|| For Freelancers & Entrepreneurs |
Discontent occurs naturally wherever people converge. In sports stadiums, in classrooms, in shopping malls, and even in churches. With the intense dynamics of a workplace, it is not surprising that management, staff, and just about anybody at work will complain from time to time. Regardless of whether their complaints have solidly reasonable basis, it is in people's nature to observe and to give feedbacks based on our observations.
That said, it is not a bad thing to complain. Complaints can range from minor discomfort to outright rage and letting our emotions get the best of us will cause very unfortunate circumstances. Sometimes, being uncomfortable or inconvenient and doing something positive about it drives the process we now call as "innovation". After all, if every one is complacent or content, nothing new will come about.
However, not all complaints are of the positive kind and there are people who whine all the time. These people sap other people's energies, create discomfort, disrupt productivity, and can ironically make the place worthy of being whined about if left to their own devices. Instead of being productive and positive, these people waste their time poisoning other people's minds. These are the people that need to be controlled intelligently.
To do that, managers and colleagues should establish an official system for filing complaints so that legitimate ones are addressed as promptly, professionally and effectively as possible. Listen to all complaints even those raised by whiners and create solutions for valid ones. Encourage whiners to create the solutions themselves to instill a habit of acting positively when a negative situation arises. In addition, make everyone busy at his or her work or doing something good for the company. Whiners need idle ears and if everyone is busy working on a particularly rewarding goal, whiners won't have anyone to talk to and spread their negativity.
