People are going to panic sometimes. Things are going to get occasionally messy. It may be because of layoffs, a change in leadership, your company being acquired, or something as seemingly mundane as a mishandled seating change. It’s times like this that a person’s core comes out. It’s easy to get swept up in the wave of passion, but as an aspiring leader, you have to stick your head above it all. I like the saying: “patience is at the first strike.” Meaning, when something spectacular happens, it’s those first few moments, hours, or sometimes days, that really show what type of individual you are.

3 Ways Having a Positive Attitude Will Get You Noticed

As usual, I write this because of real life situations I’ve had to deal with throughout my career. Sometimes it’s difficult to be positive, but as tough as the circumstances might be, in the end, the effort you put in will net you a lot of gains. I’ve boiled down what I believe are the top three ways having a positive approach will help you in your career.

1) You’ll become an influencer

It’s well established that positive people have greater influence towards changing an organization for the better. When was the last time you saw someone who was purely negative accomplish something positive? The next time you see a problem, instead of approaching it negatively, come with a positive outlook to enact the change needed. That simple switch of your mindset will turn you into an influencer that people want to turn to.

Why is it good to be an influencer? Because all of your great ideas and initiatives will get more notice. You can’t move the needle if don’t have influence. I’m sure you’ve seen colleagues quit in frustration over stagnation at your company. These people didn’t have the influence to enact the changes they wanted. You don’t have to follow their lead and fail in what you’re passionate about, but without a positive demeanor, it’ll be difficult not to.

2) You’ll attract others to you

Another proven fact is that we are more attracted to people who are happy. Have you ever met someone who you instantly connected with because of their positivity? Leaders want people around them that lift the spirits of others. That’s why this point is important. If you really want to make change, you have to be able to attract the people who make the decisions.

An important point I want to make is that you can be critical without being negative. It’s the people who are critical and questioning, but at the same time positive, that have leadership’s ear. This is where you want to get your self. It’s a big step to begin building your work network and effect the change you want to see.

3) You’ll be a role model (even if no one else is)

We all emulate the people around us. We especially emulate the leadership style of our bosses. If your boss is negative, chances are you’ll slowly gain some of those attributes. It’s easy to use the excuse of leadership being bad to justify why you’re also not trying, but that’s a cop-out.

If you think your company has serious problems in leadership, being a positive role model for others is critical. If you care about the people who report to, or work with, you, then you owe it to them to be different from the toxic environment they’re suffering in. Even if you’re layers below the people who call the shots, the standards you set for yourself will positively affect the people nearest to you. To use a cheesy metaphor, in times of darkness, everyone wants to follow the light that shines the brightest.

Being a role model sets you apart from others in a positive way. Whenever I think of whether someone should be given more responsibility, I consider how much they help those more junior to them. It’s a sign of maturity and expertise when you can mentor someone else, and part of being an effective mentor is being an example yourself.

Your Reward: Recognition and Promotions

I was recently in a discussion with other managers about promotions within the company. We were hearing reasons why some individuals were thought to be rising stars and would soon need to be recognized for it. Besides the fact that these people were good at what they did, another common theme was that they were enjoyable to be around. The fact that these individuals were able to bring a positive attitude to the teams they worked in made it so they were more likely to be considered for a promotion.

Think about that for a moment. The idea that just transforming your point of view can put you in line for career growth is really an important point to make. It isn’t about being a minion or stooge, it’s simply about being someone who brings positivity to people around you.

The next time you have a crisis at work, or some ongoing conflict, check yourself to see if you’re a source of positivity or not. If you’re not, then realize that what you’re really doing is making the situation worse. If you’re fueling the fire, then there’s no way that you’ll be a source for positive change.