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Beating negativity and developing cohesiveness - President's Message - Editorial

AORN Journal, Dec, 2003 by Betty J. Shultz

Happy holidays. Where does the time go? I am sitting here at the end of September writing this message--it is due two months before publication--and I haven't even started preparing for the December holidays yet. Talk about reality checks.

When you read this, you will be well into your AORN year, and it will only be about three and one-half months until the 2004 Congress in San Diego. As the saying goes, "time flies when you are having fun." Thanks to all of you, I am definitely having fun this year.

FOUR AGREEMENTS

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Former AORN Executive Director Lola Fehr, RN, MS, CAE, FAAN, gave me a book last year called The Four Agreements. (1) I have tried, and continue to try, to follow these four agreements. The first one is to be impeccable with your word. It is important to speak with integrity. Say what you truly mean and avoid gossip. Remember, however, to speak well of yourself too.

The second agreement is not to take anything personally. What others say and do is a projection of their reality and perception, not yours.

Third, do not make assumptions. It is important to be able to express what you want and ask questions to avoid misunderstandings.

Finally, always do your best. Be aware that your best changes not only from day to day but from hour to hour. Trying to do your best allows you to avoid self-judgment and regret.

During this holiday season, I hope all of you will take time to think about the above agreements and try to incorporate them into your lives. Don't be afraid to give up negativity. By being positive, you generate positive energy and positive thinking.

DEALING WITH NEGATIVITY

A survey on confidence asked respondents, "When you are around negative people, what do you do?" The majority of respondents said that they try to avoid negative people. Men, however, were more inclined to try to change the negative person (ie, 42% versus 26% of women). Men also were more inclined than women (ie, 12% versus 7% respectively) to do nothing about or around negative people. The fewest responses involved telling the negative person to shape up (ie, 4% men, 7% women). (2)

How do you handle negativity? Is it time to clean house of people, places, and things that bring negativity into your lives? I know there are times at chapter meetings and in our work settings when things appear to be rather negative. We even sometimes say we are our own worst enemies, and I believe this is true unless we are willing to mentor others and help them learn.

DEVELOPING COHESIVENESS

Eliminating negativity helps develop cohesiveness among colleagues. To create cohesiveness, the majority of a team's members should share the following values:

* change is necessary for growth;

* collaboration is critical;

* positive creativity should be emphasized;

* strong, knowledge-based, impartial decisions are important; and

* a sense of fairness should be pervasive.

Strive for cohesiveness in your relationships by criticizing in private, praising in public, and remembering to say thank you for what others do. By focusing on positive things and giving attention and appreciation to the good things people do, you reinforce their desire to do the right thing. You also help build their self-image and positive thoughts, which helps them develop a positive attitude. Be careful of over-praising, however. When you praise everything, you dilute the power of praise. Save it for significant improvements, exceptional accomplishments, and special efforts.

Try to develop opportunities for others by recognizing each person's talents, and help develop these abilities by coaching and mentoring. Create opportunities for individuals to use their special skills and gain recognition for their achievements.

People welcome new experiences if they are not threatening. They want an opportunity to participate in discussions and know their opinions are valued. People also want information about things that affect their working lives and their long-range future so they can have some input into arranging their lives for themselves. Make an effort to understand an individual's personal needs or get to know his or her family background and pressures. On an everyday level, this results in loyalty and commitment from others in the pursuit of mutual goals. Remember, you can do this by demonstrating the depth of your own commitment, earning respect for your intelligence and energy, and accepting the responsibility of being a role model.

CONCLUSION

Although cohesiveness is important when building a team, every team member is entitled to his or her own opinions. These opinions may not reflect those of others on the team, but it is not necessary that they do so. For example, I told members of the Board of Directors at our first meeting after Congress 2003 that if there are 12 people in a room and they all agree all of the time, 11 of them are not needed.

I want to hear what others are thinking, know what their opinions are, and gather the information needed to make knowledge-based decisions. Without that input, the Board and I would be working in a vacuum.

Health Care Industry

Beating negativity and developing cohesiveness - President's Message - Editorial

AORN Journal, Dec, 2003 by Betty J. Shultz

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