• 2.9013
is the ratio of positive to negative interactions necessary to make a team successful. This means that it takes about three positive comments, experiences, or expressions to fend off the languishing effects of one negative. Dip below this tipping point, now known as the Losada Line, and workplace performance quickly suffers. Rise above it—ideally, the research shows, to a ratio of 6 to 1—and teams produce their very best work.
• Best positive to negative ratio 3-1 to 6-1.
• Interestingly, Fredrickson found that 3:1 was the ratio at which people began to flourish outside work as well. Her research revealed that when people have three positive thoughts to every negative thought, they are more optimistic, are happier, and feel more fulfilled (2:1 was considered “languishing” and 1:1 was “depressed”). There’s an old saying that “bad news comes in threes.” Instead of just accepting this depressing adage, try to balance every piece of bad news with three good pieces of good news.
Why a skewed ratio? Shouldn’t one positive neutralize a negative? No. Research has emphatically proven that because we naturally give more weight to negatives, it takes more positives to balance them out.
