Are you and your team optimistic — and pessimistic — enough?

Strategic leaders value and cultivate the right kind of optimism and pessimism on their teams.

THINK ON IT: Are you and your team optimistic — and pessimistic — enough?

My wife and I often joke that in our marriage, I’m the kite and she’s the string. 

I’m always striving to fly higher. She’s always anchoring me to the ground.

It’s a beautiful thing. A kite without a string can’t fly. A string without a kite just lies on the ground. Neither are doing what they were made to do.

The same dynamic is true for the optimistic and pessimistic members of your team: they are both necessary for the journey. You need the right amount of each to get the kite in the air and keep it tethered to reality. 

The optimists help your team to think big, to dream, and then chase the dream, hopeful that good things are coming for those who jump in with both feet.

The pessimists–they get release forms signed first. 

If you don’t have optimists on your team, it’s hard to rally them to take that daring adventure. On the other hand, if you have too few pessimists, you’re likely to find your kite in a tree–or worse.

According to researchers 80% of CEOs are optimists. And, as a CEO, you likely favor those on your team that share your optimism and don’t slow you down with “details.”

That’s natural. It’s your lens. Those who have a more pessimist perspective view the world through their lens.

As a strategic leader, you understand that. Though you have the preference for your perspective, you value and cultivate those who see things differently than you.

So, take stock of your team and celebrate the healthy mix of views on it. 

Your kite will thank you.

[Premium members] It’s not just about having a mix of optimists and pessimists on your team. There are healthy and unhealthy expressions of both. Read on to know how to spot the difference and cultivate healthy expressions on your team. Become a Premium Member.

“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the aeroplane; the pessimist, the parachute." — George Bernard Shaw

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