Be a ‘realistic optimist’

If you have a tendency towards pessimism, you are heading for a career as a mediocre manager.

Be a ‘realistic optimist’
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I’m frustrated. I walked through some beautiful citrus orchards with a farm manager – let’s call him Jacob – a few days ago. The trees were laden with fruit and the farm dams were full, yet all Jacob could talk about was the failure of the latest land reform project, a recent crime incident and load shedding.

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Why are so many South Africans obsessed with bad news? Why are so many of the big agricultural opportunities being developed by non-farmers who are often not even SA residents?

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We seem to be our own worst enemies, focused on the negative and blinded to the myriad opportunities on our doorstep. At the recent Subtrop marketing symposium, renowned economist and author JP Landman was the keynote speaker. I admire him because he resists what psychologists call ‘the anchoring bias’, which has people relying too heavily on one piece of recent information, especially if it’s emotionally charged.

Instead, Landman takes the long view. His writing and presentations always highlight both positive and negative elements of the past while drawing conclusions about the future. Over tea at the symposium I told Landman how much I admired his optimistic demeanour, and that I wished we could see more of it in farming circles.

Pessimists never succeed
“How many successful and growing farming businesses do you know of that are led by pessimists?” he asked.
I tried to think of some, but of course there are none. “You see,” said Landman, “it’s really quite simple. Pessimists never succeed in business, any business, not only farming.”  He went on to point out that being an optimist didn’t mean throwing realism out of the window. “What entrepreneurs and managers need in order to build a successful business is an attitude of ‘realistic optimism’.”

Negativity at work
It’s often said that farmers are by nature optimists, otherwise they wouldn’t be farmers, but you and I know this is not true. Jacob was certainly no optimist, and there are many like him. Luckily, he’s the farm manager, not the owner, who I know is much more balanced in his approach to life. Nevertheless, Jacob will need to be watched carefully by his boss, as his negative outlook on life will pervade his work situation and affect the business.

Simply compare!
There are no handbooks on how to go about fighting off a pessimistic outlook, but I can tell you from experience that there is one very easy way to make big changes in your attitude. Get on a plane and spend a few days with farmers in Nigeria or Zimbabwe or Mali or even Mozambique.

Then move on to Egypt or Tunisia or Libya, and after you get through the security cordons at the airport and the hotel, talk to a couple of local farmers. You’ll feel much better – and be on the first plane home. It’s called ‘perspective’, something many of us gravely lack, and it’s so easy to develop by taking a few days off and doing some selected travelling. And at home, whenever the conversation becomes a gripe session, walk away. Surround yourself with positive, ambitious people instead.

This article was originally published in the 27 February 2015 issue of Farmer’s Weekly.