When Should Leaders Be Positive? Timing is Everything.

A leader’s positivity at the start of a year or project can have an out-sized impact on team performance ...

It’s no secret that a leader’s positive or negative communication can have a deep impact on how a team performs. Now researchers have studied what effect the timing of positivity might have.

As a study published in Organizational Science showed, timing is everything.  “When leaders expressed a lot of early-term positivity, their employees performed better throughout the year, compared with all other timing (for example expressing more positivity at the mid-point, or end of year, or leaders who were primarily negative at the start).”

Here is the evidence-based advice:

• Take advantage of early opportunities to be positive. Be enthusiastic about your prospects and ensure that everyone knows why you are glad to be working with them. 
• The best time for negative feedback might be at the midpoint. The study also revealed that some mid-term correction might inspire your team to go the extra mile…as long as you clarify the steps. Keep in mind that any negative feedback must be fair and substantiated,
• Some caveats: The findings speak strongly to the timing effects of leaders’ emotional expressions during long-term projects, but less strongly to the timing effects during a meeting or shorter project. Despite this, other research powerfully argues that timing matters when it comes to similar leadership competencies, like expressing gratitude.

Do you recall a leader or coach you worked with whose early positivity inspired you? To join the conversation, click on "comments" below.

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