Resilient Optimism R

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1 esilient Optimism Executive Summary When something unexpected happens, humans look for ways to explain it. Optimists explain things in constructive ways and try to avoid feeling helpless. Their generally hopeful attitude leads them to act constructively, too. Hundreds of research studies have shown that optimism has extraordinary benefits. Optimists do better at almost anything that involves rebounding from failure or criticism. Whether it s selling, sport or school, optimists are more likely to create successful outcomes. For example, research shows that optimistic sales people outperform pessimistic sales people by % across a wide range of industries. Optimists are likely to have better relationships, physical health and well-being, too. esilient optimists use specific thinking patterns that keep them hopeful about future outcomes. They avoid thinking that would make them feel helpless and pessimistic. Their realistic and generally hopeful attitude helps them persist towards their goals when others may quit. Thinking that helps people stay positive more of the time and recover faster from setbacks is well understood and learnable. This vital skill is taught widely by psychologists to their clients. Never before has high quality training in this priceless life skill been so convenient and affordable. Credible information comes online in a virtual classroom workshop, anywhere convenient that you have an Internet connection. Individuals, leaders and groups have a golden opportunity to apply or improve these essential skills in daily life. Decinar Pty Ltd Ian McLean at info@.com c Copyright 2013, Ian McLean: Oct 2016 esilient Optimism 1

2 What is resilient optimism? When an unexpected event happens, humans search for ways to explain it. Optimists choose to explain events in constructive ways. Optimists choose to explain events in constructive ways. They generally keep a hopeful expectation about future outcomes. Their hopeful attitude moves them to act in constructive ways. Things often go better for them1,2. When optimists are confronted with an unexpected negative event, they work against sliding into helplessness. They search for constructive explanations that offer some control over future outcomes. This helps them to keep trying when faced with setbacks and difficulties1. esilient optimists are evidence based and rational in their thinking. They see candid risk analysis as an essential part of problem solving and goal achievement. This makes them more effective in tasks that require persistent attempts at their goals. Effective optimists welcome negative feedback that assists them to achieve their objectives. They see it as a valuable resource to help them advance, even though it may be uncomfortable in the moment. How useful is resilient optimism? Optimists receive significant benefits from their style. The value of resilient optimism is extraordinary. Hundreds of studies have shown that optimism leads to higher motivation and achievement in almost any activity that involves dealing with failure or criticism. In activities as diverse as selling, sport and school, optimists are more likely to thrive and succeed3,4,5. For example, extensive studies of sales performance show that optimists outsell pessimists by 20 40% across a wide range of industries: real estate, insurance, office products, automotive sales, banking, telecommunications etcetera3,5. Optimism leads to significant life benefits, too: elevated mood, better relationships, better physical health and well-being, and less infectious diseases1,3,6. 1Seligman (1997); 2Weiner (1985); 3Schulman (1999); 4Gordeeva & Osin (2011); 5Corr & Gray (1996); 6Peterson & Seligman (1987) 2 esilient Optimism

3 How does resilient optimism work? When an unexpected event occurs, we try to explain it to ourselves, and maybe to others, too. Positive mental attitude affirmations and celebrity success stories may be generally encouraging. However, they all have limited utility when trying to explain particular events. The specific skills of resilient optimists are required. esilient optimists strive to explain and learn from events and advance in constructive ways: to get less unhelpful events going forward; to get more helpful events and improve future outcomes1. Their specific skills are well understood and proven. A key discovery was the seminal work of psychologist Dr Albert Ellis, who developed ways to lead his patients back to rational living2. Now, decades later and with additional work by many others, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a standard technique used by consulting psychologists. Key aspects of the optimistic style can be learnt. Key aspects of this technique can be learned by anyone who wants to recover faster from setbacks and stay positive more of the time. This knowledge is a vital asset for self-leadership, people leadership and high achievement. If leadership is setting a direction and influencing people to follow it, then resilient optimism seems both empowering and indispensable. Accessing this information has been difficult The problem has been to gain access to these skills of optimism in an economical and effective format. The best sources have been the most difficult to tap into - the professional academic journals and university courses that are accessed by just a tiny percentage of the population. Some others discover this information through meeting with consulting psychologists. Only a relatively small number of people buy personal development books and fewer still actually study them. Brief exposure to personal success stories in conferences is unlikely to develop in-depth skills in resilient optimism, either. 1Weiner (1985); 2Ellis & Harper (1961) esilient Optimism 3

