To succeed in today’s economic environment, check your ego at the door and embrace a new way of doing business that is about more than what you can control and manipulate.  That’s your ego talking.

The Ego Economy is dead.

Welcome to the We Economy.

This rising tide of the We Economy can lift all of our companies on thrilling waves of positive profits or capsize and drown us in red ink. We choose.

How do you navigate the change and positively succeed at work?

Here are three positive business conversation transformations to have today that say “good bye” to the Ego Economy and “hello” to the We Economy so you will positively profit.

“I did it” becomes “We did it.”

In the Ego Economy, you could afford to get by on what you alone could do. The We Economy requires the creation of partner relationships with your employees, customers/clients, vendors/suppliers and more to generate a profit built on what “We” can do.

How?

Ask your employees, “How would you build a better business?” They are on the front-line of interaction daily. Listen deeply and tap their wisdom. Act to implement.

Ask your customers/clients, “What can we do better?” They bring you their hard-earned money in exchange for your services and products. Listen deeply for themes and respond immediately.

Ask your vendors/suppliers, “What are some best practices you see out there?” Take notes about the one that makes sense for your business and ask your employees what they think and how they would implement it.

In the We Economy, we succeed as we create partner relationships with everyone who touches the business. We do it, not I.

“I already know that” becomes “Please show me how.”

In the Ego Economy, you stayed on top of the change-of-information trickle with little effort. “I already know that” was a reflection of the predictable growth of knowledge.

In today’s We Economy, the info flow is more like a fire hose than a trickle. You as a business owner or leader simply can’t drink from it alone. “Please show me how” replaces “I already know that” to generate more profits. Be teachable.

Your business is your tuition ticket to matriculate in Biz U. You hire people smarter than you in certain areas and learn from them. You cultivate an “always on the learn” environment in which results are shared, graded, and evaluated for next time and do-over’s.

Keep saying, “Please show me how” until it rolls with delight because you’re about to learn something that makes your company more profitable.

“I pulled myself up by my own bootstraps” becomes “We wear loafers.”

In the Ego Economy, we all wore boots and bragged about pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps. As self-made men and women, we created it all.

In the We Economy, we wear loafers. In a boot-wearing market, loafers are innovative—more comfortable, easier to pull on and off, with no socks. In the We Economy, you’re comfortable in responding to the changing demands of your partners and learning as you go. You’re pulled onto and off of teams according to project needs, not siloed departments. And who needs socks?

Relating with all who interact with your business and creating new learning generates creative innovation which takes your company to greater profits and higher margins. In an economy of boot-wearing, ego-driven, know-it-all’s, innovators who are loafer-sporting, team-focused, and learning-as-you-do-it have more to say about success than anyone.

Avoid talking about “I” because the Ego Economy is dead.

Instead, start a positive work conversation about “us.”

Welcome to the “We” Economy.

(Wear your loafers.)

About the Author:

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who helps professionals discover success in the silver lining of their business and achieve their dreams. Discover more at www.ListentoLife.org/speaking.

You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.

In a financially-strapped economy like this one, a common response to suggestions to grow business is negative.

“I can’t afford to advertise.”

“I have to cut marketing expenses.”

We focus on what we can’t do.

Will that grow your business?

What would it cost you to follow Zig Ziglar’s advice to positively grow your business?

Here are 3 no-cost ways to positively grow your business by helping others get what they want:

Greet with a Welcoming Smile

Ever watched one person yawn and within seconds everyone else in the group is yawning or stifling one?

Shawn Achor in his fantastic book, The Happiness Advantage, says that happens because our brains have mirror neurons that fire back what we receive. A yawn prompts a yawn…

…and a smile elicits a smile.

A smile at the door of your business begins the creation of a positive experience for your guests. That smile means they will likely smile back and so starts a delightful conversation that climaxes in a purchase today that leads to a relationship tomorrow that increases her lifetime value to your business in real dollars.

