searching for people’s faults. Without even trying, we automatically find the negative in anyone or anything. So, how do you shut off your built-in negativity bias, assume positive intent, and start seeing the good in people you work with?
How to Assume Positive Intent With Your Coworkers
To assume positive intent means you are choosing to assume your coworkers are acting in the team’s best interest or organization. Even more, It means you choose to believe they are working to the best of their ability with the resources and information they have available.
When you choose to assume positive intent, you save valuable energy by eliminating stress, anxiety, and negative drama cycles that distract so many workplaces. Assuming positive intent improves the professional lives of all employees in the organization. Here are a few ways to help you shut off your negativity bias and assume positive intent with your coworkers.
1) Replace judgment with curiosity
It is easy to become distracted by what someone should have done. We are easily frustrated with what someone could have done. However, when doing so, you make an assumption based on little to no information about their circumstances. Rather than judge, assume positive intent by giving them grace and the benefit of the doubt. Doing so replaces judgment with curiosity. More importantly, listen to understand rather than being impatient to jump in and respond.
2) Stop with the suspicious paranoia
There is no shortage of conspiracy theories or, as I call it, suspicious paranoia. The 24/7 opinion-based news cycle has conditioned us to be suspicious and to assume negative intent. As a result, we lean toward people not having our best interest in mind, so we act accordingly. Teams flourish when we stop assuming intentions that aren’t there. Get the whole story rather than an incomplete or fragmented view of what is happening. At work and home, assume positive intent until there is tangible evidence to the contrary. Trust, communication, rapport, and respect will grow as a result of assuming positive intent.
3) Don’t sweat the small stuff by letting things go
When you hold on to resentment, you feed negative energy. And, it takes a lot of energy to stay mad. You could use that energy more productively. If you’re holding on to past resentment, reflect on where you could have offered the grace of assuming positive intent. Chances are it was over something small. So, let it go because doing so will mend work relationships, improve your professional outlook, and you’ll be happier in life.
4) Always assume positive intent
Look for the bright side in any challenging work situation. Tough situations at work are plentiful, making it easy to assume the worst. The key is to recognize when you are in those situations and remember to practice assuming positive intent. Take a deep breath and follow these guidelines:
- remind yourself that your coworkers, supervisor, or customer is acting with good intentions
- remember that everyone wants to be successful and contribute
- don’t hit send on that rash email and instead walk away, return once you’ve calmed down, and reread and revise
- walk away before acting impulsively on your negative emotions
- say “I love you” in your head before responding
Practicing assuming positive intent not only creates a habit but also changes your mindset. As you start to change the way you think, it becomes easier and more natural. Because you will see good results from assuming positive intent, you will be encouraged to continue practicing it.
Commit to practicing positive intent using these four steps. Before you know it, you will naturally start assuming the best in people. As a result, you will strengthen your relationships and create a more productive and happier work-life. Furthermore, assuming positive intent is consistently present in high-performing teams.
Last updated on April 15th, 2021 at 07:46 am
