Developing a Consistently Positive Attitude – Key 1 to Being a Wildly Successful Project Manager

Here are the 10 Keys to being a Wildly Successful Project Manager:

1. Develop a consistently positive attitude.
2. Make wise choices.
3. Believe in your abilities.
4. Be a master at setting goals and achieving them.
5. Have a clear vision of what success means to you and to your project.
6. Develop steady, positive habits.
7. Show persistence.
8. Over-communicate.
9. Be transparent.
10. Do what you say you will do without exception.

With all the fear and confusion around right now stemming from the world economic situation, I thought it might be useful to return to some of the basics of project management leadership touched upon in 10 Keys to Being a Wildly Successful Project Manager.

Developing a Consistently Positive Attitude

Uncertainty in the minds of your team members can have many possible effects on your project – all of which are negative. If you want to help your team during a time of pessimism and gloom, your first job is to provide an extra measure of stability, clarity and direction in the form of HOPE. This will come as much out of who you are as what you do.

By following the suggestions included in this post, you will be strengthening the foundation for your success as a project manager – developing a consistently positive attitude.

But – I know a lot of Grouchy and Irritable PMs – and They’re Successful

Good. Glad to know that there is room for Oscar the Grouch in your organization. While irritable PMs can sometimes be energetic leaders, I’d much rather work for Mister Rogers¹ myself.

What is a Positive Attitude?

A positive attitude builds up rather than tears down. It is an orientation towards making things better and being the change that you want to see in your project and the world². It is not a technique to manipulate. Rather it encourages the best in others to be revealed through your own good example.

Why Developing a Positive Attitude is Worth The Effort

Recently a colleague of mine had a stroke which seriously undermined his ability to communicate. Before the stroke, he told me that he had always been a driving and critical person at work.

A positive attitude isn’t a panacea. But it is a definite tonic and antidote to the pressures that you as a project manager experience everyday. Please learn from my colleague’s example by developing a positive attitude at work.

11 Steps to a Consistently Positive Attitude

1. Find a mantra and use it
2. Smile 6 times a day
3. Use the 10 Count Tool
4. Decide each morning to feel good
5. Write outcomes in advance
6. Get outside
7. Wear your best clothes
8. Help someone
9. Watch movie clips that make you laugh
10. Practice anonymous kindness
11. Know your 3 YESes

11 Steps to a Consistently Positive Attitude

Do these and you will be well on your way.

1. Find a mantra and use it.

My friend Anthony, an infrastructure manager, used to keep an index card over his monitor which read Relaxation Response³. Everytime he would see it, it reminded him that he could choose to remain happy and peaceful in all circumstances. I like the phrase, I choose to keep my thoughts and attitudes calm and cheerful right now.

2. Smile 6 times a day

Smiling has a physiological effect on your body and emotions. Other people will generally respond to you in a positive way if you smile. When you smile, imagine that your smile is coming from the center of your chest. You can think of a beautiful child (if you like children)⁴, or something else that makes you happy. Whatever you do, make it a habit to give a genuine smile multiple times during the day.

3. Use the 10 Count Tool

At the times you are ready to chew somebody’s head off, cry, scream or hit something, take a breather instead. Literally. First, inhale as deeply as you can. Hold while you say to yourself, “one-mississippi”, then exhale slowly until all the air is out of your lungs. Repeat to a count of 10. If you’re sneaky enough you can do this in the middle of a meeting and no one will know.

Don’t underestimate how powerful this simple technique can be in elevating your mood. I often forget to breathe. John Harrell was a master of breath, and also one of the most positive people around. Do you think this was a coincidence?

4. Decide each morning to feel good

You may think that this is the hokiest of suggestions. Nevertheless there is real value in choosing to feel good. It does work. You might try this for two weeks and then evaluate your overall mood. If you have a partner or spouse, you could do some qualitative research⁵ to gauge its effectiveness.

5. Write outcomes in advance

For all meetings, discussions, tasks – write out at the start of the day how you will feel, what will happen, how things will be received. If you are concerned about anything, write a different outcome as if it were real. Keep writing until you experience some relief. Then, forget all about what you’ve written and go on with your day. Be prepared to be amazed.

6. Get outside

Smokers take smoke breaks. Who says that you can’t walk away from your desk for 10 minutes to take an “air break”? Force yourself if you must. Get up. Go outside. Find some nature if possible. Walk until you feel clearer. Repeat at least once daily.

7. Wear your best clothes

If you have frayed, ripped, stained or otherwise damaged clothes – now is the time to retire them. Only wear clothes that make you feel good. Shine your shoes. Guys, don’t forget your collar stays. You can make as many replacements as you need by cutting up old credit cards.

8. Help someone

You may not have the time or inclination to volunteer at your local high school, ESL or reading program – though these are excellent ways for you to get perspective and improve your outlook. What about looking out for one additional way to help someone at your office each day? I guarantee that adding this to your daily todo list for the next 5 days will help your attitude.

9. Watch movie clips that make you laugh

Take a few minutes to list the 4 movies that have made you laugh the most. When you have them, go to YouTube and search for clips. Bookmark all to your favorites. You now have a source of refreshment that you can use whenever you feel that your attitude needs a lift. You get extra points for clips that make you laugh out loud. Here’s one that inspires me.

P.S. If your company blocks YouTube, you need to find a new company. They obviously have their priorities all mixed up. No joke.

10. Practice anonymous kindness

Many years ago cars were plastered with bumper stickers. One of my favorites was this one: Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty. This is not a leftist or rightist idea. Everyone of us has benefited from good things that someone else has done for us without our even knowing. When was the last time you did something good anonymously for someone on your team? Do one thing this week.

11. Know your 3 YESes

Everyone needs 3 YESes to live by. These are the values that shape you. Start thinking about what you think is most important. This may be revisted in a future post.

Summary

As you can tell by this list, I truly believe that a consistently positive attitude is in part an outgrowth of choices you make. The direct and indirect actions listed above have a cumulative effect. Try for yourself and see! Please note that I’m working on these things, too.

Have I missed anything? If so, please let me know in the comments below.

Resources for further exploration

1. Build a Positive Attitude With the 4 Day Attitude Diet from Small Business Canada
2. How to have a positive mental attitude from eSsortment
3. Developing a positive attitude from Recovery medicine
4. How is your self-esteem from Leaders Direct

(Image by Nasty Days)

1. Fred Rogers winning over Senator Pastore and the US Congress in 1969. [↩]
2. Mahatma Gandhi [↩]
3. Herbert Benson, MD [↩]
4. Example from The Secret [↩]
5. i.e. ask them. [↩]

Tagged as: Anthony, Be a Leader People Follow, choices, clear vision, developing a, Effectiveness, Fred Rogers, Herbert Benson, John Harrell, oscar the grouch, Pastore, positive attitude, Project-Management, successful project, United States Congress, YouTube