‘A conspiracy of optimism’ ..
This is how we have often described the communication/behaviour status quo within some(many?) organisations. Everyone wants things to be ok, so if we nod our heads and say positive things, maybe it will be? In the meantime, it might get someone off our back.
Put as simply as this, most people would agree that SAYING it is alright does not mean it IS alright.
This is not to say that optimism isn’t important. Of course it is! Without trial and error and buckets of optimism just imagine what would never have come to pass…WORLDY THINGS in healthcare, tech, human rights developments. PERSONAL THINGS, a promotion, an out-of-your-league date. BUSINESS THINGS – a transformational contract, a new product - the list is endless. Optimism is encouraging, infectious, energetic, vital.
But why do we conspire with colleagues to be optimistic when, perhaps, things aren’t all rosy in the garden? To do so might defer bad news, or extra work. Individuals or teams might feel under pressure to ‘match’ the energy, vibe, or optimism of a senior partner who has asked about a client or project. It could deflect uncomfortable scrutiny, and to do so as a group might partially trick us into believing what we want to be true, or at least delay the inevitable.
Meanwhile however, operating in a conspiracy of optimism can, in the immediate term, be to badly manage the expectations of colleagues (the financial controller keeps a big deal in the quarterly budget/P&L, even though it has been delayed) or a client (who believes their marketing campaign is on time and on budget when at least one of those isn’t true). It can delay good decision making, strategic thought, and appropriate communication, all of which are costly.
In the longer term this conspiracy of optimism can seriously hamper objective learning. It helps to breed complacency (as distinct from confidence) in the face of competition, and it gets in the way of progression and development. Managers, keen to report good news up the chain, might be a facilitator element.
Orwell Independent helps organisations listen, or listen better, to their stakeholders. If you would like to hear how our professionally dispassionate approach to stakeholder feedback is helping our clients be more objective around feedback, and avoid the pitfalls of conspiring to be over optimistic, please get in touch.
