How to Flip Your Switch – Turning Negatives into Positives

Have you noticed that when you always focus on what might go wrong, you end up feeling negative and demotivated? But when you shift your focus to exploring solutions, you begin to feel more empowered. 

Shifting your focus from problem to solution isn’t always as easy as flicking a switch. But when you create a habit of flipping negativity into positivity, it can be. 

As humans, we tend to err on the negative side, noticing what can go wrong. So, when someone says, “Hey, what about doing it this way?”, we often respond with, “Yeah, but… I can’t because…”, immediately putting barriers in the way.

What sorts of problems are you thinking about most days? If there’s an issue at work or elsewhere in your life, and you’re wondering how on earth to solve it, the suggestions below will help. 

Change Your Language

This is a surprisingly powerful and effective technique. Quite simply, start responding with “Yes, and…”. 

When you get into the habit of saying: “Yes, and…”, you’re changing your attitude towards problem solving. In turn, this positively changes your behaviour and increases your performance.

The more you do this, the easier it becomes. It’s all part of creating new habits, which only takes two months. More specifically, 66 days. And as a leader, regularly practising saying “Yes, and…” will inspire others to do the same. 

EXAMPLE: You’ve organised an important outdoor event. You’ve used the GROW model to correctly set your goal, and to understand the event’s purpose* and objectives. All your preparations are going well.

A few days before, you check the weather. Heavy rain is forecast, plunging you into concern and uncertainty. What can you do? Should you cancel? 

A team member suggests re-scheduling. Instead of immediately saying, “Yes, but the same thing could happen, and we’d waste even more money…”, pause. Remind yourself to slowly say, “Yes, and…” because that pause is when inspiration can hit. “What about getting a marquee? Gazebos? We could even provide branded umbrellas!”

Finding the Solution

To help find the right solution, draw up a Problem Statement:

• Write a short description of what you’re encountering. For instance, you’re organising a team event, but there’s no time in the diary and your budget has been halved. 
• Consider why a solution is important. Perhaps the team needs to be together for you to communicate a strategy dealing with changing circumstances. Doing this in the right setting and in the right way will help everyone prepare for the change.
• When does it need to be achieved by? Perhaps the team event needs to be delivered by the end of the month. With that known timeline, your thoughts and actions can be more focused.
• Most importantly, who can help you overcome this problem for the best possible outcome? It’s not a weakness to ask for help – it’s a strength. At various points in your career, there will be issues that you can’t do alone and need support with.

Next, use my 4Ds of Problem-Solving technique:

1. Discuss the situation with either a coach, mentor, trusted team member, or your boss. As you define the problem, the next steps will naturally become apparent, much as it did in the Problem Statement.
2. Devise a plan. Throughout your discussion, you’re automatically formulating a plan to solve the issues. Write it down.
3. Do. Carry out the plan to effectively solve the problem. 
4. Develop. Like the Plan, Do, Review model, this is where you look back and reflect. But I believe this 4Ds process is better! 

When Things Get Tough, Say “Yes and…”

Every day, practise changing your language from “Yes, but…” to “Yes, and…”. That way, whenever you stumble across a problem and feel demotivated because things are getting tough, your positive mindset will help you to act promptly. Your positive actions should lead to a productive, successful situation. 

* For a PDF of my Purpose Triangle to help you discover your purpose, please email me on ian@ianrose.co.uk.