读完这篇文章的标题, the first thought that’s probably going through your mind is “There can be optimism at work? Those two words don’t normally go together.” Unfortunately, you’re right, at least in most companies.
You might think that optimism is the overlooked element at work. 然而，这是显而易见的. What’s not obvious is the influence that is overlooked. 有更丰富的含义, 更大的洞察力, 和 opportunity for improvement in examining the often overlooked influence on workplace optimism. 稍后会详细介绍这种影响.
什么是职场乐观主义?
To ensure we’re on the same page, a definition of workplace optimism is necessary. It’s the hope that good things will come from your hard work. It’s the prudent practice of finding opportunity, or what’s possible, when confronted with a problem. Too many people idolize problems robbing optimism from even having a shot at making an appearance. Workplace optimism is the discipline of looking for what’s right, rather than focusing solely on what’s wrong in the company.
Workplace optimism is powerful because it carves out mediocrity from the fabric of a company’s workplace climate 和 culture. 如何? People perform at their peak when they have hope, 关注解决方案, 和 examine both what’s right 和 wrong in a situation.
被忽视的影响
There are many paths to build an optimistic workplace. But there is only one path that is the heart of the leadership work needed to create such an energizing environment: belonging.
As human beings, we are wired to belong. Some researchers say that belonging is what bonds people together. It’s the bond that is either life-giving or life-depleting. 想一下. When you feel safe amongst a group of colleagues, you can be yourself. 你分享“疯狂”的想法. 你的笑话. 你表现得友好、热情.
Of course, the reverse is true when you don’t feel a sense of belonging. 你保护自己的想法. 你会过度关注自己. 你限制了亲社会行为. You close yourself off to relationships. 你的潜力有限.
Yet, when a leader can help someone feel like they belong to the team, the team benefits. 最终公司会受益. 人的潜能得到释放. 平庸被削弱了.
The Short Comings of the Almighty Dollar
A conversation about belonging most likely seems “soft” for the hard, tangible realities of business. 正确的? 错误的.
Successful businesses have always been built on the backs of relationships. This includes the relationships a company has with its employees.
In the 20th century, businesses pursued profit as the ultimate measure of success. In fact, many still trumpet its place as the cornerstone on which a business is built. Certainly it’s true that profit is key to a business’s success. Yet, profit is merely the outcome of the hard work of the company’s people.
Remember that in optimistic workplaces mediocrity is diminished. Creative, innovative, passionate, 和 talented employees thrive in optimistic environments. It’s the output of these driven employees that obliterate mediocrity. And when such limitations are dislodged from the culture, 伟大的事情是可能的, 和 the company’s bottom line benefits.
归属感的好处
When a team clicks their output is unstoppable. When a team clicks in an optimistic environment, their potential is magnified. A central influence on building an optimistic workplace is creating one where people feel like they belong. A leader who intentionally creates this important characteristic of a positive work environment, 好处有以下几个方面.
1. People believe they are making a difference together.
2. A shared identity—one team—emerges 和 inspires a team to work cohesively.
3. Conscientious behavior informs the actions of the team; people want to maintain the positivity of the work environment.
4. Work becomes more meaningful when you do it alongside people you trust, admire, 和 respect.
5. A commitment to a shared purpose evolves from a shared sense of belonging
In optimistic environments, the team becomes more important than the efforts of any one person. We spend over a 1/3 of our life at work 和 most of our waking hours working. Leaders have a responsibility to shape the work context so that work is a positive influence on people’s lives.
It is no longer acceptable to let work be a life-depleting activity. It’s time for more leaders to step up 和 turn work into a life-giving opportunity.
肖恩墨菲 writes frequently on topics just like this for Inc. 杂志，赫芬顿邮报和 开关和移位他是该公司的联合创始人兼首席执行官. 他也是主持人 叛军领袖 和 重要的工作 播客. 他的书中, 乐观的职场， is available from retailers everywhere.