How to Tell if You are an Energy Sucker
We are surrounded by energy suckers and givers. What category do you put yourself in? It’s probably an energy giver. No one wants to think of themselves as an energy sucker.
Let me ask you this…Do you complain at work? Yes? I know that we all do and sometimes it’s good, but there is a thin line of overdoing it. You can tell when you are overdoing it when people aren’t complaining with you.
Next time you are complaining about your boss or about a certain project then take notice if people are joining in. If they are silent then you may be an energy drainer. Once labeled an energy drainer by your peers it’s going to take some work to overcome this stigma.
We all want to be energy givers because these are the people that pick us up when we are down. You can do this by cutting back on your complaining and putting your thoughts toward encouragement.
As soon as a complaint floats into your mind, try holding it in and doing a mental 180º and give a compliment or some encouragement to someone around you. When you do this over an extended period of time people will want work with you. You’ll create a happier work environment by giving people energy.
It sounds simple, and it really is. The simple techniques work. I’ve done this plenty of times and it has helped almost every time. My guesstimate would be 95% effective.
Who do you know who should use this technique? Please don’t include names because if you do I’ll have to change it to something weird to make people laugh like Dweezil or Moonbeam. Thanks.
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May 21st, 2008 at 8:14 am
I have coworkers who have worked here 30+ years, and they complain ALL the time. Especially during staff meetings. One of them once threw a ruler across the room, and stuck up his “bad finger” and said, “Scr– this place!” (It’s amazing what you can get away with under the protection of the union.) Everyone just kind of sits there and lets these 2 talk until they run out of steam–or realize no one is really interested. But at the last meeting, one of the quieter employees felt he had to speak up and tell the complainers that they are not helping anything by complaining, and they need to take some positive action if they really want to see some changes. Not to mention how lucky they are to have a job–especially one they basically cannot get fired from–in the current economy. It definitely is nice to have some people around who very rarely have anything negative to say. A lot of times it helps you see things under a different, more positive light.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:43 am
I have a co-worker who I became friends with through several mergers and corporate restructures. She can be a laugh riot, but often displays a gloom and doom attitude. I finally started to view her as an energy and time suck. If I tried to turn one of her negative comments into a positive, she would joke it off and turn it back into a negative. It stopped being worth the effort. She’s suffered from depression for a long time and goes to treatment, so my empathy lasted quite some time. I knew it wasn’t just me when I described her to my house mate before a party we were having. I was later told he knew *exactly* who she was without being introduced b/c it was like there was a black cloud of doom hovering over her as she walked up the drive.
One thing I found about energy suckers, is that they will inadvertently turn you into one if you aren’t careful! It’s a lot of work to keep a positive face sometimes and even more so when you’re being drained. These are great reminders! Thanks!
May 21st, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Hey Teresa, positive people are such wonderful energy givers that it can make a tough job enjoyable. Hopefully your co-worker eventually see how good he has it and start showing it. I doubt it, but stranger things have happened.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Hey K, I was close to becoming an energy sucker a few years ago because I was surrounded by a few of them and it scared me straight. Energy suckers not only suck the energy of the people around them, but their energy as well. It’s a vicious cycle that is hard to stop. That’s why I’m so grateful for the positive people at work. I try to send them a “thank you” email every now and again to show them that they are appreciated.
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:30 am
Excellent post. I can understand fully as I was in it for 35 years!
Kiran Pande’s last blog post..TRAVEL TO EXOTIC PORT OF MANGALORE WITH IT’S CULINARY HERITAGE, South West Coast, Karnataka, India
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hey Kiran, there are so many people who have to deal with negative co-workers that it saddens me. I wish they took some time to appreciate their lives, they probably wouldn’t complain so much. If they set that time aside for just a few minutes a day, they might see a little glimmer of the positive in a tough situation that could bring them a little happiness.