Alastair WallaceCEO. Lead Consultant. Trainer. Coach, Brainfood Ltd · Leadership & Management Training for Busy Managers. Helping senior leaders stop handholding | Brain-friendly, diary-friendly | Save 5+ hours a week | 23,500 managers trained | 200% ROI guaranteed. TED

Keep your team HAPPY: The MAGIC comment ratio

19 Nov 2023 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:22

In this brief solo coaching video, Alastair Wallace addresses leaders and anyone struggling to connect with coworkers, customers, or family members. He highlights that poor relationships waste time and money, then introduces the Gottman Institute’s research showing a “magic” 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions needed for healthy relationships. Wallace explains what counts as positive “strokes” – acknowledging words and body language, empathizing, giving specific praise, and asking relevant questions – and encourages viewers to apply these techniques at work or home. He closes by inviting viewers to DM him with questions and wishes them a wonderful day.

Chapters

Hi there, how you doing today? Some people are just so sensitive, am I right? We're all different, and sometimes that's amazing, and sometimes it's not. Who's that person you really struggle to connect with at work? That awkward team member, customer, supplier? We know that bad relationships cost money and waste time. Fact. With a little bit of effort though, we can improve our interactions with others. This hack is useful both at work and at home with partners, husbands, wives, children, friends, even mothers-in-law. Research conducted by the Gottman Institute shows us there is a magic ratio for positive to negative interactions if we want to maintain great relationships with people. It's 5 positive comments or strokes to 1 negative. Here's some positive strokes that you can try today. Acknowledging what people say—words and body language are good—empathizing with how they feel, offering specific praise and recognition for a job well done, and asking relevant questions. So, you must have lots of other things to do today, being a busy leader. I hope this video was useful for you. Don't forget, you can DM me if you have any questions. You have a wonderful day.