Author: Lizette Volkwyn
Think about a baby’s laughter. It is one of the most contagious sounds when heard; you are bound to start smiling and eventually, break out in laughter, too. So, How to influence the workplace by bringing the right energy? Imagine if you could be like the baby’s laughter in your place of work. The one […]
Think about a baby’s laughter. It is one of the most contagious sounds when heard; you are bound to start smiling and eventually, break out in laughter, too. So, How to influence the workplace by bringing the right energy?
Imagine if you could be like the baby’s laughter in your place of work. The one everyone wants to be around. The one that management depends on to soften the blows of reality, hard times, and pressure.
Tips to influence the (negative) workplace into a positive one
A few years back I walked into a new company and from the first interaction, I experienced a sense of gloom – from the receptionist, the PA, to the sales team. All I could think of was “I got my job cut out for me today!”
It turned out that a section 189 was called, and everyone feared being retrenched and no one felt like being cheerful or could not care less how it affected the workplace.
The feeling of ‘doom and gloom’ and a lot of anxiety is what a lot of us are experiencing today. How can you, as an individual, change this and flip the switch to inspire your other colleagues of the good in every day?
It all starts with your mindset.
Here’s a quick exercise: Think of one of the funniest moments in your life. Feel the fun, the positive energy, the ‘I am in control’ moment. Are you feeling it?
Think of another great moment. Breathe in the confidence, smell the success, feel the good vibe, hear the cheers…can you feel it? Your mood just changed, didn’t it?
Good, now take it one step further and put that feeling deep in your heart, bottle that magic, hold on to it and make sure you can access it whenever you need it.
You may probably say that it is not the same. Here’s the TRUTH: that is exactly what happens when we bring energy into the workplace.
People project what they perceive.
As an NLP Practitioner, we have a saying: ‘Perception is projection. This means that when you think something bad is going to happen, you already project and perceive a bad outcome before it even happened.
You always have a choice to decide how to feel, and this brings me to the following tips on how to influence energy in the workplace.
1. Ground your emotions to a positive outcome
No matter the projected outcome, park your emotion and find a positive solution – no matter what. One of my clients had a situation where their division was closing down; everyone was devastated. Through my coaching efforts, my client made a mind shift change and made a conscious decision to not let it affect him and immediately started looking for lessons learned and a new opportunity.
By having a plan B and plan C, made him feel in control and could bring his energy of hope and solutions to the rest of the team. Before we knew it, everyone found an alternative position within the company and they stood tall as the most adaptable team and individuals within the company.
2. Showcase your magic
Not everyone can be confident-bubbly-personalities, however when you deliver your work with vigor, excitement, and a mentality of “watch the magic evolve”, people have no other choice but to react and become more positive and energetic.
3. Don’t adapt, change
It is so easy to walk into your office, shrug the off vibe and choose to detach yourself to your desk, but how does that serve your productivity, mood, and energy? Or in a remote working world, where you don’t engage with any of your colleagues in the weekly meetings.
Exactly within minutes, you will find yourself miserable and everything around will be going pear shape.
You have the power within to change the vibe. Remember the magic bottle of happiness you have put in your heart? Go and get it and sprinkle it all over the place.
4. Ignore negativity – influence the energy
I am not saying ignore your friend in need, and show no compassion. Do not allow the negative energy to rub off on you. You have to make the mindful decision to stand tall, and influence the energy by starting off by greeting everyone with a smile. That’s right: everyone within the negative group. People need to feel support, love, and happiness. Feeling loved, makes you question any negative vibes and helps you think more solution-orientated and goal-focussed.
5. Walk with confidence, embrace who you are, stay true to YOU
Lastly, confidence is an inside job and the only way you find confidence within is to embrace who you are.
Do you have a colleague that just walks the talk and seems as if he/she is a smooth operator? They embrace who they are, no matter the energy. They stay true to who they are.
Thus, even if the world collapse under the negativity of the pandemic, don’t let the pandemic become you. Stay true to what you are capable of, embrace yourself, and walk with confidence.
Life is hard enough, and you cannot let life become you.
Today is a good day to choose the right mindset to influence the world, your colleagues, and your friends. Become the energy you and I need to be the very best we can be.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Some companies perceive the concept of creating a “Personal Branding at work” to be self-serving for the employee. But the reality is there is no downside to having team members with heightened self-awareness and a willingness to improve themselves. Basically, that is the foundation for developing a respected Personal Brand at work; to get clarity […]
This post has taken me almost 8 weeks to think about posting, client is always the client. I have started to write and then, delete — delete — delete. Leave it for a few days and try again, but still my anger and emotions take over as I have tried to construct a well thought-out […]
going through the Pondoland at 04h00 I listened to the voice note from Chris, a friend of mine who had invited me to join him on a MTB ride from Mboyti to Port Edward. Having hiked and run this section a few times before I was keen to experience it by bike, a sport I […]
Other than a brief period when I was in the Middle East, for the past 13 years I have not had an office out of which I worked. I have however, been part of teams that have worked closely together every day and Living in an online world: Virtual Collaboration and Virtual Teams One year […]
When you think of Kauai, you think of delicious island-style food and freshly-pressed juice combinations – all the taste without anything that sticks to your hips or taxes your health and Your best life!. Well, now you can take some of it home! Put together these delectable dishes in your own kitchen with Your Best […]
LONG LIVE THE COMFORT ZONE. It’s been getting a bad rap for years! Popular activities for team-building include exercises to help teams think outside the box, workshops that force us outside our comfort zones, seminars are designed to inspire attendees to embrace discomfort in the name of personal growth … the list goes on. As […]
A common problem new pilots struggle with is avoiding a PIO or pilot-induced oscillation. So how do we Stop the Cycle as We’re all familiar with the concept of overcorrecting in a car. A deer runs out, you’re driving tired, you’re near the edge of the road, and you yank the wheel the other direction […]
Zigazoo is the new “TikTok” for kids. In a nutshell, it’s an education/entertainment app, which engages students in meaningful learning and problem-solving activities whilst entertaining them. It doesn’t seem so harmful, does it? But, is it safe for kids? The terms of service (but not the app description) clearly state that Zigazoo is meant to […]
No results available
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME