The Power of Positivity: How Leaders Benefit from Optimism and Positive Thinking
Be positive. That’s a phrase that has always resonated with me. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always seen the glass as half full and not half empty.
This doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced some very tough times. Failed businesses, shattered relationships, and many missteps in work and in life. While each situation triggered a deluge of negative emotions initially, eventually I chose to focus on the silver lining, lessons learned, and growth from each one.
I recognize that not everyone is wired in this way – Silver linings are hard to see, lessons learned seem trivial, and looking on the bright side seems disingenuous. For me, I look for the good things, but I know others struggle (or don’t want to) to do the same.
To help nudge people along, I’ll make the case through a leadership lens of positive thinking and being optimistic. In a future post, I will provide tips to boost your ability to think positive.
5 Benefits of Positivity
There are a number of tangible benefits of positivity on you as an individual as well to your team and organization. Below are 5 of the most important benefits of positive thinking.
Positive Thinking is Contagious
At its most basic level, optimism is contagious. Think about moments when you spent time with someone who is extremely optimistic about life. Compare that to times you were surrounded with pessimists and nay sayers. How did you feel in each situation? Positive (and negative) thinking is indeed contagious. I recognized this back in high school and as a result have been intentional about the people I surround myself with as I am extremely sensitive to the contagion of pessimism. My wife is one of the most positive people that I know. Her radiant optimism helps me stay positive on a daily basis, despite the obstacles in the road to forward progress. Leaders who are optimistic will rub off on others and bring up the overall mood of the team.
Positive Thinking is a Powerful Recruitment Tool
People are naturally attracted to positive thinking and optimists as it’s just more fun to be around people who see possibilities in place of risks. This isn’t to say that there isn’t a strong need to have a counterbalance of people in teams and companies who can peek around the corner and identify risks and challenges. My point is that a generally positive sentiment is a powerful recruitment tool, not that you should create teams solely consisting of optimists.
Positive Thinking Helps People Stay Calm during Turbulent Times
Business is hard. Consumer tastes shift, new competitors come out of nowhere, new rounds of funding can be hard to come by, supply chains are pinched, and employees walk out the door seeking greener pastures. Leaders who stay positive while expressing that optimism to their teams will help them remain calm during the inevitable business cycles and unexpected bumps in the road.
Positive Thinking Helps People Focus on Solutions
Another benefit of positivity is that it helps you and the team stay focused on solutions as opposed to looking for reasons why a new idea or initiative will fail. Michel Kripalani, who I interviewed on my podcast and for the book, demonstrates positive thinking when he asks, “How might that work?” in place of “Will that work?” Pairing positive thinking with a solution-oriented question will help you stay on track to find answers to problems in place of all of the reasons you, the team, or the company will fail.
Positivity is Good for Your Health
Perhaps the strongest benefit of having a positive mindset is that positivity leads to good health outcomes. Research shows that people with a positive outlook have a lower incidence of heart attacks, increased life span, lower rates of depression, and better overall health as compared to people who with a negative outlook.
The Bottom Line: Positive Thinking is Good for Individuals, Teams, and Companies
Positivity clearly has benefits not just as a way to lead a longer and healthier life, but also as a tool to build a stronger and more resilient team. When you encounter an obstacle in life or work, try to look for solutions in place of why you won’t succeed and identify lessons learned from your mistakes and failures. It will rub off on your team, create a positive team dynamic, and it’s just a better and more joyful way to live your life.
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