The importance of optimism

The more I explore organisational efficiency, the more I find myself gravitating to several key influencers. One recurring theme that I’ve been stumbling across lately, whether because of it’s intrinsic importance or it’s rising popularity, is optimism.At times, exploring these concepts is a bit like disappearing down the rabbit hole, if I can borrow from Alice in Wonderland. The more you discover, the less conventional management methodology seems fit for purpose. After all, optimism is hardly a measure for most organisations – let alone a critical one. But, if you accept that people are the driver of success, it stands to reason that motivating them to excel is of strategic importance.Optimism is one of the most important contributors in that process and it’s important enough to my organisation that I’ve invested in training my team to develop theirs. Why have I decided to focus on a fringe skill? The facts speak for themselves…Optimistic employees are up to 30% more productive. They’re more resilient too, letting them deal with adversity more effectively. They build better relationships and are more creative. From a practical standpoint, they are more loyal to their employers – which is significant when you’re investing in people.There is no doubting that there are benefits to developing organisational optimism but that journey has to incorporate leaders. We tend to treat optimism as situational when it’s something we can cultivate and develop in ourselves. I’m a fan of breaking anything down into three core components so, with that in mind, here’s how to develop yours…Cultivate your sense of appreciation. For some, this comes naturally but most leaders tend to be focused on outcomes and don’t always take the time to appreciate their team. Gratitude is one of the highest predictors of optimism and you can start with something as simple as writing down three things you’re grateful for each day.Build on your awareness of complaints. In particular, the ones that you make. Many of us have a tendency to focus on the negative. Try not complaining for 24 hours – it’s harder than it sounds!Finally, work on reframing any frustration you might feel. Focus on what you want to achieve and identify how to get there instead of fixating on the things that are keeping you from doing so. Most of the time, the best route isn’t through anger, impatience or frustration!* S Zuhair Naqvi is the Managing Director of DicoTech Qatar WLL, and an EMBA alumnus of HEC Paris, Class of 2016.