In my first week at my new job, I put my title in my email signature. According to me, I was no longer plain old "Robbie." I was now "Robbie Abed, Junior Analyst."
My career coach at the time emailed me with a recommendation. Take out the word "junior," he said, and just put "analyst." I asked him why.
"So clients won't immediately dismiss your advice or your work deliverables," he said.
"Sure thing," I told him. "I'll be CEO soon enough!"
That's about as naive as someone in a new job can get, right? But in my defense, I was totally green and as optimistic as any new hire could be. But I soon realized that unchecked optimism wasn't going to get me far in my career. I needed to face the realities of my career progression first.
In every leadership position I've held since those days, I've approached optimism from a realistic perspective. By that, I mean that I've taken an objective look at what's happening in my business and my career and often that means facing the brutal truth head-on.
The brutal truth could vary from not having the right team in place to execute your vision, or even understanding that you may not be the best person to lead this company. Recognizing the honest truth of your situation, you can make better decisions.
Once I recognized the truth that I was a better creative marketer than a marketing leader, it changed my leadership style overnight. I purposely stepped down out of a role and instead asked someone to replace me so I can do a different role within the organization. It takes a lot of guts to do that, but in the end, it made others respect my work.
Acknowledging reality, however painful it might be, has made me a better leader by anchoring my natural optimism in the truth. Genuine optimism begins with humility and that means seeing your life and work in the cold light of day.
HERE are three ways you can become a more optimistic leader by starting square in the middle of reality.
(Original article by Robbie Abed)
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