Are you the teammate other members often complain about?
Developing better work habits could be your only way out
It’s a popular saying (not quite sure who first said it) that we should not endeavor to change the world, but rather ourselves first. And even though most times we fail to notice, we often complain a lot more than we should. You don’t like your job, or a specific task you were recently given, or your pay, or how much time it takes away from you, and this, and that, such an unending list.
Complaining can feel good sometimes.
But that doesn’t mean it will solve the problem. And no, you are not responsible for being superman and going around, correcting every wrong in the world, or your workplace. Most times, these complaints stem from what we feel that other people are doing to us that we don’t like.
But have you ever asked yourself if you often exhibit characters or behaviors at work that make others complain?
If you’re complaining about your job, I hope you are still putting in your best despite the specific things annoying you. I decided that today, we need to take a quick look at some habits or behaviors we can all adopt in the work place or even working with any team that will help us become better co-workers or team members. Because, before we demand anything from someone else, we should be able to give it out ourselves.
1. Compliment before criticizing
If you’re like me, or most semi-perfectionists out there, you always prefer it when you get the job done by yourself, because you easily find fault in the works of other people. And yes, a job done by someone else will always seem like it missing something, simply because you’re not the one who did it. While it is important to point out the shortcomings of other peoples’ work in a constructive manner for their improvement, note that having to do this constantly can build up some strife over time.
So follow this simple rule: Don’t criticize a coworker or subordinate’s work without complementing them first. And there is no need to lie. Just see it this way. The social media manager of your businesses submits the proposed content calendar for the month of April and you don’t like how monotonous the posts seem. But you notice that even with the repetition, they put in a lot of effort to research the topics involved, though they may not be as interesting as you expect.
Compliment their research effort first. Linger on that a little longer than you normally would, before going ahead to point out what you don’t like about it. It shows that you’re not just out to criticize them, but that you really appreciate the effort and genuinely want them to improve.
2. Communicate possible delays beforehand
So we always like to complain about that member of the team who turns in their tasks late. It’s honestly very annoying and could cause a delay in our own jobs if we need their output to move forward. But being honest, we are all very likely to be that member once in a while, no matter how hard you try. Instead of trying to avoid being the late member all the time, focus on how you can handle the situation when it arises. If something happens and you can’t meet up with a deadline, just tell whoever you need to and apologize. Then focus all your energy on avoiding lateness when the deadline is a non-negotiable.
3. Spit out those please and thank yous
In a work-conditioned environment, it is very easy to develop an entitlement mindset where of course we expect people to do their jobs because they are paid for it, and thus they shouldn’t expect any extra accolades. But, it is important to use these two words “please” and “thank you” with your colleagues as you would with your friends. This boosts work morale undoubtedly because it shows that you appreciate the effort they put in, and would make them more likely to do more.
4. Stop complaining
Laying complaints too often is seen as a sign of unproductiveness. It means you’re so fond of spotting all the problems but not putting in the effort to solve them. Think about that one colleague or teammate who never has anything positive to say. Not really nice to be around, right? Well, that’s the exact person you’d be turning into if you complain often. Instead, learn to channel those complaints through constructive means and where possible, suggest ways of improvement.
This will also avoid the negative energy that builds up whenever we complain often. And in the end, its such a soothing feeling to know that we don’t exhibit any of the behaviours of other teammates that ticks us off. And hopefully, they could also learn from us and become better teammates/coworkers as well.
So, what habit are you adopting/dropping first? I’d love to know.
Thank you for reading this article!
