Man, things are looking BAD out there! If you listen to the morning news (or as we call it Morning Mayhem) we are a nation of gunslingers, arsonists, car crashers and miscreants. The stock market is shaky, the economy is plummeting and war is waging. RUN!

What year am I talking about? Doesn’t matter… Barbara & I have done a fair amount of traveling over the years and the television and newspaper news stories look pretty much the same everywhere. And, as we get older, it seems as if the news is repeating itself!

In spite of all the ‘bad’ news, when we go to the grocery store, people are shopping, our customers continue to grow their businesses one client at a time, and restaurants appear to be doing a fairly good business. What’s the point? No matter how bad things seem to be, people (small business people in particular) appear to be resilient and radiating hope.

Optimism is the emotional component that brightens prospects, and makes it possible for hope to flourish no matter the state of the economy. Yes, we’re in a downturn but if you really want to hear about ‘bad’ times, talk to your grandparents. And yet when you do, most of them won’t wail about the ‘bad’ times, they’ll talk about making do, having enough and getting by. These are the people who raised a generation that is considered one of the wealthiest to date.

One of the best coaches I’ve ever read about is Jon Urbanchek a six-time U.S. Olympic assistant swim coach. Urbanchek, a Hungarian immigrant, has coached 33 Olympic athletes, five of whom achieved gold medals. His secret, which he revealed in an interview with the Ann Arbor News, is: "I always look at making something good out of something bad. I always look at the bright side of everything. I'm a very positive thinker."

Optimism is a gift that many leaders possess. Optimism is often intertwined with hope, and rightly so, but there is a difference. Hope is the process of becoming, of seeing and striving for positive outcomes. Optimism is the emotional component that brightens prospects, and makes it possible for hope to flourish.

Optimism Needs Action
Two presidents known for their exceptional transformational leadership skills radiated optimism. In the depths of the Great Depression mentioned earlier, the jaunty demeanor and upbeat talk of Franklin Roosevelt made people feel better about dire circumstances. Fifty years later, Ronald Reagan applied his sunny disposition to seemingly intractable issues, economic malaise, burdensome taxes and Soviet hegemony. Again, people felt better. Both Roosevelt and Reagan coupled their attitudes with solid action. Despite your politics, it’s hard not to like those two.

Optimism without action lacks credibility. So managers who wish to generate a sense of optimism must do so with purpose and planning. Communication is essential. Here are three actions to consider:

Look on the Bright Side
A generation ago, Norman Cousins wrote of the power of positive thinking in his book about his own ill health, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient. Medical research bears out the fact that a patient's positive attitude toward disease can ameliorate symptoms and contribute to recovery. If this is true for health of the body, it is definitely true for organizational health. Managers who focus on what is possible can help their people achieve better outcomes.

Address Negatives
People make mistakes, deadlines slip and projects fail. Rather than gloss over such problems, optimistic managers can address the situation head on and then move on. By confronting reality, you communicate that you understand the seriousness of the situation but you also believe that things can be made better. Mistakes are seldom fatal, and projects can be resurrected with appropriate deadlines. Being upbeat in times of crisis gives people faith and hope that things will get better, if they do their part.

Provide Recognition
Nothing energizes an organization like recognizing people in a timely and meaningful way. Timely means doing it promptly as well as regularly. Meaningful connotes providing recognition that communicates something special to the individual.

Optimism is a life force of its own. Like hope it requires an ability to look at what many perceive as negative and discern something positive. All leaders cannot do this, but they owe it to their people to make the effort. It may not alter the course, but it will make people feel better and perhaps even achieve more than is expected of them. Take it from Jon Urbanchek: "You've got to lighten up. Otherwise it will be all work."