Finding the Balance between Optimism and Pessimism

As a manager, you’re required to display some level of positive thinking. You serve as the ‘cheerleader’ for your team, assigning work while at the same time making sure that your employees are engaged and satisfied with the company.

Optimists are popular people because, generally speaking, they are pleasant to be around and their enthusiasm can be contagious. In fact, according to research from the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania, optimistic managers may do a better job of helping employees reach goals and be more productive.

In a cross-sectional study of 86 employees and 17 managers at an Information Technology (IT) organization, researchers Margaret Greenberg and Dana Arakawa found that positive leadership correlated with employee optimism, engagement and project performance.

“When we looked at a subset of this data prospectively, with 39 employees and 14 managers, manager optimism predicted project performance,” they wrote. “Our data support the claim that positive leadership is correlated with employee engagement and performance, and further extends the importance of optimism in the workplace.”

So it appears that optimism is actually a valuable business asset for managers. But just like with any kind of behavior, it can be taken too far. If you never take off your rose-colored glasses, you could unknowingly place additional stress on your team.

Why you Should Add Humor to your Leadership Toolbox

You could say humor is a funny thing (pun intended). It’s subjective, for instance you might be a huge fan of “The Hangover” films while your significant other finds them as humor-less as a congressional hearing. Still, the one thing everyone can agree on is they like to laugh from time to time but, unfortunately, many workplaces operate in a laugh-free zone.

While direct reports might have a laid-back relationship and share plenty of laughs at the water cooler, it’s typically a different relationship with their boss. It’s hard to tell where the boundaries are and in our politically correct world, no wants to offend anyone.

But if you’re an easygoing and humorous person, you shouldn’t hide that just because the word “leader” is part of your job title. Don’t forget one of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s classic quotes: “A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”

We talk often about innovation, feedback and engaging your employees. However, maybe one way to really make a difference at your work is to develop a sense of humor. In fact, humor might be the key to help you persevere no matter what life throws at you.

Leadership vision a little cloudy? Time to get some glasses.

Why not? Those two words hold a lot of power. For example, why not earn a master’s degree? Why not get married? Why not cook with olive oil?

So when was the last time you asked yourself, “why not” when it comes to defining your leadership vision? In case you need a refresher, one’s leadership vision is widely considered as the cornerstone of leadership. Leaders must generate ideas to improve processes or products that keep the organization competitive. They must be able to articulate their vision in concrete terms in order to explain it to others and obtain their cooperation and enthusiasm.

Being a leader isn't simply about providing direction and advice, it’s about moving the organization confidently into the future. The bigger picture isn't a vague piece of business jargon, but rather something you keep in mind at all times. You also must explain it clearly so others know where their activities fit within the overall direction for change.