How to develop optimism
Earlier this week, I read an article that upset me.
The article was written by a woman who was reflecting on her experience as a leader since the pandemic turned her life upside down in mid-March.
In a nutshell, she professed that:
- Her workload has increased
- Her stress levels have increased
- Her organization expects more from her
- Her organization has provided absolutely no support for their leaders
Can you relate? I’m hearing this situation echoed by a lot of leaders.
Two things upset me about her story:
- The lack of support she is getting to navigate this unprecedented time
- Her pessimistic outlook about the future
I can tell you…one thing leaders need right now is OPTIMISM!!
In fact, after reading the book Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, I realized that optimism is crucial for our success.
Seligman’s research indicates that optimists experience greater success in the workplace than pessimists do. They even lead longer lives.
Optimism can be learned.
We need to invest in our leaders to develop it.
This is not fluff or “soft skills”.
Optimism is critical for your own personal success…but also for the success of your team or business.
Find out more about Seligman’s research in this video.