What that customer really wants is someone who opens the door to helping her find what she wants for her family, her friend’s child about to graduate, her car’s need of an oil change, etc.

Your greeting smile is invariably returned and invites, “Come in and let’s find what you want.”

Give a Listening Ear

Jeb Blount in his marvelous book, People Buy You, asks, “Do you take a genuine interest in others?”

In his outstanding book, Lead from the Heart, Mark C. Crowley states, “We must be willing to look at and really see the humanity in every person who works for us.”

Connecting with others as human beings is transformational, creating employees, customers, and vendors for life rather than merely “one and done.”

The surest, best way to connect is to give a listening ear. Ask a question and listen with interest. Feedback what you hear. Listen some more. Then ask another question. Keep listening.

Yes, it costs time, energy, and attention. See beyond the immediate investment and gaze long-term into the relationship that will pay dividends for years.

Grow Politely Considerate

Numerous surveys reveal social civility is at an all-time low. Road rage incidents are rising. It’s an election year and negative advertising increases our collective economic uncertainty.

Yes, we have an oversupply of jerks.

Avoid being one more.

Thank that customer for being your guest today regardless of whether she buys or not.

Give her a coupon of appreciation to use on her next visit just for stopping by.

Ask for her contact information so you can let her know when the next sale starts.

Get her birth date and send her a “Happy Birthday” email.

Give her your Facebook fan page address and encourage her to download the unadvertised specials and share with her friends.

Be on her side. She’s struggling to make ends meet, too.

The Golden Rule works. Work the Golden Rule.

Then with a welcoming smile, a listening ear, and polite consideration, watch as your business positively grows as you implement these 3 no-cost ways.

About the Author: 

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who helps professionals discover success in the silver lining of their business and achieve their dreams. Discover more at www.ListentoLife.org/speaking.

My grandmother gave me a chocolate bunny every spring when I was a child.  I always looked forward to getting it, but there were some chocolate bunnies I liked better than others.

Some years she gave me a hollow chocolate bunny. Now I really liked the chocolate, but when I bit into it, there was nothing but air.

Other years she gave me a marshmallow-filled chocolate bunny.  It was great because it had something inside.  But marshmallow does get a little old after a few bites and it’s just not chocolate.

My favorite years were those when my grandmother gave me a solid chocolate bunny.  I knew exactly what to expect with each bite because they were chocolate all the way through. An unbeatable combination!

Do your customers know what to expect from your business?

What about your employees?

Do you know what to expect?

Here are 3 delicious qualities of a Work Positive-solid business you can grow and give today:

Trust

Do your customers or clients trust you?

Can they turn their back on you, i.e., trust you to do what you say you’re going to do, the way you said you’d do it?

Do they have to read the fine print, covering their backside with you, for fear of you wiggling out of the agreement?

To create a Work Positive-solid business, one that lives up to its advertising appearances, be trustworthy with your customers. When clients take a bite of your business, they know what to expect, enjoy the taste, and come back for more with their friends.

Your cash flow will hop with delight as you build trusting relationships with your customers and clients in creating a Work Positive-solid business.

Integrity

If we surveyed your employees, would they say you’re an owner of integrity? Someone who keeps promises? Who backs up talk with walk?

They’re always watching you. They can tell when business is good, and when it’s not. They fill the information vacuum with their worries when you’re not talking and walking the same.

We all want low-maintenance employees; top-talent teams who help us achieve our Work Positive dreams. Attracting and hiring them is one thing. Keeping them is another.

Talk and walk consistently. Keep your promises. Conduct yourself with integrity as you create a Work Positive-solid business. Your employees’ productivity sky-rockets as you do.

Honesty

Are you honest with yourself?

Even if you know something is false, if you repeat to yourself often enough, you believe it. But what have you really accomplished for your business?

For instance, are you honest enough with yourself to admit to a customer when you make a mistake? Or, do you roll an employee under the bus?

You gain more business when you choose to be honest—“I apologize. I blew it.”—than when you employee-toss.

