’m Positive That

How do you fight negativity among coworkers – and why is that negativity so contagious?

Negativity can show up in all corners of any workplace. It can be directed to officers from firefighters, to firefighters from officers, or between firefighters… and between officers.

Maybe you feel you don’t get enough recognition for your efforts. Maybe you're frustrated that your co-worker isn’t pulling his or her weight at the station. Or you're flabbergasted that you didn’t get that promotion despite being next in line.

At best, these kinds of thoughts are a distraction from the purpose and mission of the firehouse, but at worst they can grow, spread and create a toxic work environment that has serious implications for everyone’s health and safety.

Robert Sutton, PhD, offers valuable insight on the topic of workplace negativity in his book titled “The No Asshole Rule – Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't” which should be required reading for anyone setting foot in a firehouse. In it, Sutton equates negativity with being an asshole –and many would agree that’s a reasonable claim.

The first question is: What exactly do we mean by “negativity”, and how do we know it when we see it?

In assessing the negativity Sutton provides two tests. First, he says you can tell if someone is an asshole if after talking to them, you feel "oppressed, humiliated, de-energized, or belittled”. In essence, if you feel generally worse about yourself after an interaction, you might be dealing with an asshole.

The second test involves how people treat others. If someone treats less powerful people poorly, they might be an asshole. Sutton is careful, however, to distinguish between people who might be having a bad day and those "certified assholes" whose poor behavior is consistent over time.

And what exactly is “poor behavior”? Again, Sutton provides a useful answer in what he calls the Dirty Dozen, a list of behaviors he considers common to assholes and which contribute to a negative, toxic workplace environment.