Optimism may seem like a soft word. It is often perceived as a negative personality trait – people seem to think of an optimist as someone who is not sufficiently realistic. However, optimism is a critical factor in effective leadership. A team will not follow a leader who doesn’t have a sense of optimism, or who easily loses faith when things go wrong. Optimistic leadership is not about being a Pollyanna. It isn’t about denying reality. Rather, it’s about the ability to remain committed to a vision in the face of adversity; of believing that the team can overcome adversity and still succeed. Leaders must be optimistic because the execution of a plan never happens without setbacks. When those setbacks occur, the optimist powers through. Optimism can be seen as an emotional competence because it helps boost productivity, enhance employee morale and overcome challenges multiple ways, including: •It pushes leaders to improve the situation. Optimistic leaders do not settle for the current status and accept the plight. Instead, they believe that they have the ability to change the circumstance, and they set out to do so. •It fortifies leaders with resilience in the face of setbacks. Rather than shrinking from challenges, optimistic leaders seek solutions. Just because something has gone wrong, they don’t throw up their hands and call it quits. They see setbacks as temporary obstacles that they can overcome, so they quickly pick themselves up with renewed effort. •It infects teams with resilience. Team members mimic the behavior of the leader, and it’s far better to model optimistic behavior. When leaders don’t back down and continue to work toward success, the team can see positive results, thus spreading the positive approach.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 14:13:54 +0000
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