Only The Optimists Survive

I found this article in BusinessWeek today on leadership and how true leaders are optimists. The article is kind of fuzzy and subjective but it is a great reminder that amidst adversity there is only one option; to look forward and believe that better days are ahead.

"Only the paranoid survive" was the famous call to action by Intel pioneer Andy Grove, and that hypervigilant motto undeniably has worked wonders during his illustrious career.

For leaders in today's and tomorrow's business climate, however, I suspect that a far more appropriate motto would be: "Only the optimists survive."

I think this article is important because it talks about how optimists define their own reality. To me, that is the same as saying that optimists challenge and break out of the status quo. They do what is not normal and are therefore remarkable. People want to follow people who are unique, people who are extraordinary, people who will lead them confidently into the unknown and succeed regardless of the challenges faced.