Staying Positive Even in a Negative Environment WYTRANS Conference July 16, 2011

Choosing Your Attitude

Staying PositiveEven in a Negative

Environment

WYTRANS Conference July 16, 2011

Do you recognize any of these characters?

• Know-it-All• Griper• Drama Queen• Steamer• Perfectionist• Wet Blanket• Not-my-Jobber

• Rumor Monger• Slacker• Pessimist• Brown-noser• Competitor• Leaner• Sourpuss• Trainwreck

Do you recognize yourself

in any of these?

You can create a “pocket”

of optimism!

Explore Your Attitude

Your Best Attitude Traits

• Patience• Integrity• Tact• Courage• Fairness• Discipline• Decisiveness• Willingness to accept

responsibility

• Willingness to take risks

• Ability to take pressure

• Determination• Consistency• Positive Attitude

Attitude is communicated to others in three ways:

7% by words38% by tone of voice

55% in non-verbal mannerisms

When we are not controlling

our thoughts,they are controlling us.

A good attitude comes from

conscious effort, not by chance.

Learn stress management techniques and practice them.

Live in the “now”

Get psyched!

SMILE

Someone nice will always answer

Fake it ‘til you make it

Lead by example

Take the attitude of the believer,

not the doubter.

Show appreciation

Take ownership

Pursue happiness

Take time each day to think of 3 things that

happened at work that were positive.

Don’t over-react

Commit to change

Make a conscious choiceand say,

“I choose to feel better than this.”

What ONE thing in your agency would you like to

change?

YOU

What steps have YOU takento improve the quality

of your work environmentduring the past

Year? Month? Week?

Be sure to acknowledge positive changes …

even the small ones.

Ban Whining

Teach others the art ofWIN / WIN

Dump the drama

No complaining

Challenge the complainerto be part of the

Solution.

Turn the tables…

Let your positivity rub off on others.

It always starts with YOU.

Pay it Forward

Let the first thing you say brighten someone’s day.

Decide to

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The smallest good deedis greater than

the grandest intention.

Act as if it all depends on you…

…in many ways it does.

“Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it

literally dwarfs the problem.The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized

a problem and turned it into an opportunity.”

Joseph Sugarman

Thank You for Attending!

Jill Hough, Ph.D.Small Urban & Rural Transit Center

Upper Great Plains Transportation InstituteNorth Dakota State University

(701)231-8082Jill.hough@ndsu.edu