4 Reasons You Have a Negative Team Member and Need Help

Episode 333: Ever feel like one negative team member can drain the energy out of an entire meeting before it even starts?

If you’re trying to lead with clarity and momentum, persistent negativity can make you second-guess your strategy, waste hours in emotional cleanup, and quietly stall your team’s progress. This episode helps you stop treating “negativity” like a personality flaw you have to fight—and start figuring out what’s actually driving it, so you can respond in a way that protects your team, your time, and your leadership confidence.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with:

• A simple way to diagnose what’s really behind the negativity—so you don’t coach the wrong problem or miss something important.

• Practical tools to turn negative energy into productive insight without letting it hijack team morale or momentum.

• Clear next steps for what to do when it won’t improve—including how to address performance, protect the team, and decide if it’s time for a change.

Hit play now so you can stop getting pulled into the negativity spiral and start leading your team with more calm, clarity, and control—starting today.

How to Lead a Negative Team Member Without Getting Pulled Into the Sinkhole

00:00 — What this episode gives you.
You’ll learn practical skills to figure out what’s driving negativity, what to do next, and how to protect your time and energy as a leader.

00:52 — The “Mr. or Ms. Negativity” pattern.
You hear the familiar behaviors: skepticism, constant criticism, sighs, eye-roll energy, and the kind of comments that make everyone stop sharing ideas.

01:42 — Why coaching too soon is a mistake.
Before you jump into “fixing” the behavior, you need to understand the source of it—because coaching is only the right move in one of the four causes.

Four Root Causes of Negativity (and What You Should Do About Each)

02:13 — Cause #1: Your leadership might be triggering negativity.
This is the self-audit moment: you check whether your own approach is unintentionally creating frustration or resentment, especially for a team member who feels unheard or undervalued.

03:16 — Leadership trap: Lack of appreciation and recognition.
When people feel taken for granted, resentment builds. The solution is consistent encouragement that’s specific and meaningful—not vague praise.

03:38 — Leadership trap: Lack of accountability and follow-through.
When leaders don’t finish what they start, trust fades. Scheduling the finish and baking accountability into the calendar helps your team believe their effort matters.

04:43 — Accountability works best when it’s shared.
You create momentum by defining what success looks like together, checking for understanding, and inviting the team to hold you accountable too.

06:29 — Cause #2: Organizational circumstances can fuel negativity.
Even great leaders can have a negative team member if the workplace environment is unstable—like constant priority shifts, uncertainty, or structural chaos.

10:23 — Cause #3: The person’s personality or approach.
Some people see themselves as “preventing problems,” not being negative. This is where coaching is often effective—especially when their delivery shuts down the rest of the team.

13:19 — Cause #4: Mental health factors (the “plus one”).
Burnout, exhaustion, or depression can show up as negativity. You’re reminded not to diagnose—just support appropriately, use HR resources, and adjust scope or encouragement when needed.