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Continuous

Don’t just champion new ideas; strengthen personal relationships.

In times of unprecedented turmoil (混乱), there is an understandable temptation for leaders to bet the future on game-changing ideas: digital disruption, product reinvention, organizational transformation. All too often, though, leaders who champion futuristic ideas overlook the human and emotional connections that keep colleagues upbeat today.

Sharon Salzberg, a central figure (人物，数字) in the field of meditation, works with caregivers (看护人), educators, and social-change activists — well-meaning (善意的；好心的) people with aspirations (志向) to make a big difference. She urges these leaders to tend first to their “three feet of influence” — the clients, patients, people and teams closest to them. “Few people are powerful enough, persuasive, persistent, and charismatic (超凡魅力的；神赐能力的) enough to change the world all at once,” she argues. “The world we can most try to affect is the one immediately around us.”

To counter so much bad news, share every piece of good news.

Experts on human psychology don’t agree on very much, but nearly all agree that people respond more viscerally (本能地,发自内心的) to bad news than good. To keep people optimistic, they advise, leaders should emphasize (even over-emphasize) hopeful stories and positive developments.

Research psychologist Robert F. Baumeister estimates that it “takes four good things to overcome one bad thing.” So pop a (virtual) cork whenever a team hits an important milestone. Hold a department-wide Zoom bash (盛大的聚会，盛典) when you land a new client. Distribute a newsletter that highlights what’s going well, to help people compensate for (补偿) what’s gone poorly. And treat yourself the same way: “Instead of obsessing about a snarky (尖刻的) comment on social media, scroll down and reread four compliments (恭维，道贺),” Baumeister recommends.

These are challenging times to stay energized and upbeat. Hopefully, applying these four pieces of advice will make you and your colleagues more optimistic. If that’s not enough, you can always join Optimist International. I hear the organization has open spots for new members.

See you tomorrow