Every workplace has a temperature—and more often than not, it’s set by the loudest voices in the room. Sometimes those voices are full of encouragement and energy. But other times? It’s negativity. Complaining. Passive-aggressive comments. Frustration that festers and spreads. And if you’re not careful, that noise starts to shape the way you think, speak, and lead.

But as a leader, you don’t just absorb the atmosphere—you influence it.

It’s incredibly easy to get pulled into the emotions of others, especially when they’re strong. Frustration is contagious. So is cynicism. But so is hope. So is vision. So is someone who chooses to see what’s working instead of everything that’s not. The truth is, there will always be something to complain about. But the best leaders have trained themselves to rise above that—to listen without absorbing, to empathize without joining the spiral, and to keep their eyes locked on what’s good and what’s possible.

That doesn’t mean you ignore problems or pretend everything’s fine when it’s not. Leadership involves hearing concerns and addressing real issues. But there’s a difference between solving problems and soaking in someone else’s pessimism. Don’t let the complaints of others shrink your perspective. Keep a wide-angle view. Zoom out. Remember what matters. Protect your mental space so you can lead from a place of strength, not secondhand discouragement.

If you want to change the culture, you can’t mimic it—you have to model something better. Be the person who calls out what’s working. Who celebrates effort. Who speaks life. Who shows up every day not just to do a job, but to bring energy, encouragement, and focus to the people around you. Leaders who do this stand out—not because they’re louder, but because they’re clearer. More grounded. More hopeful.

So today, don’t let the room lead you. Lead the room.

Tune out the noise, lean into what’s good, and commit to being someone who works for the good—no matter how loud the complaints get. The workplace doesn’t need more critics. It needs more builders. And that starts with you.