Your customers will be relieved to know that you are honest and take personal responsibility for your mistakes. Your employees will defend you to the last dollar when you tell the truth.

Be honest with yourself, your clients, and your employees. Tell the truth as you create a Work Positive-solid business. Your bottom line goes supernova positive as you do!

About the Author: 

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who help professionals discover success in the silver lining of their business and achieve their dreams. Discover more at www.ListentoLife.org/speaking.

Why do so many people go through life feeling unhappy, dissatisfied, and unfulfilled? I believe that, in many cases, it’s because they’ve been taught to suppress their core being – the unique traits that combine to make them who they really are. This is one of the reasons why people often experience a sense of wonder after they take the Perceptual Style Assessment (PSA); they begin to understand and embrace their unique talents and skills.

I never get tired of watching the magic that happens when someone reads the description of their own Perceptual Style!

It’s profound; there’s a sense of wonder about how the description could fit them so well, followed closely by a sense of deep validation of something they have long known about themselves but couldn’t quite put into words.

When you read your own Perceptual Style description, you feel more than just delight in the accuracy of the description: there is also a great sense of relief when you realize that the differences you experience between yourself and others is not because there is something wrong with you. There’s real joy in understanding that these differences are normal, and that it is OK – great, actually – to be exactly who you are.

As powerful as I know the experience to be, I was still deeply moved by a story a client shared with me recently, after getting his PSA results: 

“I was angry as a teenager, and as an adult I have been unhappy and depressed much of my life. I have been through eight years of therapy, but it wasn’t until after contemplating my PSA results that I finally figured out what I was angry and unhappy about.”

These words were not uttered by someone who was struggling to make a living or who was a marginal member of society. He is a successful business owner who grew up in a loving home in an upper middle class neighborhood in the late 60s and early 70s. He is happily married, has successfully raised three children, and appears happy and content with life. So his declaration came as a surprise to me. Once I heard what he had to say, I realized his story was far from unusual and needed to be retold in a public forum. I asked his permission and he agreed. Here’s his story:

At first, he said, the results of his PSA results of Activity surprised and concerned him. Everything he read about Activity exactly described behavior that he had been taught to suppress and control. Reading the Activity PS description made him worry that he had been unsuccessful in learning how to hold those ‘bad’ behaviors in check. His great revelation: the reason he had been unsuccessful in ridding himself of those behaviors was because, at core, they were who he was. His great joy was that PST and Celebrate You were telling him that it was OK to be himself.

His anger as a teen arose from having his natural skills thwarted, undervalued, and/or ignored. His unhappiness and depression as an adult was due to his inability to stop suppressing his natural buoyancy and high energy level. He realized that he had kept who he really was deeply hidden from the world, and to a great extent, even from himself.

From a psychological perspective, his insight made perfect sense. In essence, the message he had received from his parents was, “Don’t be you.” As humans, we are able to adapt our behavior to whatever is required of us, but the core of who one is, as expressed by their PS, cannot be changed. The inevitable conclusion most humans will come to when faced with such a dilemma is that there is something wrong with them, and that who they are is not OK.  More simply stated, “I am not loveable”. The anger that an adolescent experiences from having his core being denied transforms into sadness and depression as he resigns himself to being a “responsible adult”.

My client’s PSA results and Celebrate You gave him the permission he needed to celebrate who he really is.

His story made me wonder how many of us received similar messages in the service of molding us into “successful” adults. How many of the 65+% of people who hate their jobs feel that way because their work allows them no expression of their natural skill set? How many people live their lives vaguely dissatisfied or unhappy for no apparent reason simply because their core being has been repressed? The answer to all three questions, I believe, is a much higher percentage than we know or suspect. Don’t be part of that percentage. Celebrate You!

About the Author:

Lynda-Ross Vega: A partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., Lynda-Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and coaches build dynamite teams and systems that WORK. She is co-creator of Perceptual Style Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.YourTalentAdvantage.com.

