To Be (Positive) or Not to be (Positive)...That is the Question

"If you can come to work and be positive every single day, then I'm going to try and do better." Those words were spoken to me 20 years ago when I was teaching first grade at Granby Elementary by a lady I had only known for a couple of months.  We didn't teach the same grade level, or even teach in the same building, but we had enough interactions throughout the day that I had apparently left an impression of positivity on her. I've thought of her and that comment often throughout the past 20 years and it popped into my head again this month as we began a new endeavor at Carver Elementary School.

As I was scanning Twitter recently,  I saw that a principal I follow had posted a picture of herself and a student. Her tweet mentioned something about it being her 127th positive phone call for the year. My first thought was, "Wow. That's a lot of phone calls."  My second thought was, "I'm going to start that." I immediately sent our Carver team the specifics for the plan.  The teachers and staff simply had to type in a spreadsheet the name of a student and something positive they had done to call home about.  It took off slowly at first.  I was calling 2 or 3 a day.  I called the students into my office, called their mom or dad, told them I was making a positive phone call, read what the teachers had to say, and hung up. I got a little smarter each phone call I made though.  I started putting parents on speaker phone so the kids could hear how excited they were.  Well..the excitement part came after the parents got over the shock of hearing me say their child was in the principal's office.

It was all very simple, until a purchase I ordered a few months ago arrived...A SLIDE. That's right. A slide. It's nothing fancy. It's not enclosed. It doesn't twist or turn in the middle. It's just a blue, nine foot indoor/outdoor slide.  I knew I wanted one after our recent visit to Atlanta in May. You may have heard me talk about it a time or two. I just wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. I thought, thought, and then thought some more.  Then it hit me. We needed to recreate the same atmosphere for our kids that Kacie, Michelle and I experienced at RCA. So, the kids who receive positive phone calls home don't just go down the slide. No. They go down the slide, get an "I've Been Slide Certified" sticker, go sign a Slide Certified chalkboard, all the while listening to the cheers of other students while loud music is blaring. It's an electric atmosphere.

My friend's comment 20 years ago about being positive and the slide certified experience had me pondering the power of being positive. It seems so simple.  It should be so easy.  A smile. A kind word. An encouraging gesture. It's really not that hard is it?  We continue working on building a positive culture at Carver. It's pretty amazing, but it's not perfect...YET.  There are many team members at Carver Elementary who smile at everyone they meet throughout the day.  I'm not naming names (Shawndel Rainwater & Heather Overton), but rest assured there are several. Those individuals just make everyone's day brighter by their positive personalities. This year at Carver, the kids and adults are greeted with smiles and music (and a dancing Mrs. Leaf) every morning. Our team takes turns greeting everyone at the door every single day. When I hear that music, I can't help but start dancing myself. I believe it puts everybody in a better mood. Who doesn't love watching Mrs. Leaf dancing outside every morning? I know I do and the kids are slowly beginning to dance into the building as well. I've noticed there sure are a lot more smiles when they get out of their cars in the mornings than there used to be. I hope to eventually see everyone dancing into the building...teachers, staff, and the kids. I know I plan to continue, even if I don't have much rhythm.

Being positive doesn't take much effort.  I have worked with individuals in my 25 years who, because of various reasons such as jealousy or arrogance, bring negativity to work every day.  They can't see the positive in anything. Everything they say comes across as negative. They try to get others on their side, and unfortunately there are usually a few who follow, but it never works in the long run because I truly believe people want to work with colleagues who are positive. Genuinely positive. Not just those who give it lip service. It's easy for some to become negative when you feel colleagues have let you down, no one is listening to you, others get acknowledged when you feel it should be you, or no one values your opinion.  I know. We've all been there. But we have to keep focused on what we are doing and be a positive influence to those around us.  It really does make a difference and to those who truly matter, it's noticed.

Being positive matters. Obviously, that comment 20 years ago meant something to me.  I've never forgotten it and I hope our kids never forget being called into my office for a positive reason instead of a negative one.  I wish everyone could see their faces when I tell them they are in my office for a positive phone call home.  They light up! Even better, I wish everyone could hear the parents' reactions when I read them the comments the teachers have to say. One mom said, "You just made my week." I personally love hearing all the, "I'm proud of you bud," "Aw...Sis...great job," and "I love yous". I would love to hear the conversations when the kids get home and talk about getting Slide Certified. Being positive is powerful.

As I think back to high school English class and symbolism, I find myself thinking about the slide. It's more than a long piece of plastic. It's a symbol of being positive or being different. Ron Clark says, "Why take the stairs, when you can slide." We don't have stairs at Carver, but you get the point. I believe we are going to continue seeing changes in our culture at Carver.  One teacher overheard a conversation between 4 boys who were called to the office to help carry some bags. One of the students said, "Maybe we're being called to the office for a positive phone call." It's making a difference.  I'm up to 80 phone calls already and it's only September.  What a change this slide has made! Being excited about coming to the office, instead of being fearful. Maybe every boss needs to consider a positive phone call or perhaps even a slide. Think of the possibilities. While there are many questions I could ask about the power of being positive and the changes it can make in all settings, this time I'm only going to ask one. Are you positive? If the answer is no, then I guess reflection is necessary. If the answer is yes, perhaps you will have a conversation one day with a colleague who says, "If you can come to work and be positive every single day, then I'm going to try and do better."