How Can You Build Optimism in Hard Times?

The Center’s Workgroups are optimistic they can help people stay optimistic

How do you provide everyone reassurance?

Be honest: Tell people the truth about what’s happening
Stick to the facts: Facts are emotionally neutral and should speak for themselves
Get ahead of gossip: If you don’t provide the facts, people will make them up
Cadence: Communicate often on a schedule and stick to it
Embrace The Stockdale Paradox: Face reality and maintaining your aspiration
Don’t cut corners: You’re under a brighter spotlight, so lapses will be seen as large
Be consistent: Create talking points for executives and the board
Know your audiences: Anticipate what kind of information each audience will hear
Take the long view: Remind people about what hasn’t changed

How do you create exciting new ideas?

Start with your mission, your calling, your Why
Seek ideas out: Ask, “Where are the opportunities in this crisis?”
Accept them: Leaders need to be open to ideas, even during a crisis
Smaller, shorter and fewer meetings: “White space” among meetings lets ideas germinate
Be quick: Good ideas usually emerge in the first 5 or 10 minutes of a meeting
Throw out the manual: Let everyone know it’s time to reinvent
Start small: Take innovation in small steps. Don’t aim for a breakthrough
Experiment often: The best time to change things is when things are changing

How do you maintain your own energy and sanity?

Stay fit: Regular exercise, eat well, sleep. You know you should
Have a hobby: Put your concentration elsewhere
Celebrate incremental successes: Don’t let your positivity fall below zero
Be grateful: Things could be worse and remember that nothing lasts forever
Be proud of enduring: Facing a crisis makes you a better person
Show appreciation of others: Not just what they do, but who the underlying talent