Springtime is nearly upon us and it’s the perfect season to put your business planning into overdrive. Everything seems better as spring approaches – extra hours of sunlight, plants beginning to surface, and more energy for us as we pull ourselves out of the winter hibernation mode. Here are a few fun ways that you can use Spring’s forward momentum to help your business grow.

Head Outside – Spring is a great time to get out of the house and reach out to shop owners in your area or neighbors that you might not know yet. You can join your local Chamber of Commerce or find a Christian business fellowship in your area.

Use Your Umbrella – Don’t let naysayers get the best of you in this new season. Open up that umbrella and let their negative words roll of like the springtime rain. Seek God’s opinion above all else. If you’re where you believe He has called you to be, doing what He has called you to do – take confidence in that and push forward.

Dig Deeper – What would spring be without rabbits? Rabbits are stubborn creatures – they won’t give up until they find a way into your garden. As business owners we can take a lesson from them and not give up until we find a way to make our dream happen.

Smile – Sunshine and smiles are what come to mind when I think of what spring feels like. Make plans for where you want to see your business head and then put a smile on and start taking steps to get you closer to that goal each day.

2012 is a year for powerfull manifestations that are happening faster and faster.

Staying aware of your thoughts, words and actions have never been more important in consciously creating your reality. And with changes happening in the world, and probably in your own life, it is easy to get caught up in seeing life through a lens of problems and obstacles rather than opportunities and possibilities.

When faced with situations that are challenging, where does your attention go? Do you immediately feel overwhelmed and defeated or energized and excited to play with creative options?

When we look at life through the narrow viewpoint of fear, we can miss seeing possibilities when we are focused on problems and obstacles.

One of the books I keep handy is The Four- Fold Way by Angeles Arrien, PH.D. The author is an anthropologist, author, educator, and corporate consultant. On page 21, she references how self-talk and negative beliefs govern our behavior by citing a conversation between Alice and the queen from Lewis Carroll’s famous book – Through a Looking Glass (Alice in Wonderland).

Angeles remarks that the queen recognizes personal power and takes a no-nonsense approach to “doing what must be done” regardless of any obstacles. She highlights the importance of dreaming the impossible dream in the following excerpt from Alice in Wonderland:

“I can’t believe that!” said Alice

“Can’t you?” the queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying.” she said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t much practice,” said the queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes, I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

How often do you talk yourself out of believing something is possible?

Do you set the bar low because you fear wishing for too much?

Do you see your life as full of possibilities or problems?

How many dreams have you given up?

Become a possibility dreamer

I’m reminded of an email I received from  TUT.com. The daily notes are written as a light-hearted personal message from the Universe to each subscriber.

It said:

” What happens when someone worries? Basically, they think of 100 reasons why something might go wrong. And all of those thoughts then struggle to become things, sometimes overriding their more constructive thoughts. It’s like a train wreck. But that’s the power of worry.

Now, let’s say you want something fantastic to manifest in your life. Have you sat down yet and listed 100 reasons why it might come to you easily, fast, and harmoniously? I think you should.

Today works”  – The Universe

Your invitation to become a welcoming place for your dreams to blossom:

1. Consider something in your life that you want that seems out of reach or impossible. Notice all the reasons and excuses for why you believe something can’t happen. Have you collected evidence to back up that conclusion? In other words, are you looking at the past with the expectation that past experiences ALWAYS repeat? So, why bother dreaming, right?

What if what you desire as impossible were really possible? Perhaps some part of what you desire is currently out of reach and there are some things within your grasp that you might be dismissing because you are negating the whole picture. Ask yourself, “What about this is possible?”

Create a list of all the things that might make having what you want…. possible. Add everything and anything you can think of even if it seems far out. Here’s your opportunity to dream and open your mind to imagine the best possible options and solutions coming to you. In that way, you shift from constricted and limited thinking into a more expansive viewpoint where there is more room thing to flow into your life.

