The battle within

Within each human resides the two opposing energies; positive and negative. It entirely depends on how each individual trains oneself in seeking a dominant role for either of them, in their personalities and interactions. It is very uncommon to find people who necessarily would be training themselves to be mean to others. Negative tendencies usually are latent and lie in the frigid zone. It is only by provocation and exigencies of circumstances that it starts to melt and find its way in the personality of an individual. The release of negative energy is caused by situations, mostly. Those who are possessed of negativity as an inborn trait are an unfortunate lot. They need sympathy.

During current times, when negative news and energy seems to have gripped the nation and its hapless populace, it is no wonder to find in our midst an army of the disgruntled colleagues, who wantonly put on display their agitated minds, while discharging their respective responsibilities. The inner violence raging between the mind and the heart, exudes negative responses and consequently the entire environment resembles the scenario of a doomsday. A single bad day or event at the office mustn’t be allowed to shadow and cloud prospect of a better tomorrow or next day.

The worst side of a human is seen on the shop floor when negative sentiments are corked up within for too long a period; because when it does burst, the volcanic eruption of negative tendencies is difficult to handle. The job of a manager is to provide opportunities for colleagues to vent their views, as critical as they may be, say in a town hall meeting, so that there is no build up of the weapon of mass destruction, largely to self, of the negative feelings. A gradual and regular release of negative energy actually can be a positive act, for it may help reduce anxieties and toxicities.

The extremity of negative feelings resonate in the attainment and claim to victim hood. For all the miseries in life, one tends to blame all around, except own self ; while in reality the issue and cause of negativity could very well be residing, within those who entitle themselves to being victims of circumstances.

Negative emotions are a consequence of competition, comparisons, criticism or could be a result of the general environment of hopelessness and despondency. These emotions then find expression in actions. The arson of the mind reflects itself by the inferno of ruthlessness of behaviour. Fear of the unknown too, induces negative sentiments. The “If’s and But’s” that go towards ransacking our inner peace, is an aspect that would need critical attention. Fear is in the mind. Once the factors of fear are evaluated and dissected, there is every likelihood, that the negativity surrounding the thought process may actually dissipate and evaporate.

Negative personality traits include being critical at the drop of the hat. I had a colleague in Hongkong, who would invariably start to present his views on any matter under the Sun, with the following opening words,”... That I know, but ...”. He, Ravi Chopra, left no room or space for himself to accept any other point of view, than his own. Such are extremely judgmental in their approach to issues. Amongst the other visible negative traits that are present in an office, include, lack of empathy and care. Aggression and short temperedness, alongside elements of arrogance, release negative energies into relationships. We also find amongst those with a heightened degree of negativity within them, tendencies to be pessimistic; and in extreme cases of being filled with anxiety and depression.

Envy is the enemy. The ultimate of negative tendency is to derive pleasure from the pain of others. The otherwise noble human mind when beset with negativism seeks glee and pleasure at the insult of other humans. We are witnessing that as a nation, these days. One man’s misery is the opportunity to others, in any corporate setting, or otherwise too, in other segments of life. Those who build their careers by standing upon the skeletons of others soon find that such progress lacks the basic quality of sustainability. No new Taj Mahal can built upon the old Taj Mahal. Human effort to dehumanise human response will always remain in ruins.

In literature, eminent writers and authors have been very unkind and negative towards each other’s works. They made cutting remarks, harbouring on negativity, with acetic laden words. Groucho Marx wrote to an author, “From the moment I picked up your book, until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it”. Mark Twain in criticism says, “Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?”. With words they played upon to bring out negativity, and, said, Ottis Ferguson, “He has impeccable bad taste”.

If good and positive behaviour can possess the potential to be a pandemic, similarly negativity is loaded with potential to be highly contagious. It’s spread can be stopped by creating circumstances that help discern the power of positive traits. Negativity prevents creativity; it shoots at others, and wounds itself. If negative sentiments is a pandemic fever, then all humans suffer from it. The individuals ability to develop internalised vaccine to curb its fatally growing tendencies, akin to Jack’s Beanstalk, is a call to make.

Negative energy ushers aggressiveness. Negative attitude begets negative behaviour. Our everyday responses indicate the state of our mind. The tendency to look at the dark side of things, obviously would influence the reaction to any given situation. Negative responses are so common a thing today that most of us accept it as a way of life. Most tend to temper their behaviour of aggressiveness and brazenness with sarcasm or a taunt, dipped in negativity. I recall overhearing a Supervisor remark to his direct Report, “ Don’t you know which side of your toast is buttered and by whom?”. Indeed such demeaning remarks cannot inspire any positivity of thought or action by the recipient. Unarmed with any positional authority, such individuals slide into a state of anxiety and depression, that ultimately impairs the quality of their productivity.

Just as positive attitude is a personality trait, so is the presence of negativity. To deal with an uprising of negative feelings within us, the best thing to do is to detach oneself from the situation. In isolation, most of us can purge feelings of bias, prejudice, anxiety, etc and hence are able to develop a better understanding and the perspective of the matter at hand. Once freed from the clutches of competition, criticism, comparison, fear, the response can be guided with a still and peaceful mind.

We bring in negativity into our lives by way of comparison and competition. This leads to acrimony and animosity. There is a Jewish Rabbinic saying, “Don’t count the teeth in someone else’s mouth”. But that is exactly most of us do, concerned with things that do not concern us, culminating in the development of a reservoir of despair, complaints and toxicities.

In Mathematics two negatives cancel out each other, but in human engagement, two negatives create a pool of the disgruntled, despaired and the distrusting.

To counter negative tendencies, the leader/manager must assert his/her presence through appropriate use of positive qualities, like, caring, being gentle and kind; honest and reliable; appreciative and perceptive; patient and thoughtful; and above all convey by action, the trust placed in team members skills, aptitudes, abilities and nature.

The writer is a senior banker and a freelance columnist