Post by M.J. Ryan, contributing Women On Business writer
Think hope is not something we need in the hard business world? Think again. In these challenging times, says psychologist and hope researcher Shane J. Lopez, it’s a crucial business skill. Here’s why. When we’re faced with challenges, as I describe in AdaptAbility
Fear, as Lopez describes it, “is associated with signals from one of the oldest parts of our brains, the amygdala. When we experience threat, the amygdala initiates a process that helps generate the physical resources we need to kick ass or make tracks. We have few other options when we are fearful; we behave as if we have blinders on.
“No creativity comes out of fear; we just don’t see options when we are fearful.”
Fear actually slows down our thinking and, when strong enough, can even cut off the ability to think at all. We disconnect from others just when we need to reach out. It’s like putting blinders on. That’s why I call fear the enemy, not change itself.
Conversely, he explains, “Hope is wired in the youngest part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex. When we attach ourselves to the future through a goal that matters to us, our new brain tells us to reach out, find more resources, get some support. Hope effectively takes the blinders off and helps us see chance and opportunity.
“Innovation comes out of hope; we create something out of nothing then tweak, tweak, tweak until it works just right. Hope works because it broadens our thinking and because it fuels persistence.”
Not only does hope foster creativity, but without hope, it’s extremely hard to have goals or to be motivated to improve a situation. Here’s another reason to practice hopefulness—feelings are contagious. The more fearful you are, the more others around you will become, and vice versa.
Which do you want to bring to work—your primitive brain that’s as smart as a lizard? Or your new brain that can help create a positive future for yourself and the rest of us?
To make sure your most resourceful thinking is working, turn fear into hope with these three questions:
- If anything could be right about this, what could be?
- What opportunities has this situation created?
- How can I turn this situation to my advantage?
Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women on Business. She is a 25-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored ten books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).
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Hope is a necessary element to accomplish anything. You have to believe in the possibility that you can be successful. Nice reminder of that!