Resistance to change is futile; here's how to handle it

A positive attitude is a good thing, but it can become toxic when platitudes prevent teams from solving real problems, silences constructive feedback or creates a culture of emotional dishonesty, writes Jason Evanish, CEO of Get Lighthouse, Inc. Leaders can curb toxic positivity by encouraging critical thinking, openly discussing challenges and being empathetic to others' needs, Evanish suggests.

Put it into practice: Consciously shifting how you speak can go a long way to curbing toxic positivity, Evanish writes. For example, instead of saying, "Good vibes only!" Evanish suggests telling team members, "If anything's been bothering you, I'm here to listen."

Change in business operating conditions is inevitable, but the new "rate, breadth and depth of change" requires leaders to ask themselves several questions so they can cope well with it, Dave Coffaro of the Strategic Advisory Consulting Group writes. Change leadership "is a proactive, ongoing process that requires an organization to sustain a laser focus on continually evolving conditions" and develop a workplace culture of teamwork and input.

Put it into practice: Don't resist change. Identify its earliest indicators, then assess the pros and cons of reacting to change now or waiting for further developments, Coffaro advises. Let team members co-own solutions by empowering them to suggest ideas and actions, even before change comes into play.

Learning to read a room and see what people are saying with their body language and how they're talking about something can "unleash magical new powers to get more out of meetings, and those around you," writes Jim VandeHei, co-founder and CEO of Axios. "Imagine the tension and misunderstanding that could be averted if we were better at reading others."

Put it into practice: Actively up your emotional quotient by being more observant about how people interact. Talk to different people to learn who's in the room -- and why -- to give you better context. Watch facial expressions for clues, ask questions that don't create tension and take notes, VandeHei advises.

You could have "time blindness" if you're chronically late, find it challenging to meet deadlines or often switch between tasks and procrastinate, writes psychologist Mark Travers, who recommends breaking tasks down into smaller, more manageable ones, setting timers to signal when to change tasks or take breaks and creating calendars and to-do lists. "Check your schedule every day to ensure that you're on top of all your upcoming deadlines and events," Travers recommends.

A boy and his dog are a classic pairing, but a girl named Chen Dongmei in China is changing the paradigm with her best friend, a water buffalo named Niuzai, which means "Cowboy." Chen shares videos of their adventures on Instagram as she calls for Niuzai who comes running to play, share food and cuddle.

I am a big fan of positive thinking, but Get Lighthouse CEO Jason Evanish is right; turning toxic, it can poison your workplace. You know positivity is toxic when your team doesn't feel safe to speak up or bring problems to you. Other signs include a decrease in productivity and increased stress and burnout.

Have you experienced toxic positivity in your workplace? What were its effects and how did you curb it? Tell me!

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