Earlier in my career, I worked for a company with a bias for positivity in the workplace. In other words, negative thinking, uncomfortable conversations, and complaints were discouraged.

We rarely talked about problems that made people uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this positivity bias drove many of the problems underground.

It’s hard to fix problems when they’re underground.

I started to run into problems because I didn’t think we should avoid those difficult conversations. I thought it was important to talk about difficult things openly.

While I’m all for a generally positive culture, it is possible to swing the pendulum too far.

Start by acknowledging the problems for what they are. Then, engage in an open and honest discussion about the problem, including what you might try to resolve the issue.

Be nice or be respectful. It’s your choice, but it can dramatically change your culture and outcomes.

You’ve got this.