Finding Five Positives for Every Negative

It is so easy to spot what’s wrong, before we see what’s right! As business owners, leaders, or mentors, we can quickly fall into the trap of focusing on mistakes, missed opportunities, or areas needing improvement - often without realizing it. We are even trained and celebrated for being the one that can first find the problem, and quickly address and correct it. But if we want to build strong teams, motivated employees, and healthy businesses, our focus must shift. True leadership isn’t about finding fault - it’s about finding potential.

The truth is simple: if you can’t find at least five genuine positives for every one negative when evaluating an employee, partner, customer, or situation, the problem may not be with them - it may be with your own focus.

1. What You Focus On, Grows

In business and in life, what we choose to focus on expands. When leaders spend their energy pointing out flaws, the team begins to operate from fear - fear of making mistakes, fear of disappointing, fear of not being enough. But when you intentionally look for the positives - creativity, effort, resilience, teamwork - you cultivate confidence, ownership, and loyalty. Encouragement doesn’t mean ignoring reality; it means balancing truth with appreciation.

2. The Five-to-One Rule of Leadership

A practical mindset shift is to commit to finding five positives for every one negative. This isn’t about sugarcoating or being fake - it’s about perspective. Let’s say an employee missed a deadline. The negative is easy to see. But take a step back: Have they been dependable otherwise? Do they bring energy to the team? Are they learning, improving, or helping others succeed? Do they care about the company’s mission? Those positives matter just as much, if not more. If you can’t find them, it’s time to ask whether your expectations - or your focus - need adjusting.

3. Positivity Builds Performance

When people feel seen for their strengths, they’re more likely to rise to challenges. Genuine recognition fuels motivation far more effectively than criticism ever could. It’s not about ignoring mistakes; it’s about addressing them in a way that builds, not breaks. A culture that celebrates wins, effort, and improvement creates employees who care about doing better - not because they have to, but because they want to.

4. The Mirror Test

If you consistently find yourself focusing on the negatives in others, it’s time to look in the mirror. Often, our perception of others reflects what’s happening inside us. When stress, burnout, or frustration creeps in, our outlook narrows. We start looking for what’s wrong instead of what’s right. The good news is that awareness allows for change. Pause, breathe, and realign your perspective. Are you holding others to standards you’ve stopped giving yourself grace for? Are you leading from inspiration - or irritation?

5. Choose to See the Good

Leadership isn’t just about managing tasks; it’s about developing people. The best leaders find greatness in others before those individuals even see it themselves. They look beyond imperfection to potential. They celebrate progress, not just perfection. Every business, every team, every relationship has flaws—but there’s always more good than bad if you’re willing to look for it.

When we learn to focus on the positives, we don’t just change how we see others - we change how they see themselves. And that simple shift can transform not just a workplace, but an entire business culture.

The next time you catch yourself frustrated or disappointed with someone on your team, pause and challenge yourself: Can I find five genuine positives to every one negative? If not, maybe it’s time to adjust the lens - not just how you view others, but how you choose to lead. Because leadership isn’t about pointing out flaws - it’s about helping others, and yourself, truly thrive.