Cultivating Resilient Optimism: a Key to Workplace Wellbeing

WHO:

NBC News Health - Michelle Gielan, positive psychology researcher and author of “Resilient Optimism: The Science of Sustaining a Positive Mindset in Tough Times”

Fast Company - Arianna Huffington, collaborator in a study published in Harvard Business Review

WHAT:

NBC News Health - Gielan discusses ways to train a positive mindset, stating, “We’re actually sending signals, evidence to other people that progress is possible and that our behavior makes a difference.”

Fast Company - Since 2015, over 25,000 working professionals have taken the Success Scale assessment to measure optimism and expression at work.

Fast Company - Approximately eight in ten respondents still describe themselves as optimistic about their future at work.

Fast Company - The share of respondents who report telling at least three other people when they feel optimistic fell from 37% to 30%.

Fast Company - Starting three or more conversations a day on a positive note dropped from 48% to 41%.

Fast Company - Responding positively when a colleague introduced a new idea fell from 53% to 46%.

Fast Company - Criticism when a colleague introduced a new idea remained near 5%, unchanged from a decade ago.

HOW:

Fast Company - Leaders can increase the expression of optimism at work by making progress visible, pairing problems with agency, and making encouragement specific.

Fast Company - Effective managers regularly discuss what is working, asking questions like, “What moved this week?” or “What worked that we need to build on?”

Fast Company - Leaders should start with truth about problems and then ask, “What have we learned, and where can we go from here?”

Fast Company - Specific praise should be given, such as, “The way you simplified that analysis helped us make the decision,” to reinforce positive actions.

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 16:00 UTC)

Today, Michelle Gielan, a positive psychology researcher and author, emphasizes the importance of training a positive mindset, stating that our behavior can signal to others that progress is possible. Meanwhile, a study published in Harvard Business Review reveals that since 2015, over 25,000 working professionals have taken the Success Scale assessment, with around eight in ten still feeling optimistic about their future at work, despite a decline in the frequency of positive conversations. To foster optimism, leaders are encouraged to make progress visible, provide specific praise, and engage in meaningful discussions about what is working and what can be improved.