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Embrace Your Pessimism

Embrace Your Pessimism

At least some of the time.

Pop culture bombards us with “the glass is half full” messages and scolds those that refer to anything that resembles “a half empty glass”.

Yet we owe our existence, in part, to the survival strategies that kick in when we view things pessimistically.

The pessimist label can lead to misunderstandings and mistrust, hampering multicultural teamwork. I have seen people jump to conclusions, calling someone a pessimist, simply because they used the word problem, instead of challenge.

(Germans love the word problem, because once identified, there is something specific to fix.)

When Jack Swigert and Jim Lovell communicated their situation during their Apollo 13 space flight, they did not say, “Houston, we have a challenge”. They simply called it a problem and went on to solve it with Ground Control in Houston.

Pessimism is instinctive to our survival, while optimism is fundamental to our thrivival.

Don’t let words alone lead to labelling others.

How are you encouraging meaningful conversations that express both the pessimistic and the optimistic perspectives in your leadership team?

Photo Image by iStock-162895537

Contact Information

Dan Norenberg
Wensauerplatz 11
81245 Munich
Phone: +49 172 862 5123
E-Mail: dn@dannorenberg.com

About Dan Norenberg

Dan Norenberg improves leadership performance and organization results through Executive Ownershift®, his transformational growth process for executive teams. As a trusted advisor, consultant and professional speaker, Dan’s mission is to enable executive teams and their organizations to play at their best.

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