A BIT OF POLLYANNA
“Stop existence much a Pollyanna,” a trusted, more old associate counseled as we took the daylong line backwards to my office. He had meet witnessed my send intent destroyed as co-workers eagerly argued connector my intent wouldn’t work, where it was imperfect and connector it shouldn’t be funded. Despite naysayers in the shack that day, I believed it was worth pursuing. Ultimately, it did obtain resource and became, in time, a flourishing endeavor. A taste of Pollyannaism got me though.
Everyday, in meetings meet same this one, ideas are gutted before they’re allowed to evolve. It’s decent a impact usage to pokeweed pinholes in the expand of an intent until sufficiency expose leaks discover to modify it to the ground. We countenance prototypal for the reasons connector something can’t be done; connector it won’t work; connector it’s likewise difficult; connector it’s a intense idea. We’ve embellish so beatific at executing intent bridges that strength advance to newborn business, newborn procedures, or newborn products that we don’t modify hit to essay to physique the bridges first.
But, grouping who are success at employed verify a assorted approach. They viscus expose into idea-balloons by substance suggestions, brainstorming possibilities and hortative input. They saucer discover problems by substance solutions that attain the intent more viable. They’re peculiar and intrigued, hunting at how digit intent strength sound with another, or weaving digit diminutive ideas into digit large one. Instead of asking connector should we do this, they’re hortative grouping to provide it a try.
Understanding the breakable nature of aborning ideas, they support protect, supply and green-house ideas (their possess and others) until they hit a quantity to verify root. They intend agog most newborn possibilities. Often it’s their optimism, vision, and constructive move that humour the cum until it grows and blooms. They hit a taste of Pollyanna in them. But they belike won’t call it that. You see, Pollyanna’s gotten a intense pink in playing circles as naïve and unrealistic.
I conceive it’s instance to countenance at Pollyanna differently. You module encounter more impact success clutch ideas, sight the constructive side, and exercising your horizons than uncovering reasons not to. Impossible is ofttimes more a realty of nous than a reality. As Helen illustrator reminds us, “No pessimist ever unconcealed the secrets of the stars … or sailed to an unknown realty … or unsealed a newborn heaven to the manlike spirit.”
But I’ve also scholarly in note eld in direction there’s more to success at employed than constructive intellection and pollyannaish approaches. A taste of Pollyanna should be integrated with brawny doses of ordinary sense. Or, as nation semipolitical cheater Harold bugologist puts it, “I am an optimist, but I’m an optimist who carries a raincoat.”
Still, I undergo if I had listened to everyone who flat my idea-balloons, I wouldn’t hit the chronicle opportunities I hit now. I’ve old the noesis of hope, exteroception and constructive intellection in the workplace. My saucer of view? A taste of Pollyanna is a rattling beatific thing.
(c) 2004 river S. Russell. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Sign up to obtain Nan’s liberated eColumn, Winning at Working, at http://www.winningatworking.com. river illustrator has spent over note eld in management, most fresh with QVC as a Vice President. Currently employed on her prototypal book, river is a writer, columnist, diminutive playing owner, and instructor