Tune into your inner wisdom, intuition, and instincts to follow those inner nudges that you become aware of that might be showing you the way to bring solutions and opportunities to have more of what you want and less of what you don’t want.

I have found that taking the first step opens the door to the next. Continuing forward one step at a time will move you closer to your dreams and desires. Remember to invite the Universe to work out the “how” and continue to show up by taking action.

2. Make a list of 100 dreams. Suspend judgments about whether they are possible or how you will achieve them. Notice any judgments or resistance that may come up when you allow yourself the freedom to DREAM without engaging in the resistance. Be outrageous. Add dreams of any size – big or small. Have fun with this.

Let your inner child come out and play in creating your dream list. Notice what you learn about who you are and what you want. Use this as a tool to ignite your passions, and joys that will lead you to the next steps in building your business or fulfilling your life!

Come to your Personal Divine as a child and share your dreams. Tell God what makes these dreams important to you with passion and sincerity. Ask for the fulfillment of your dearest dreams and place them in the hands of your Divine. Be willing to trust that all prayers are heard and responded to instantly in ways that support you in the highest way.

* Be an active participant in the unfolding of your dreams. Tune in and follow your guidance when feeling called to action.

The NCAA March Madness tournament started with 68 teams a few weeks ago. Now four teams remain.

How did these four teams make it this far?

And what can you discover from their success that will insure you positively make your Final Four and win your business tournament?

Here are three ways to positively make your Final Four in business.

Anticipate the Unexpected

Two #15 seeds defeated two #2 seeds in the same day in the first round. It was the first time that ever happened in NCAA March Madness history.

Did anyone’s bracket anticipate that one?

Duke is one of those defeated teams. As Coach K said in a post-game interview, “Basketball is a funny game.”

So is business. On some days at work, every shot you take you score, like those two #15 seeds. Other days, it feels like every shot you take is an air ball, like those two #2 seeded teams. Some days are “Wow!” Other days are “Woe!”

The good news for you is that unlike the tournament, it’s more than “one and done” for your business. You can keep coming back to work for another day.

Anticipate the unexpected. Show up for work the next day.

Avoid the “Business will be better when…” Attitude

UNC’s point guard, Kendall Marshall, broke a bone in his right wrist. Roy Williams said before the Kansas game when his team would play without his star guard, “Regardless, Carolina will play basketball today.”

He could have said something like, “Our team might not win against Kansas without Marshall.” But he didn’t.

Avoid saying, “Business will be better when…

…the economy improves”

…people go back to work”

…we move to a new location”

or something like that.

Like Roy Williams, put your best team on the floor of your business daily. Wishing for something different in your business is counterproductive unless you can and do act to change it.

Avoid the “Business will be better when” attitude. Change what you can today to improve…including your attitude.

Accelerate Your Strengths

Of the Final Four teams, there is only one regional #1 seed remaining. That means that the anticipated strengths of the three other #1 seeds were unrealized.

The uncertainty of today’s economy distracts many business professionals. The temptation is to focus on those diversions and attempt to control the uncontrollables, allowing the other “team”—the negative economy—to dictate your pace and momentum, relegating you to reacting.

Instead, focus on the positives of your business and accelerate your strengths. Push them out front in your core business. Market them heavily. Deliver them tirelessly.

If exceptional customer service is a strength, treat every phone call, email, and personal interaction with loving care. If value pricing is a strength, get out your sharp pencil. If you attract top talent with stellar employee relationships, keep finding ways to improve their satisfaction.

The ultimate court of competition is your home court. It’s within you and your business.

Anticipate the unexpected. Avoid the “business will be better when” attitude. Accelerate your strengths.

Make your Final Four and positively win the March Madness championship of your business.

About the Author:

Best-selling author, speaker, and coach Dr. Joey Faucette shares how all of us working together create a more positive world this week. Adapted from his #1 Amazon best-seller, Work Positive in a Negative World.

