Are You An Optimist?

People are making emotional, knee-jerk decisions, then standing by them, sometimes fighting to the death to defend their position. And yet, we're optimists. Are you an optimist?

Optimists donʼt believe it has to be this way. We donʼt believe humans evolved to be so bad at making decisions, so poor at changing our minds, so violent in arguing our point of view. Weʼre well aware of how split our country and our world have become, but we donʼt think the current state of affairs is built into our very nature.

THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE MEDIA. In the old days, we had the time and inclination to consider the implications of a decision. Everyone wasnʼt in quite so much of a hurry. At the same time, most conversations (and most arguments) were local ones, conducted between people who knew each other. Today, itʼs very different. Television demands a sound bite. A one hundred word letter to the editor is a long one. The same old story is replayed over and over until you are sick of it.

Radio has become a jingoistic wasteland, a series of thoughtless mantras, repeated over and over and designed to fit into a typical commute. Even magazines have lost their ability to present complex arguments that take more than a minute or two to digest. BusinessWeek would rather put another picture of Jack Welch or Bill Gates on the cover than actually teach its readers something new.

Obviously, this creates winners and losers. The winners are the media companies (that exist to sell ads and attract the maximum audience size) and the demagogues and fundamentalist leaders that gain in power when large numbers support them— regardless of the accuracy or usefulness of their position.

In the Internet (and especially blogging), we see the glimpse of an alternative. Taken over time, many create a thoughtful, useful argument that actually teaches readers something. Challenging people to think in a new ways is what is being in business is all about.

Have you ever read something or heard something or seen something and felt the switch flip? Sometimes this happens if youʼre reading a particularly good business book (the way quality and excellence spread through our business culture.) Sometimes it occurs in a bar, in the middle of a thoughtful discussion about politics. Sometimes it just takes one photo on the cover of a magazine. Weʼre unique in our ability to consider thoughtful arguments and change long-held beliefs. This flexibility is at the core of our democratic ideals.

Itʼs so easy for CEOs and entrepreneurs to embrace the flavor of the day, to stick with the pack, to keep their heads down. Far better, it seems, if you would make decisions based on reality, not tradition. So, we fail when we call people names. We fail when we invoke tradition or a higher power or superstition to explain our decisions. (I'm not saying we don't need to call on our higher power, I'm just saying sometimes we make irrational decisions and blame our higher power.) We fail when we decide that the ends justify the means, and when we take callow shortcuts to achieve our ends.

If the thought process is right, if the arguments are sound, if the facts are correct but you are bothered, perhaps you feel challenged to change. Think about and discuss ideas in a civil manner. Galileo was right—the earth does move. You don't change processes overnight. It takes time. Embracing thoughtful and empowering discussion is still the very best way to find the truth. Don't be afraid to use new ideas. If you are an entrepreneur and have a new idea, don't expect everyone to accept your idea overnight. Use respect. It's the only way to reach your destination. Focus on being rational and thoughtful and you will be more productive.

Remember you are the difference. Your goal is to make a difference. Stay calm and peaceful and you will make a difference with your passion. Have a problem? Something can be done about it.