Q: I’m generally an upbeat, positive person and try to surround myself with colleagues who like to look on the bright side. That means I limit my exposure to certain colleagues who have a problem for every solution. These are the “perennial complainers.” They like to moan about everything: perceived favoritism, unrealistic work demands, paltry coverage pay, administrator laziness, dumb hires, parents’ unrealistic demands, supply shortages, unresponsive union organizers, rude students, inadequate snacks on Teacher Appreciation Day, and blah blah blah. My question isn’t about the merits of their specific complaints. I find their relentless negativity embarrassing, especially when it has a detrimental effect on our new staff members. And we have many new teachers, several of whom are new to the profession. Some of these teachers look like deer caught in headlights when they encounter these Negative Nellies. Of course, a few jump right in and start complaining themselves, though I suspect most are just “going along to get along.” Regardless of their true feelings, I know it brings them down. Sometimes I want to scream, “Stop! Can’t you let the newbies enjoy the taco truck or whatever without your ridiculous commentary?” How can all of us in the building, including administrators, counteract these sourpusses’ influence and insulate our new staff members from their culture of complaining?
A: Creating a healthy, positive work environment is a collective responsibility. Everyone owns the culture. Negative colleagues have the power to bring new staff down, but you can counteract their influence. Think about what you can do personally to improve the culture, whether you curb your own instinct to complain, steer a deteriorating conversation from problems to solutions, or invite a new teacher to go for a walk, ask you questions, or accompany you to lunch.
When you talk to new teachers, tell them about the parts of your job that you love. You might share an endearing anecdote about a student or drum up excitement about a fun or funny school tradition. Keep the focus on the present and future. While it might be tempting to pepper a new staff member with questions about why they left their last school, for instance, that could inadvertently stir up feelings of resentment, ambivalence, or sadness. Instead, underscore how glad you are to work with them now. If they had to relocate, help them get to know the area by offering help with things like public transportation, restaurant recommendations, and local tourist attractions.
Administrators can do their part, too. They can acknowledge that there’s a large influx of new employees who need support and guidance. They can share the “do’s and don’ts” of effectively integrating new staff members. For example, they might point out that new teachers will have a harder time joining a conversation if it’s about something that happened in the past. Plus, it’s important to avoid creating a “new generation vs. old generation” dynamic. To that end, administrators can discourage staff members from rehashing historical injustices with new teachers. A brand-new teacher doesn’t need to know the “ugly insides’” before they’ve even acclimated to the place. Getting mired in negativity isn’t going to help the complainer, either.
Finally, beyond being a welcoming presence yourself, introduce your new colleagues to a broad range of staff members who share your philosophy, including administrators. By expanding a new teacher’s network, you not only help them get the support they need but also dilute the influence of the complainers.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phyllis L. Fagell
Phyllis L. Fagell is the school counselor at Landon School in Washington, D.C., a therapist at the Chrysalis Group in Bethesda, Md., and the author of the Career Confidential blog. She is also the author of Middle School Matters and Middle School Superpowers, available at https://amzn.to/3Pw0pcu.