The deck was stacked against me that morning…

I moved my daughter over the weekend which involved driving a truck and trailer for 17 hours, moving more stuff than I care to remember, and wrestling a bear of a refrigerator to the point of physical exhaustion and sleep deprivation…

My alarm clock went off an hour early because I forgot to reset it…and so did my coffeemaker…

I skinned my right thumb while moving furniture. It decided to bleed on my favorite white dress shirt as I put it on that morning…

I couldn’t find a band-aid in the medicine cabinet and was forced to wake up my wife to find me one so I wouldn’t stain another white dress shirt…next time, I’ll take my chances with the shirt.

My keys weren’t where I thought I left them which meant I hunted all over the bedroom, re-waking my wife, until I realized they were in my winter coat which I wore the previous night when unhooking the trailer…

I took a case of my best-selling Work Positive in a Negative World book to put in the back of the Suburban and when shutting the lift gate, slammed it into my head. Miraculously the gate was undamaged…

…and as I left the garage, it started snowing and I had a 4-hour, round trip drive.

All of this happened in one hour on one morning as I prepared to travel to speak to a group of insurance and financial services associates. Their state director was to be present which would hopefully mean a great deal of referral business…it was a big morning.

You can imagine that after all of these “challenges” what I really wanted to do was to take off the white shirt, and just get back in bed and sleep it off.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I just kept going.

Sure, I was frustrated…make that, angry, as I left.

Sure, I was more tired…make that, exhausted, as I started the vehicle.

Sure, I was doubting myself…make that, insecure, as I wandered if I’d make any sense at all in the presentation.

But I just kept going.

I drove down some snowy roads, my head hurting, exhausted, praying I’d make it safely.

I put a smile on my face, and presented for an hour like my life depended on it.

When it was all said and done, I received a standing ovation from the participants.

The meeting planner said, “Awesome.”

The state director joined in the standing ovation, clapping enthusiastically and the meeting planner said she’d sell him for me.

Even when it seems like the deck is stacked against you…

…just keep going.

It’s the one thing you must do if you will ever succeed against a stacked deck.

I enjoyed some quiet time early one morning before the demands of my day started. All of a sudden, a bird began squawking just outside the window. At first I ignored it, but it loudly persisted so I got up.

As I stepped out on the porch, I saw the bird squawking at Maybelle, our cat, who sat on the porch, staring off across the horse pasture. The bird bothered me, but not Maybelle.

She sauntered over, giving me permission to pet her while the bird still screamed at us. But Maybelle didn’t mind. She knew the bird was there, but chose to ignore it and enjoy my petting.

Is there always someone squawking at you about your business?

An employee complaining about your “cheap coffee”?

A vendor who’s more concerned about his sales than your profits?

A customer who’s convinced you overcharged her a nickel?

How do you deal with all the squawkers like Maybelle and Work Positive?

Ignore Them

Like Maybelle, you have a choice to whom you give your time, energy, and attention: the squawkers or someone more pleasant.

The path of least resistance is to abdicate your choice to the negative world and allow the loudest or most persistent squawker to garner your precious resources. Maybelle chose to ignore the pain-in-the-rear bird.

How often do you make a conscious choice in your workday to be like Maybelle and ignore the squawkers? She knew the bird was there, just like you know your chronically complaining employee is present, your vendor’s agenda, and your customer’s penchant for penny-pinching. You accept the reality of working with them, but strategically divert your most precious resources—time, energy, and attention—away from them.

Your internal conversation goes something like this: “I hear you, but I choose to ignore you.”

Eliminate Them

Sometimes ignoring them fails to moderate the squawking. They ramp up the volume and start dive-bombing you in a concerted effort to siphon your precious resources.

That’s when you move to eliminate them.

Maybelle was a well-fed cat, and on this particular occasion, chose not to eat the bird. However, I remember many other times when I discovered bird feathers around her mouth.

When the level of difficulty in ignoring the squawkers moves to DefCon 1 for you, then your internal conversation becomes, “It costs too much to do business with you.”

You fire the employee and hire another.

