Would you call yourself a cynical person? Are you suspicious of other people’s motives at work? If you are, then you could be seriously damaging your success at work.
According to a group of researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany, those of us who are more cynical end up harming our own career prospects, due to trust issues.
The researchers compared cynicism with the average income of a range of people from different countries, and found that those with a low level of cynicism earned almost £200 a month more than those who were cynical. So, according to this study, it looks as though being optimistic could earn you more money and a better career!
Along with the money side of things, the study found that people who are cynical tend to create tension in work and personal relationships, and lowers their overall health.
The researches claim that cynical people think they are more discerning and therefore make the right decisions, but this is actually not the case. As cynical people are less likely to trust others, they end up missing opportunities to work with others. Cynical people are also more likely to focus on themselves and distance themselves from collaborating with others which can harm career prospects.
What do you think about this? Does cynicism harm you at work or do you think it helps to be a little suspicious in business?
If you would like to work on your trust issues at work, then personal life coaching at London based Directions Coaching could be for you. Our coach, Anne Taylor, is full qualified and has worked with executives, groups and individuals from all walks of life. For a no obligation chat on how coaching could improve your career prospects, call Anne on 02031516830.
