With my kids (and my husband), I’m constantly looking for ways to turn around negative behavior. I’m often guilty of handling it similar to the way most organizations handle employee problems. I wait until they exhibit a poor behavior and then correct it, only to be frustrated that the behavior repeats itself shortly after.
The same probably holds true for the people in your personal and professional life. While it might seem counter-intuitive, we’re much better off getting the behavior we want if we catch people doing things right, rather than waiting for them to do something wrong.
What behaviors do your boss, coworkers, significant other, or kids exhibit that you like? The first step is to look for those behaviors. The next step is to point them out. People repeat behavior that gets attention, even if that attention is negative.
Create opportunities for people to repeat positive behavior by recognizing it when it happens.
It works great with kids, co-workers…and husbands!
Visit us on Facebook and tell us how you catch people doing positive things. “Like” us while you’re there…cuz we’re likeable!