The Business Case for Optimism

Are you a glass-half-full or half-empty kind of person? I have a friend who is an innate optimist. He makes juggling it all (work, family, life, etc.) look easy. Whenever we talk, he radiates positivity, listens intently, and spends more time asking me about my life and concerns than talking about his own. I leave our conversations feeling validated and assured that everything is going to be okay.

I’m guessing most of you know people like my friend. In my experience, people like him make the best kind of leaders, and others naturally want to follow them.?

Thankfully, optimism is a talent that anyone can develop if they put in the effort. I recently listened to a podcast that spotlighted Stanford professor of psychology Jamil Zaki. Zaki discusses his 15-year research project on empathy, which validates that optimism and kindness are not inherent traits, but rather skills that can be refined.?

Some may say optimism is overrated or unnecessary, but there’s a valid business case for it.

Here are three ways optimism can benefit your workplace and directly impact your bottom line.

1. Optimism Inspires Team Members and Forges Connections

Unsurprisingly, optimistic leaders have the ability to inspire and rally team members. In the face of change or uncertainty, positively-led teams embrace business momentum —and in many cases, their productivity accelerates.

An optimistic leader’s team quickly rallies behind them because they’ve already forged genuine connections with team members. Even if this doesn’t come naturally to you, as you meet with your team members individually, you can deliberately focus on listening more and talking less. Optimism is contagious. If you embody an optimistic outlook and consistently vocalize to your team members why you view the glass as half full, they will begin to do so as well.

2. Optimism Enables One to Imagine Different Possibilities

Optimistic leaders are able to view challenging situations through a different lens. A more pessimistic individual might look at a challenge and say something like, “This problem is extremely difficult. I have absolutely no idea what to do and can’t think of a solution. I’m in trouble.”?

But an optimistic leader would react with something more like this: “This problem is extremely difficult, but I’ve handled difficult problems before. Let me discuss this challenge with my team and see if we can come up with an innovative solution. There has to be a way to solve this.”

Both leaders were faced with the same problem, but they responded very differently. Leaders who embody a spirit of optimism give their brains permission to explore alternative solutions—-to look outside of the lanes in which they’re currently driving. This type of response from an optimistic leader positions their team and organization to develop creative new ways of thinking. Even better, it lays a strong foundation for innovation.?

3. Optimism Results in Longevity

My third business case for optimism is interconnected with the first two: optimism results in longevity. This is true for both individuals and organizations. First, optimism is directly correlated with better health. A review of 15 studies found that optimistic individuals experienced a 35% lower chance of getting heart disease and a 14% lower chance of early death. As a leader, your own ability to see the silver lining directly affects your personal wellbeing and longevity in the workforce.

Second, creating a positive team that cares about one another and is united on objectives has far-reaching effects on employee engagement, productivity, retention, and business results. Organizations that combine optimism with the ability to think outside the box are more likely to thrive for the long-term, even amid challenging times.

As you prioritize your leadership goals for 2023, I hope you will consider ways you can weave in optimism. You’ll soon see the benefits of optimism on your own leadership style, your team, and across your organization.?