As a baseball fan this is my favorite time of the year. It gives me an excuse to talk about the Chicago Cubs and my favorite eternal optimist – Ernie Banks. Ernie Banks is regarded as the most popular baseball player in Chicago sports history. He was a constant promoter of the Cubs. His popularity and positive attitude led to the nickname of “Mr. Cub.” Ernie was known for his optimistic catch phrases at the start of every baseball season. My favorite was his expression before the start of the 1969 season – “The Cubs will shine in 69 – hey, hey!” While the Cubs didn’t win that year (and haven’t for over 100 years), the dynamic positive attitude of Mr. Cub always made you feel like “this will be the year” the Cubs go all the way. With the start of another season, hope springs eternal once again for Cub fans everywhere. I can’t help but proclaim with the optimism of Mr. Cub himself – “The Cubs will shine in 2009 – hey, hey!”
Like Ernie Banks, business leaders have the opportunity to change the dynamic of their organization’s beliefs, thoughts and actions through their optimism and moods. Numerous studies show that when the leader is in a happy optimistic mood, the people around them view everything in a more positive light. That, in turn, makes them optimistic about achieving their goals, enhances their creativity and decision-making efficiency, predisposes them to be helpful to others and results in superior overall performance. It is safe to say everyone knows how much a leader’s emotional state drives performance, because everyone has had, at one time or another, the uplifting experience of working for an upbeat manager or the challenging experience of toiling for a sour-spirited boss. The former makes everything feel possible, and as a result teamwork is strengthened, competitors beaten, customers are better served and stretch performance goals are achieved. The latter makes work grueling, other parts of the organization “become the enemy” and colleagues don’t work together towards an inspired future.
Why does optimism matter? – The benefits of an optimistic perspective go beyond business opportunities and improved performance as mentioned above. Here are just a few other physical and psychological benefits to consider:
• Relationships and resources – optimism allows for better relationships and increases access to the appropriate resources to help in pursuing goals.
• Better Health – being optimistic is good for the heart and will rid you of unnecessary anxiety.
• A longer life – an overall optimistic perspective allows for a longer life, especially for women.
Your turn – How can you begin developing the skills of optimism and improving your “OQ” (optimism quotient) starting today? The great news is that optimism is a “state of mind” and it can be developed! Here are just a few ways to get started in rewiring your brain toward more emotionally intelligent behaviors and a heightened degree of optimism.
• Who am I today? Start by coming to terms with your real self. Truthfully acknowledge how others experience you. Honestly rate what your current “OQ” is on a 1-10 scale. Take time to reflect on this important topic daily, preferably in the morning. Pay attention to what you focus on; look at how you selectively focus on events. Do you focus on the positive or negative events? Do you see the possibilities?Examine your internal “self-talk” and gather feedback from your bosses, peers and subordinates.
• Who do you want to be? – Project what you would like your “OQ” (1-10) to be one to two years from now. Visualize yourself as the upbeat and optimistic leader you want to become in order to open your eyes to the missing elements of an emotionally intelligent leader. What does it look like? What does it sound like? How does it feel? What is missing between “who I am” and “who I want to be”? How will you respond in the future to the challenges you face today?
• How to get there from here? Allow your optimism to grow by setting goals that will challenge you to stretch yourself, but are still within your reach. Change how you talk to yourself in your “self pep-talks.” Visualize and rehearse – run through positive scenarios in your own mind. See yourself being optimistic and rehearse how you will handle various situations in your “new way of being.” Start to believe the future will be better than the past. Finally, start each day with a couple of questions to shape an upbeat and positive attitude for the day (i.e. what am I most happy about in my life now? What am I most excited about in my life? What am I most optimistic about in my life now? How will I make today great?)
• Surround yourself with a community of supporters – We cannot improve our emotional intellegence or change our leadership style without the support of others. Distance yourself from the toxic people in your life – the "Doubting Debbies and Pessimistic Petes”. At the same time intentionally choose to spend more time with enthusiastic and optimistic people who lift you up and make everything seem possible. Ask two to three on your support team to give you ongoing feedback as you make intentional changes in your journey.
In the end, the message sent by neurological, psychological and organizational research is startling in its clarity. Optimism is contagious and emotional leadership is the spark that ignites a company’s performance, creating a bonfire of success or a landscape of ashes. We all have a choice as to what our spark will ignite. What choice will you make as you look to the future?
“The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” – Winston Churchill
