Many of my clients are staying connected to staff, customers, or members by hiring me to deliver virtual presentations.

I provide high-impact and high-content virtual presentations through Engagez, GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, Google Meet, Hopin, Loom, Meetview, Microsoft Teams, StreamYard, Webex, and Zoom.

It is usually a pleasant experience when a new team member joins the team.  At first, you really appreciate their unique perspective and critical thinking skills.  However, over time, you may come to the conclusion that they are just simply critical or negative.

So how do you deal with a critic or a negative person, or this person who has simply gotten in the habit of saying “no” to everything.  This person is probably a task-focused individual motivated by the intent to get things right by avoiding mistakes.

They may see themselves as the only person willing and able to look at what will go wrong and has the confidence to point it out. This person can find negatives in everything and everyone.  This is the type of person that if you gave them the book, The Power of Positive Thinking, they would whip it back at you and say, “What good would that do?”

Here’s your plan.  Think of them as a valued partner in problem solving.

Consider them as a partner that can provide feedback and use them as an early warning system.  Go with the flow.  Allow them to be as negative as they would like.

So, talk with them in advance, maybe hours or days before your upcoming meeting. Then you can be prepared and pre-empt their concerns at the meeting.

After every encounter, be sure to compliment them on their critical thinking skills.  Highlight how helpful they are, and how much you appreciate their high standards and attention to detail, and then they will probably go easier on you; and that’s what we want.

Critical thinkers are truly a gift.  Welcome them as partners in problem solving and appreciate their talent.  Better decisions are generally made when there are disagreements.  If your organization is bogged down in negativity or criticism, contact me at kit@welchlin.com and I will provide a presentation with strategies to get unstuck.

If you need to find a keynote speaker, plenary speaker, breakout speaker, concurrent session speaker, seminar leader, or workshop facilitator who can deliver in-person, virtually, or via prerecorded session, Kit Welchlin, M.A., CSP, CVP, is a nationally recognized professional motivational speaker and author and can be found at www.welchlin.com or www.SeminarsOnStress.com.