Years ago I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Art Williams at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. I had been invited to hear him speak with a friend of mine. I can truthfully say that it was the greatest speech I ever personally witnessed. Art possessed a special gift of delivering a message that would inspire you in a meaningful way. He was a bundle of energy and passion, and you felt like he was talking directly to you.

Impact Moment

I took so much from his presentation that night, just as I am sure the other 2,000+ people in attendance did. One of the points that has stuck with me for over two decades was this profound thought:

"In a great organization, you must build a culture where you pass positives down and negatives up."

No one has the right to share any negative thought with someone at their level or below.

Your leader gets paid to listen to your concerns, so that's where you take that conversation.

You don't have the right to ruin someone's day with a negative thought, a complaint, or criticism of the company or other team members.

Winning teams follow this rule and it must be policy.

Influence

This type of philosophy has wisdom at its core and will influence your culture in a positive and meaningful way. Every organization should adopt this policy because it creates a sustainable culture of positivity. By adopting this practice, you create a systematic means of reporting that will bond teams to their leader. If a team member shares a concern with his or her leader, it is the leader's responsibility to address the issue. In the event the individual cannot find or provide a solution, it is his or her responsibility to ask the leader for input and guidance.

Steadfast

When you implement this new philosophy into your organizational culture, you must be steadfast in the application of the standard. Every person must be held in strict accordance with the policy. Accountability must be instantaneous, tough, and fair in its application.

Would you be interested in some fresh motivational and inspirational content to share with your team?

As an organization, we will pass negatives up and positives down every day, every time, without fail, NO EXCEPTIONS!

Make a difference today.

Paul Cummings

Find out about Paul Cummings University demos here.

About the author: For over 30 years, Paul Cummings has taught dynamic life changing strategies on sales, customer service, communication, building a better business, and leadership. Millions have had the opportunity to learn what it means to live and work at Level 10.