I started a company called B POSITIVE INC. which had a LOT to do with this phenomenon. Negativity is a disease that infects easily and sticks around until you do something about it. As a business owner, you have to pull back on the reins of moaning and complaining on your employees, even if you are the only employee. Freelancers whine. Business Owners lead. Bono put it like this in a recent tweet (@paul_hewson):
Why blame others for the problem you see? Stop, get up, and fix it. Take accountability. Lead. Please, you are needed!
It's hard to put it better than that. What good does it do to whine? Does it make you feel better? That's what I hear the most. I'm going to fix it, but I just had to bitch about it a little bit before to make me feel better. Ask yourself, did it work?
I'm going to leave you some wiggle room on this one. There is something to be said for venting. I would even venture to say it's a good practice, but there is a difference between venting frustration, and whining. If you need to vent, do so to someone you can trust, who either understands the situation, or even better is completely not connected to the situation (spouse, best friend, etc.). I often write an email addressed to no one, get it out on "paper" then trash it. But know that when you are done with that venting, you are done. It's over. There's nothing to do but move forward. Continuing your complaining is a sorry excuse for procrastination and sad cry of self-importance.
Want to be respected? Want people to think highly of you? Want people to look up to you as a business leader? Then stop complaining, put your nose down and move forward.
And remember this key to success in business politics: Praise goes down the ladder, Criticism goes up. Superiors hear the criticisms or complaints, subordinates ONLY hear praise. A surefire way to keep gossip out of your small business.
