![]() Entrepreneurs, for example, are much more likely to be optimists. ![]() 1 To energize an optimist, positive feedback is absolutely essential, because the optimist builds on incremental achievements and a sense of positive movement.Ĭhoose optimists to lead growth activities in your family organization. People with optimistic spouses were healthier in a 2014 study by researchers at the University of Michigan. Optimists also have larger social networks, solve problems cooperatively, and are more likely to seek help in difficult situations. But pessimists in the corner office or leading the family are less likely to foster a culture of growth, risk taking, and wealth creation.Īccording to Jeremy Dean, a researcher at University College London, optimists prefer to think about how they and others can advance and grow. For this reason, pessimists can make good operational leaders. Pointing out what has gone wrong or what's less than perfect will motivate the pessimist to innovate products, improve plans, and solve problems. To get the most out of the pessimist in your family-owned company, researchers say, you need to provide "targeted negative feedback" from a trusted authority. When the news is bad and likely to get worse, a pessimist is your best ally because pessimists thrive on fixing errors. When pessimistic about needed economic recovery, for instance, families save money and companies build war chests. Pessimism drives you to seek and find safe havens, establish clear advantages, and protect resources. If you're a pessimist, you tend to focus on safety and security. These natural traits motivate people to take action-different actions, but at least action. It's probably a good thing for us that so-called rationalists (tagline: "Why so emotional?") are in the minority, because studies show that without optimism or pessimism people don't accomplish as much. Never disappointed." Which do you pick up first? One, Time, has Warren Buffet on the cover, under the headline "The Optimist." The other publication is, whose tagline is "Expecting the worst. I plunk down two magazines in front of you. But they will do it in different ways, with different goals. So here's a question to ponder: Is it better to have an optimist or a pessimist leading your family organization? As I'll show below, both have their own unique traits that can benefit a business. To cope with uncertainty, most people basically assume that things will either turn out well (the optimists) or turn out badly (the pessimists). Optimism and pessimism are strong, stable traits that reflect our coping strategies. Editor's note: This is part of a series of occasional columns on managing the family business written by Senior Lecturer John A.
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