Time to do away with negativity, says MoI

Lt. Col Awadh Saleh Al Kindi

As part of its campaign to make the people of the UAE happier, the country is shifting its focus towards eradicating negativity, which requires the participation of the entire community, according to a report in the Ministry of the Interior's 999 magazine.
According to the report, negative people - those who exhibit traits including grumpiness, bossiness, laziness and gossipers - hurt a team's overall creativity and adversely influence work performance, creativity and decision-making. Worse still, those who have to deal with negativity in the workplace may find themselves carrying it into their family life.
"It's high time that people and companies realised that negativity would cripple any organisation. The UAE has strict laws and stiff penalties against spreading rumours and creating panic in the community, and companies should apply the same pattern in the workplace," said Lt. Col Awadh Saleh Al Kindi, Editor-in-Chief of 999. "Office gossips, for instance, should never be tolerated because aside from causing distress to a person being talked about, it lowers the morale of the whole organisation to a great extent.
"While it is necessary to weed out the bad apples, it is more important to get to the bottom of the issue and understand how some people develop such unpleasant traits," he added. "Don't let people throw a dark cloud of negativism hanging over your head. It is important that we identify these naysayers amongst us and learn to deal with them; failing to do so can have a serious impact on our productivity at work or even relationships at home."
The report also notes that families are at the core of behavioural developments, as a person's descent into negativity starts early in life either from a natural disposition or from family circumstances.
"Children who are brought up in socioeconomically and financially balanced and stable families, will be themselves balanced, and will positively affect their surroundings when they grow up," said Dr Moza Ghobash, professor of sociology and chairperson of the Rewaq Ousha bint Hussain Cultural Society.
Whatever a person's dominant character trait, it may become exaggerated under pressure, Human Development Adviser Abdullah Said bin Shamma explained in the report.
"For example, if he's originally an introvert, he'll be more passive and reclusive. If he's highly self-confident, he'll tend to express himself in a louder voice and in a more aggressive way," Shamma also said.
The 999 magazine is a component of the Ministry of Interior's strategic plan to provide media coverage for the activities and efforts of the ministry and the Abu Dhabi Police. It also aims to encourage the public to contribute to the reduction of crime, the awareness campaigns and the enhancement of safety in the UAE.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Abu Dhabi