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OVERCOMING
NEGATIVITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Question: "I work in an inner city Emergency Room. We have a newly appointed charge nurse. Many of us are picking up on incompetent behavior, favoritism, and a general lack of professionalism... also, this woman's negative energy permeates the whole environment. She is dangerous and incompetent as a boss, and never should have been appointed as such. How do we deal with that? How do we protect ourselves?"

Psychic Advice:
Negativity in the workplace is always stressful in any job, but in a hospital, it can be dangerous or even deadly. Being a nurse these days is very challenging, especially in an emergency room. Hospital nurses are the unsung heroes of our healthcare system: they are often overworked, overtired, and all too often unrecognized and inadequately rewarded while doctors get all the glory. Having an incompetent charge nurse is like being a soldier at the mercy of an inept commander, because people's lives and welfare are at stake.

The first thing we must do is to explore the causes of workplace negativity. Any effective work environment must ideally function in co-operation rather than in competition, and it is the job of a good boss to lead a team to achieve goals that benefit everyone. If a boss is not an effective team leader, then dissension, resentment, gossip and inefficiency can develop.

Your superior is exhibiting all the signs of feeling inferior and inadequate. Unfortunately, many people get promoted beyond their skill level and comfort zone, and will behave in a controlling and abusive manner in order to compensate for their feelings of inferiority. They will tend to become tyrants to try to prove that they are up for the task of leadership, and to distract others from noticing their lack of competence or qualification for their title. Such people accept positions of power for the raise in pay and for the sense of prestige that it gives their ego, but inside they feel insecure and afraid of being discovered as a fraud.

Your boss is playing favorites to try to surround herself with allies with whom she can feel safe and who will cover for her and make her look good. She feels lost and alone, because it can get lonely at the top. Try to find ways to make her feel welcome and valued. This may be challenging, but make it work for her so it can work for you. After all, you spend a lot of time at work, so you need the environment to be as pleasant as possible without added stress.

Take this as an opportunity to create true camaraderie and teamwork among your co-workers. Don't go behind your superior's back, but make sure you have each other's backs and work as a team. Resist the temptation to gossip about your boss or gang up against her, because she will sense this and it will only make things worse. Your collective anger and fear will only contribute to the negativity in the workplace and will not resolve anything.

Treat her the way you want to be treated. Try greeting her in a friendly and professional way each day, asking her if she needs anything and how you can help her. Try to work with her in ways that will benefit everyone, and encourage her to communicate her needs and desires with you so you can support her in being effective in her job. The best employees are those who make their boss look good, and she will appreciate this - ultimately, it is you, your co-workers and your patients who will benefit.

Use visualization to imagine her being the kind of boss you wish her to be - see her feeling truly confident and competent, and working in a respectful, calm and efficient manner. At this time, she is afraid of being responsible in case she makes the wrong decision, so she is quick to assign blame. Her present behavior is coming from inauthentic power and fear, so encourage her to feel secure and effective in her position by giving her positive feedback and support (and imagine her doing the same for you and your co-workers).

There are many ways to overcome negativity in the workplace. You can brighten the environment by bringing in flowers at the beginning of each week. You can also bring in healthy snacks for everyone to share, and invite your boss to take part. Each of your co-workers could take turns doing this on a weekly basis, but if they are not willing to contribute, it is a small thing you yourself can do that can make a world of difference in raising morale.

The most important thing is to visualize light everywhere throughout your workplace. Imagine that each doorway is a shower of light that cleanses negativity from each person who walks through it, especially the main entrance and exits of the building. Hospitals can be full of negative energy, which is not conducive to proper care or to healing, so envision all of the hallways and rooms filled with light, and sweep the entire place with light frequently, particularly when you arrive and when you leave.

It is important to leave your work behind when you leave, so scrub your hands in cold water up to the elbows to let go of other people's energy. As you exit the building for breaks or when you go home, cleanse yourself in a shower of light in the doorway, and pause for a moment to take a few deep breaths of fresh air and let go of the day's events as you breath out and release it from your body.

Protect yourself from negativity by visualizing yourself, your boss, your co-workers, and your patients each surrounded by a bubble of white light that protects personal space, and gives a sense of power, confidence, boundaries, and wellbeing. Above all, remember to be caring and compassionate with yourself, your co-workers, your patients, and even with your boss.

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