One cynic on a team can activate negativism in all of the other members. And you should not allow that. If you want to weaken the influence of cynics on your teams, start by knowing that these people like rumors and half-truths the most. Therefore share as much as you can with your team and do it as soon as it is possible. Be prepared to answer all questions, as then they will have less of a tendency to be influenced by cynics. Stick to the principle of preferring to keep the team busy with interesting challenges so that there’s no time for cynical talk.
Be especially careful at meetings to not give the cynics too much room. Favor those team members who can really contribute interesting opinions and solutions. For the next meeting, prepare good answers to the cynics’ typical remarks and publicly show them that they are wrong. When introducing anything new, proceed in a way so that you can demonstrate right from the start that the proposed approach works.
As the team’s manager, personally speak to the cynics and explain to them the impact that their behavior has on the other team members and on your team’s success. Maybe they are not even aware of the impact that they have. A direct conversation can do wonders. Make it publicly clear that you appreciate a positive attitude to one’s job and that you are able to reward it. Be a role model with your own optimism.
-kk-