We all know people who whine.

I don’t want to do this.
It’s too hard.
How come I have to do all the work?

Whining wears everyone down.  Worse, it does no good!  It spreads like wildfire; sending negative energy everywhere.  It’s contagious too.  Everyone in an office is happy, then the complainer starts; in no time, everyone has caught the whining bug.  

How to recognize whiners:

•Whiners continually point out what’s wrong
•Whiners never take responsibility for what they can control
•Whiners bring their problems to work and wear them on their sleeve
•Whiners are “minimum input”, “maximum expectation” people. They do the bare minimum, yet expect the most in return
•Whiners only work hard when they “feel” like it
•Whiners need pep talks. They require high maintenance and attention to continually repair their attitude and outlookThe cost of hiring whiners is frustration, lost productivity and low morale.

 There are whiners and winners in the world.  Whiners create problems for companies.  Winners create positive results for companies.

Here’s a list of interview questions to help you identify whiners.

Learning and growing:

•What was the last career-related book you read or listened to?
•Are you currently reading a self-improvement books?  If so, which one?
Attitude questions: •Have you had any differences with your previous managers?  If so, how did you handle them?
•Have you ever felt that your skills were being overlooked?  What did you do to improve the situation?

 Winners brighten a room by entering, whiners brighten a room by leaving.  When you interview someone, are they giving you energy or taking it from you?  Notice how you feel when you first meet someone and how you feel when they leave.  It can help you judge who is a winner and who is a whiner.
The road is easier together,
Linda