In conversation with Anthil Anbazhagan on Optimism

Optimism is the art of blurring out the negatives while staying focused on things that are working well. While optimism is essential for every single individual, let me talk about this from a leader’s perspective.

This optimistic outlook is something that every technology leader needs to preserve in his or her armoury to deal with decision-making through tough situations. It provides confidence to manoeuvre through the headwinds and tailwinds that rock the IT landscape.

The engagement of software is so pervasive in all walks of life that it easily gets ruffled by factors such as economic downturns, geopolitical disturbances, and pandemic-related crisis. Leadership in the face of such adversity is crucial, and a positive outlook can have a significant impact on the success of teams or organisations as a whole.

External influences outside the sphere of control, the initiation of innovation, and other factors could leave teams gasping for some oxygen of clarity. It is in these moments that a leader's outlook can make all the difference. An optimistic leader can help their team to see the bigger picture and to find the opportunities for growth that exist within the adversity.

In my experience, the 3 Cs which the leader has to bring forth to guide his or her team in such circumstances:

Confidence - reiterate the potential we have and its power to overcome hurdles

Clarity - of what we are doing and why; there is nothing more motivating than a sense of purpose

Calm - those frayed nerves and reinforce the obvious: this too shall pass

In conclusion, an optimistic leader is the elixir that any struggling team or company so desperately needs. Coupled with the 3 Cs above, when a leader exercises a forward-thinking approach and calculated risks on experimentation - more often than not, he discovers solutions and a will that seemed invisible before.?It also helps when the leader is transparent about the challenges that the team is facing, and to communicate the steps that are being taken to overcome them. This level of honesty and transparency helps to build trust and credibility with the team and can help to maintain morale and motivation even in difficult times.

Here is wishing everyone the grit to tackle adversity and the sweet taste of success that follows it.

Anthil Anbazhagan is our Chief Technology Officer and has been with the @ivy family for over 8 years now. As a part of his portfolio, he manages the technology and delivery of the Platform that drives various global product portfolios. His interests span across reading books, taking long drives, engaging in DIY, and cooking for his family.