Some people are naturally negative, they fail to see the good in anything and enjoy reeling off the bad. They will complain about the boss, their job, clients...to them everything is worthless and pointless and they do not have a good word to say about anything. Ask in any office and colleagues will instantly know who the grim reaper is amongst the bunch. Being in the company of such a solemn soul will certainly contaminate employees and take its toll on the 'feel good' factor within the office.

The gloom spreaders amongst us are probably the most difficult people to deal with as turning negativity into positivity is no easy task. The point to remember about the negative people of this world is that they use their downtrodden attitude as a way of making people have empathy for them which fuels the continued pattern.

If negativity is running riot throughout your office, it is time to confront those employees who are happy making everybody else miserable. Take it upon yourself to acknowledge their good points as well as their bad, this way they can differentiate between the yin and yang of positive and negative and notice the correlation between the two.

If a particular employee is not yielding the results that you were expecting, it is time to bite the bullet and bring that matter to their attention. By using the words 'we' rather than "you" the conversation is not accusative (which is something a negative person will latch on to). A tactful approach is to speak in private with the staff member. First he needs to know that 'we' have a problem....then you need to be sure that he understands his job description which he is expected to adhere to. When the employee confirms an understanding of his role, it can then be pointed out that 'you have been late three times this week' or 'every time that I see you, I notice you are having lengthy conversations with'...

This is a good moment to let the employee explain how he would feel if every time he wanted to speak with you first thing in the morning, you were not there. By allowing a staff member to see things from your point of view and offer suggestions on how they would resolve the issue, the matter is often solved without any feelings of hostility.

Keep a negative employee's self-esteem lifted by continually focussing on their strengths and it is unlikely that the blame will be passed on to other people or situations as a way of justifying a wrong. If an employer uses the victim approach and explains that it is the fault of others which causes his lateness, it is the responsibility of the manager to explain that the conversation in question does not refer to other people and is directly related to him. If he further interrupts with comments such as "traffic is always busy at 8.30" or "I was up late with my sick daughter" use the empathy card that the negative employee pulls out so often. Explain that you understand the difficulties of having a family and trying to hold down a career but also stress that this does not make a person exempt from complying to the 9.00am start every morning.

Encourage a change in behaviour by explaining that there is no reason why this person could not go on to become a top performer or stand in line for that next promotion. However, changes have to be made for that opportunity to even be considered. Explain that if lateness continues, you will not be able to recommend such a promotion at the next performance meeting.

If after a week or two there are still no signs of a significant improvement in punctuality. It may be time for the negative employee to face the 'firing squad'. Explain that this is the second time that lateness has had to be addressed and that if it happens again, you will have no option but to let that employee go as the actions displayed show little signs of respect or enthusiasm for the job. This has to be the final warning and your actions must be carried through or the neg will lose respect for you and continue to plan a working day around family or other matters which seem more important than the company.

It is important to raise the spirits of negativity before they spread like a virus throughout the office. Set the precedent for how you expect every day to pan out by placing a notice in a visual spot, maybe above the coffee pot or on the office door which states "Warning: No negative comments, thoughts views or opinions from this moment onwards. You are now in a positive, uplifting and happy environment and you are expected to do your utmost to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with you enjoys a happy, upbeat and productive interaction".

We all suffer from pangs of desperation, sadness and anger but it is the way that we deal with these emotions which set us apart. As a leader, it is up to us to keep the chins up of every employee even if things are looking gloomy. The moment that we set foot into the office we are on centre stage and should act in a way that we expect our staff to behave.

Every move we make will be watched and emulated so to build a happy, positive environment we need to avoid wearing our own negative emotions on our sleeve. By treating others as you would expect to be treated you show each and every staff member that their attitude controls their reality. If we uplift and encourage, we can expect to be uplifted and encouraged in return, if we humiliate and shout, we can expect to be shouted at too...which world would you rather live in?

Give each and every staff member a chance to vent at least once a month. You could call this a 'Moanathon' or Monthly Moan...this gives everyone a chance to get those gripes off their chest. Do this on a one to one basis or as a team. When the moans start coming in, ask staff to explain how they would resolve the issues which bother them. Expect to receive at least two resolution ideas per gripe and make it clear that you take each and every one of their complains and suggestions for resolution seriously and will act upon them accordingly.

If you notice rumours being spread about a particular staff member...go straight to the source of the gossip and invite that person to confront the one they are talking about face to face so as the matter can be resolved. Nine times out of ten, the gossiper will not want to take this sort of action and the insinuations and digs will stop. Remind employees that the workplace is not the place for discussing private matters and in doing so, their personal life could become the subject of office tittle-tattle which could tarnish every single working day.

Set the tone of the day by walking through the office door with a smile and a spring in your step and you can expect that vibrant tone to resonate. Start the morning with a frown and you will have no-one to blame but yourself!