Leadership without Cynicism for the New Year
Zach Hughes
Vice President, IT at CHS | Leadership Lessons | Tech Futurist | Speaker | Writer | Podcaster
“We live in a cynical world. A cynical world. And we work in a business of tough competitors.” – Jerry Maguire.
The world of the corporate enterprise can be a cynical place. Week after week, I preach leadership. I do it for all of you, but I also do it for me. By writing, I remind myself of the truth. Why do you and I need these constant reminders? Our world is cynical, and frankly, sometimes so are we. Cynicism is distrust, bitter complacency, sneering at hope, and laughing at optimism. Why are we so cynical? It’s easier. It’s a coping mechanism. It’s a way of explaining reality that’s personally safe, because we mask our true feelings. It’s a way of eliminating hope, so we cannot be disappointed. Sure, it’s safe, but it’s also cold and lonely. Most importantly, it’s the single biggest antidote to leadership.
The “gateway drug” to cynicism is sarcasm. We use humor to make light of heavy situations. This can be ok, but left unchecked, it can evolve into full blown cynicism. Sarcasm isn’t always bad, but if it dominates, it can create a calloused environment void of authentic expression of feeling. I won’t say the same is true for skepticism. I see pure skepticism as a good and healthy trait that most good engineers possess. It’s a critical thinking skill and shouldn’t be lumped in with cynicism and sarcasm.
How do you know when you’ve gone too far to the dark side? Ask yourself these questions: Am I pessimistic? Am I distrusting? Do I walk around with a scowl on my face? Am I preoccupied with negative thoughts? Do I think the future will be worse than the past? If you find yourself saying “yes” to these questions, then it’s time for a self-correction.
We all have “Eeyore days,” but we cannot live there. You can’t just stop being cynical. You have to replace it with something. As I discussed in detail in my article on self-awareness, the ability to manipulate your own emotions and attitudes is an attribute of high Emotional Intelligence or EQ. So, with what do you replace cynicism? Hope, gratitude, appreciation, respect, patience, optimism, vulnerability, passion, and trust.
I find that every company, every department, and every team is the Tale of Two Cities:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”
It’s important to be grounded in reality. Recognize the coexistence of good and bad. They are both always present. Acknowledge the bad, and address the bad, but let your mind dwell on the good. See the progress, see the best reasonably possible version of the future, and focus your attention there. That’s what leadership is. It’s a choice to be positive, hopeful, aspirational, and inspirational.
It’s a new year. Let 2017 be the year where your leadership and my leadership rise above cynicism. Thoughts? Please share them in the comments below. Happy New Year to all of my readers!
Read this article on my blog site: https://zachonleadership.com/leadership-without-cynicism-for-the-new-year/
Engineering Program Manager at HFS Company
6 年I worked in such an environment for too long. There was talk of leadership and dedication from the top down, but what we actually saw was pure cynicism combined with micromanagement without understanding, and morale suffered greatly. True leadership does not sneer at all suggestions by others on the team who are trying to promote the company and the team, always looking for new opportunities, only to snuff out the very qualities people were hired for in the first place. A constantly questioning, negative attitude can lead a company to ruin.
Servant-Based Sales Leader, Long-Time Channel Pro, President's Club Regular
6 年Sorry to disagree, but Cynicism is a tool, just like any other coping mechanism. It is the antithesis of a perpetual blue sky outlook, where no matter what happens, everything will be peachy. As such, a healthy dose [not too much, not too little] of cynicism is a good thing. It makes you wary. It makes you take a deeper dive. It makes you ask 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th level questions. It is an essential part of "trust but veriphy". Only when it becomes all-encompassing does it ruin a good thought process -- as does any extreme view.
Providing organizations with a digital tether to their endpoint devices in the work from anywhere era
6 年Thanks for the share. It's literally rewiring your brain to not follow primitive brain instincts. We are all programmed to be negatively biased and there's a reason for it. Back in the caveman era, If your instincts weren't always on lookout for a tiger in the bushes you were lunch. However, these instincts don't serve us well in modern society where most threats are perceived and not real. In my experience, the best leaders have a way of finding space in between stimulus and response to find the silver lining. I think this is the hardest part of becoming a leader.
Business Retention and Sales Support Specialist at Wolters Kluwer
7 年It's good to remind ourselves that we are in the driver's seat and can control how we react to events. Keeping a positive attitude gets us through the days.
Helping Solve Business, Staffing and Project Challenges for Great Clients
7 年Being cynical is a way to play it safe and is easier to practice. When it invades a person or culture it is also very controlling and difficult to change. I appreciate the post and its inspiration to rise above!