blogathon: the no complaining rule

the cost of negativity is one of the things jon gordon points out in his book the no complaining rule

  • negativity costs the US economy between $250 to $300 billion every year in lost productivity (gallup)
  • 90% of doctor visits are stress related (centers for disease control), and the #1 cause of office stress is coworkers and their complaining (truejobs.com)
  • negative employees can scare off every customer they speak with (how full is your bucket? by tom rath)
  • too many negative interactions can decrease the productivity of a team (university of michigan)
  • one negative person can create a miserable office environment
  • negative emotions are associated with decreased life span, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, greater stress, less energy, more pain, fewer friends and less success

this book is germane to the subject of this blogathon. last may, we had the mental health week here in canada, and the topic this time was mental health in the workplace. from the book jacket:

based on an actual company that created and implemented the no complaining rule, gordon delivers an engaging story filled with innovative ideas and practical strategies to develop positive leaders, organizations, and teams.

here are 5 strategies gordon suggests to replace complaining:

  • practice gratitude
  • praise others
  • focus on success
  • let go
  • pray and meditate

i think all of these are useful (and of course, not just in the office) – and today, as i’m thinking about this, i particularly like the idea of praising others. when i praise someone, there is always a little glow that comes over me, a feeling of my heart opening and expanding.

canadian mental health associationthis is an entry for my participation in the 2008 blogathon, a 24-hour marathon of blogging. please support the cause and donate – however much, however little – to the canadian mental health association (vancouver/burnaby branch). to donate, email me or use this URL: www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=d2252. you should be able to get there by clicking the link; if not, just copy and paste the link into your browser. it will take you to the appropriate location at canada helps. thank you!

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