Are you pessimistic about your work? Worry no more

Strategist pessimists are focused on succeeding and do not think much about what else could happen when they set on a duty. All their energy is aimed at making it happen and not to fail. PHOTO/FILE 

In Summary

• According to psychology professor at Wellesley College in the US, Julie Norem, who has done a series of studies on the subject, a defensive pessimist can be any individual who is engulfed in anxiety when expected to handle a certain duty, assignment or play a designated role.
• Prof Sanna explains how defensive pessimism can work for a sales executive: “For example, an executive is getting ready to pitch a project, and she thinks beforehand the client is going to be really difficult; ‘he’s not going to like my proposal. I have to make sure I explain things very clearly.’ She uses defensive pessimism as a tool to work through all the possibilities, so she’s prepared for everything, even failure.”

By MORAA OBIRIA
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Ever wondered why your co-worker would worry so much about rejection of his proposed business expansion plan prior to presenting it to the boss even when he is known to be the most experienced marketing strategist in the organisation?

It is easy to label him a self-prophet of doom or accuse him of low self-esteem and lack of confidence.

However, strange as it may seem, that way of thinking, research shows, could be healthy for their performance at the workplace. The fear drives them to plan for options. Those who experience it are referred to as defensive pessimists.

According to psychology professor at Wellesley College in the US, Julie Norem, who has done a series of studies on the subject, a defensive pessimist can be any individual who is engulfed in anxiety when expected to handle a certain duty, assignment or play a designated role.

The person sets low expectations of the outcome, thinks through all the possibilities in which it will fail, and tags along the possible measures to take to avert the failure or to give probable alternatives.

DEFENSIVE PESSIMISTS

This is the opposite of strategist pessimists, who are not anxious and have high expectations. Strategist pessimists are focused on succeeding and do not think much about what else could happen when they set on a duty. All their energy is aimed at making it happen and not to fail.

However, as professor Norem argues in her book, The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, which is a summary of her studies, the mental composition of a defensive pessimist prepares one for the worst and drives the person to plan effectively. And this, in the long term, improves his or her work performance and productivity.

“What’s intriguing about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, and so their low opinion of the outcome isn’t realistic.

They use it to motivate themselves to perform better,” writes Lawrence Sanna, also a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina, in an article titled: The Power of Negative Thinking, published on Oprah.com.

In the conventional psychology, one will tell you to remain optimistic and think about only the positive while ignoring the fear and worry hanging on your forehead.

But it is that negative thought, researchers say, that defensive pessimists capitalise on to manoeuvre and avoid depressing moments in the aftermath.

Prof Sanna explains how defensive pessimism can work for a sales executive: “For example, an executive is getting ready to pitch a project, and she thinks beforehand the client is going to be really difficult; ‘he’s not going to like my proposal. I have to make sure I explain things very clearly.’ She uses defensive pessimism as a tool to work through all the possibilities, so she’s prepared for everything, even failure.”

Understanding the motivation behind the defensive pessimists is necessary to avoid discouraging them.

The anxiety gives them the driving force to achieve their work ambitions, and so affirmations such as, “You are good” or “You are better”, will be damaging to them.

In fact, studies show that when they are in good mood, they become complacent in their tasks. They experience a lack of the pessimistic energy they need to motivate themselves to be more critical of their duties.

In an organisational environment, employers and employees are likely to adopt a preventive mode of working to adapt to threats against their businesses or job security. They subconsciously apply defensive pessimism.

For instance, in times of job cuts and economic recession, conditioning oneself with, “If I’m not careful enough, I might fail. If I don’t work hard enough, I might fail” is very effective. This is according to psychology professor Tory Higgins of Columbia University in an article titled, What’s My Motivation?

BALANCED VIEWS

While discussing a construction project, a strategist pessimist may see a complete glass building, while the defensive pessimist will see only the cracked walls.
Organisation managements should use these differences in thinking to seal all the loopholes that could lead to the failure of its projects or plans, rather than force either to focus on the positives, say the experts.

Despite the push on and pull through attitude exhibited by the defensive pessimists, Wandia Maina, a counselling pyschologist in Nairobi, says they can be prohibitive  to other employees’ performance if they are in leadership positions.

“A leader who indicates that something will or may not happen will affect how other team players will involve themselves in a particular duty,” she argues. “It will discourage them and for those with weak personalities, it will definitely smash their ambitions completely.”