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How to Prevent Negative Nancy from Killing Creativity
We’ve all had that one coworker that can’t help themselves when it comes to poo-pooing just about anything. They are known for being particularly negative. Whether you’re suggesting thinking outside the box for a new marketing campaign or even just rearranging the furniture in your office, they’ve got something to say. Ding ding ding, you guessed it! It is the opposite of encouragement.
Why is it important to stop this behavior?
I was in a brainstorming session one time fairly early on in my career, and the person running the meeting said that, for this initial brainstorm session, we weren’t going to say “No” to any ideas. We would discuss them and let the brainstorming flow.
I have to say I’m usually pretty adamant at following the rules. But for some reason, when my coworker mentioned an idea, my reaction was to talk about why that wouldn’t work. And to her credit, she called me out on saying no when I wasn’t supposed to. (I still feel bad about that!) See, I’m glad she called me out on it because, had she not, I could have continued on as the Negative Nancy. And if I had, it is very likely my coworker would have stopped discussing her ideas altogether.
How do you stop this?
Set expectations when possible. One of the best rules I have seen to combat this behavior killing creativity is, at the beginning of a meeting, simply asking someone to frame any feedback in a productive manner.
Check your own behavior and lead by example. Don’t just say no. Just like in marketing, it is all about how you position your feedback. If you want to say no, try recommending a counter suggestion to recommend what you would do different.
It is amazing how much more open people will be to your opinions when you provide constructive feedback without just simply peeing in their cheerios.
Why using this negative reaction can turn into a positive
When you remove no or reframe it into something constructive, it allows for the flow of ideas, for better teamwork, for a more positive environment and often times more focus and productivity.