I don’t know about you, but I find myself complaining a lot more than I used to. Whether it’s coming across an idiotic comment on social media, an inconsiderate driver, or just reading the daily headlines, it seems there’s much in this world to be negative about.
I’m not normally such a Grumpy Gus.In fact, I’d say that I’m usually a very cheerful and optimistic person. But I’ve found that pessimism and negativity are insidious things — like a slow-growing cancer, you don’t notice how much it’s eroded your health until it’s metastasized into a low-grade misery.
Obviously, this can have a deleterious effect on your physical health. But did you know that it can impact your business, too?
Pessimistic leaders often have difficulty motivating employees because they tend to be hypercritical, pointing fingers when things go wrong and getting stuck when confronted with setbacks. Their negativity drags down employee morale, and can become a self-fulfilling prophecy: How can you be successful if, like Eeyore, your prevailing outlook is “why bother?”
Optimists, on the other hand, are more resilient — they tend to face problems head on, are open to solutions and then are able to move on. They have confidence in their own ability and in their employees to achieve a desired goal. This confidence translates to hope, a powerful motivator.
Luckily, with effort, you can pull yourself out of the doldrums and learn to be more optimistic. Here are a few ideas:
1. Celebrate success. Publicly recognize what your team is doing right and how their efforts contributed to the larger goal.
2. Look for solutions. When something goes wrong, don’t focus on placing the blame, focus on finding a solution.
3. Keep your eyes on the prize. Remind yourself and your employees of long-term goals. Often, short-term setbacks can be more easily overcome when viewed through the lens of a larger goal.
4. Be on guard against needless negativity. Attitudes are contagious. This doesn’t mean you can put a moratorium on bad moods, but keeping your pulse on how your team views you, the company and each other is important.
5. Listen and learn. Be available for your employees and open to feedback, especially if it’s negative. How you react sets an example for your team.
6. Smile. This suggestion might have some scratching their heads in its simplicity, but it’s actually a highly effective nonverbal way to convey optimism. In fact, research has shown that the very act of smiling can make you feel good (rather than smiling being a result of feeling good). And smiling is contagious — when you smile at someone, they usually smile back, and it activates their brain’s circuitry for happiness.
We have so much to be optimistic about in our industry. As we reported in our March 12 issue, the new pool index by Metrostudy projects double-digit growth for 2018. Additionally, participants in our upcoming hot tub survey have strongly indicated confidence in the economy and expect strong spa sales. And finally, who can remain a pessimist when our products bring happiness and joy to our customers?
Certainly not I!
