What is your legacy? Are you someone who empowers others to live their dreams?

These are two questions posed during a session titled “Becoming an Empowered Employee” at the Central Veterinary Conference in Kansas City last week.

Citing research from the Institute for Applied Theoretical Research, speaker Marty Stanley, a human resources professional, emphasized the power of positive thought, words, and actions.

People who hold onto negative or positive thoughts for 16 seconds actually attract “like energy,” which either improves or worsens a situation, Stanley said. She emphasized a person’s choice to hold onto a negative thought. “Your thoughts are energy; they’re like magnets. Are you taking ownership [of situation] or are you blaming others and making excuses? You choose: Do I want to hold onto this or not?”

Thinking “Above the Line” includes ownership, accountability, and responsibility while “Below the Line” thinking includes blame, excuses, and denial. Stanley describes people who think and act “Above the Line” as victors and those below it as victims.

Assuming personal power in a situation can be as simple as proposing an alternative to a bad situation, she told one audience member who asked how she could approach an emergency room schedule – that requires technicians to work long hours – in an “Above the Line” way. Instead of complaining about the situation, Stanley advised the professional to propose a different option and to commit to what she was willing to do.

“There’s always some reason why you can’t do something but there’s no power there,” Stanley explained. “We spend hours in our own little dramas but it depletes you, it takes away your creativity.”

Stressing the fact that “there is power in positive thinking,” Stanley told audience members that the negative alternative or what she described as “Below the Line” thinking, can adversely affect your health.

Fielding questions about how to deal with negative coworkers who gossip and blame others for their unhappiness, Stanley suggested that veterinary professionals focus on themselves, and take responsibility for their own actions and happiness.

Emphasizing the power of having positive thoughts and following through with positive words and actions, Stanley closed the session by citing the following: Clients, she said, will remember five percent of what was said, 35 percent of what was said based on vocal clues, and 60 percent based on vibes or the power of emotion behind the thought.