4 A new way to access skills of resilient optimism Virtual classroom technology now makes training in resilient optimism accessible as never before. Credible content sourced directly from the professional academic journals and books is at your fingertips. All that s needed is an Internet connection and computer in a convenient location. You can enjoy and benefit from easy-to-understand adult learning in an online workshop with other aspiring people. The proven skills of optimism are no longer restricted to a fortunate few. What could YOU do with resilient optimism skills? Are some benefits like these relevant to your growth and development in resilient optimism? A. Enhance resilience ecover faster from set-backs and stay positive more of the time. B. Strengthen persistence Become stronger at persisting with unsuccessful attempts that are part of the process in some activities and professions. C. Centre of influence Develop further as a centre of influence for optimistic explanations and constructive action in your organisation. D. Customer relationships Employ the exact same skills in your relationships with customers. Become even more skilled at focusing conversations on solutions and improved outcomes. E. Inspiring leadership Enhance your performance as an inspiring leader in your group. Move conversations toward hopeful explanations and constructive action when things go awry. F. Optimistic culture Use the exact same skills to celebrate and repeat successes in your group. Help nurture a culture of hopeful expectations and continuous improvement. 4 esilient Optimism

5 G. Improve self-talk Tune-in to your inner monolog of self-talk. Be more effective in shifting your self-talk to optimistic explanations when needed. H. Help others Increase your skill in empathic listening and understanding. Help loved ones recover faster from setbacks and stay positive more of the time, too. I. eframe past events eframe your past disappointments, mistakes and unwanted events with these skills, so they have less impact on current thinking. J. eframe future thinking eframe thinking about achievements that may be within your grasp, given a hopeful attitude and constructive action. Which features of resilient optimism training online would advance your development as a high achiever? Credible content drilled deep in the published academic research; closely paralleled with Emotional Intelligence and Competence, Positive Psychology and Appreciative Inquiry. High quality materials that make engagement with the content enjoyable and effective. A summary PDF of the key concepts, ready for your smartphone, tablet and/or computer. An interactive workshop on the world s leading virtual classroom service designed specifically for education. An affordable investment that you didn t think possible for a product of this quality and useability. Engaging with a social network of like-minded people who share similar knowledge and aspirations. esilient Optimism 5

6 Find out how this might work for you If you ticked a bunch of these boxes and maybe thought of even more benefits, we recommend that you click this link to Decinar. Invite us to stage an online Decinar Discovery session in the virtual classroom for your organisation or yourself. FEE! See actual Decinar program materials running on the actual virtual classroom platform that we use. Make a well-informed decision on whether this training in resilient optimism would meet your needs. We welcome your invitation. Ian McLean PhD, Managing Director, Decinar eferences Corr, P. J. and J. A. Gray (1996), Attributional style as a personality factor in insurance sales performance in the UK Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol 69, pp Ellis, A. and. A. Harper (1961), A New Guide to ational Living, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey USA. Gordeeva, T. O. and E. N. Osin (2011), Optimistic Attributional Style as a Predictor of Well-Being and Performance in Different Academic Settings in The Human Pursuit of Well-Being: A Cultural Approach, I. Brdar (ed), Springer Science + Business Media. Peterson, C. and M. E. P. Seligman (1987), Explanatory Style and Illness Journal of Personality, Vol 55:2, pp Schulman, P. (1999), Applying Learned Optimism to Increase Sales Productivity Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, Vol 14:1, pp Seligman, M. E. P. (1991), Learned Optimism, Knopf, N.Y. Weiner, B. (1985), Spontaneous Causal Thinking Psychological Bulletin, Vol 97, pp esilient Optimism