You fire the vendor and talk with the next in line.

You fire the customer and attract another, more preferable one.

You ignore, and when necessary eliminate, the squawkers at work, so you may…

Enjoy Them

Maybelle relaxed on the porch, gazing across the beautiful pastures to welcome a new day. She chose to give her time, energy, and attention to the positive morning and enjoy.

Next, she seized the opportunity of my walking out on the porch to enjoy some petting. She embraced the chance to purr.

As you ignore and when necessary eliminate the squawkers, you free up your time, energy, and attention to give to more pleasurable Work Positive pursuits. Your internal conversation transforms to, “I choose you to enjoy.”

You get feedback on how to improve from your best employee.

You strategize with your vendor to create better price points for products.

You handwrite a personal note to your best customers to express your gratitude for their sending their friends to you.

You purr as you Work Positive.

Who will win your time, energy, and attention at work today?

Be like Maybelle.

Ignore, eliminate, and enjoy as you Work Positive in a negative world.

About the Author:

Best-selling author, speaker, and coach Dr. Joey Faucette shares how all of us working together create a more positive world this week. Adapted from his #1 Amazon best-seller, Work Positive in a Negative World.

I waged war on the bird-seed-stealing squirrels one winter. I borrowed an air rifle and looked for the squirrels as I walked by our bay window. I even put our younger daughter on alert—“Honey, let me know if you see a squirrel on our bird feeder.”

That is, until one day she said, “Daddy, we used to look out the window for pretty birds. Now we look for ugly squirrels.”

It’s easy to stop looking for the beautiful qualities in your business these days, to cease listening for the lovely songs of the cash register cha-ching or the relieved look on a customer’s face when you solve a problem; to miss the brilliant colors of the relationships you enjoy with employees and clients alike.

Here are three ways to look for the beautiful at work and feed your business positively.

Abstain from negative conversations

Choose your conversations carefully whether on the phone or in the hallway. Listen actively. Redirect quickly when the conversation spirals downward into negativity without a suggestion of course correction. Attempt to reframe—“Yes, and yet…”—if the redirect is ineffective. Remove yourself with “I must go” if the redirect or reframe fails.

Words impact our perception of reality. Think about how you feel after hanging up or what you’re thinking as you walk away from conversations. Positive exchanges lift dark clouds and energize you. Negative words do the opposite.

Deal with conversations quickly. Ask yourself, “Where is this going? Do I want to participate?” and choose accordingly.

Allow for interruptions

You’re goal-focused with a prioritized list for the day’s activity. That’s great—focus on the positive and do those things that increase your profitability most effectively.

Also, allow for interruptions which happen regardless. A customer appears suddenly with a situation you can resolve. A client calls in with an opportunity for more work.

It’s easy when these detours appear on the day’s path to get frustrated, and sideways in your mental model. Such a reaction prevents you from feeding your business positively.

Instead, anticipate interruptions. Deal with them positively, quickly, and effectively. If resolution is achieved in a matter of minutes, do it. If not, promise to get back with the person and get your Work Positive dream team on it.

Then return to your schedule with a renewed interest sustained by your expectation of interruptions.

Access news/information positively

When you watch TV and listen to radio news, you abdicate your editorial license to someone with a negative agenda. Your filters are down and you simply absorb. These are “push” media that will shove their spin into your mind…as you let them.

Instead choose “pull” media like Internet news site where you are the queen/king of content. Proactively choose what to read or watch and allow into the theater of your mind. You may stop reading or follow links for more. Your plethora of sources is virtually infinite. Diversify the viewpoints. Filter out the negative for the sake of negative. Focus on information you can use to your business advantage positively.

Sure, you’ll feed some ugly squirrels in doing business today.

Choose to focus on the beautiful birds with these three ways to feed your business positively.

About the Author:

Best-selling author, speaker, and coach Dr. Joey Faucette shares how all of us working together create a more positive world this week. Adapted from his #1 Amazon best-seller, Work Positive in a Negative World.