People who are mentally fit perform better. This is good for the company, but above all for the employees themselves. In their events during Mental Health Week, experts Hans Rusinek and Carl Naughton explain how people can shape their own working lives with optimism and confidence. In search of clues.

The news is not getting any better – either inside or outside the company. Waiting for the economic upturn is grueling. Personally, I can't do anything to change the fact that it's not coming. “That's true. But whether it comes or not is independent of the decision to get involved in a project at work. It's important to keep an eye on external circumstances, but they don't prevent us from taking action ourselves,” says futurologist Carl Naughton. Okay, but looking outside affects our mood, i.e., our motivation. The expert has an answer for that, too. He has answers to quite a few questions that lead to only one conclusion: those who get involved, even if they make mistakes or suffer setbacks, are more likely to succeed in the end, feel better about themselves, and make a valuable contribution to the company.

The basis is optimism about the future
Carl Naughton developed the term “optimism about the future” from the concept of “psychological capital.” “It's easier to understand, inspires optimism, and doesn't evoke associations with Freud and Marx,” he says. The goal is to tap into the psychological capital that each of us has. “Studies show that people with high psychological resources are more motivated, more productive, and more resilient,” says the doctor of linguistic psychology. But how can we develop it in times of daily negative headlines? “Through confidence, trust, resilience, and realistic optimism. These four dimensions can help us achieve a lot,” says Naughton.

Confidence as an inner attitude
And so one might ask: How can I gain confidence in the face of the many crises and uncertainties in this world? “It can be trained,” Naughton is convinced. Confidence, in particular, is a question of inner attitude. Do I assume that the new project just presented by my boss will come to nothing anyway? Or do I have the attitude: ‘Yes, I see this new project as an opportunity, I want to help shape it and play a part in making it a success.’ “We're not talking about blind optimism here. We take a close look and also gain confidence by imagining possible future problems and thinking about solutions for them.” Even after a setback, the confident colleague asks, “So what do we try next?” This is how they motivate their team and inspire them to follow suit. Confident people remain capable of action, seek solutions and alternatives, and become creative. Naughton adds: “Studies show that confident teams are more stress-resistant and develop better solutions because they don't waste their energy brooding, but invest it in action.”

Confidence through experience
Confidence, on the other hand, is a question of how much I believe in my own self-efficacy. We all know that moment when another change comes along: a new program, a project with completely new parameters—everything seems difficult. Once again, it's your inner attitude that counts. It can help to remember everything you've already achieved. What challenges you've already tackled actively and with a lot of energy and mastered despite a few stumbling blocks. “Research shows that people who believe in themselves remain more motivated, are more resilient, and enjoy their work more,” says Naughton.

Crucial for the company
This attitude is of utmost importance for companies: “Confidence is the basis for willingness to change and innovation.” Only those who believe in their own creative power will try new things and drive change forward. “In times of transformation, confidence is therefore not a luxury, but a core competence – for each of us and for all of us together,” he concludes.

Resilience makes us fit for the future
Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. Either I win or I learn.” This quote from the Nobel Peace Prize winner stands for extraordinary resilience. Even after a long prison sentence, he did not lose it. Applied to our work, this means that no matter what we do or embark on, there will always be setbacks. How we deal with them is crucial. Do we sink into frustration and become passive, or do we try to use setbacks as a springboard, learn from our mistakes, and improve ourselves?

Change is rarely straightforward
According to Naughton, resilience is key to a company's future viability. Resilience allows us to withstand setbacks and even use them proactively. “This enables us to remain capable of acting as a team – even in turbulent times,” he says.

Realistic optimism strengthens teams
Those who attribute setbacks to external circumstances tend to view them as temporary and can look to the future with greater optimism and take action. “Realistic optimism is particularly important in teams,” says Naughton. It acts as a mood anchor: when others have doubts, it reminds them that progress is possible. This maintains the balance between sober analysis and a motivating vision of the future. “Managers who exemplify realistic optimism create an atmosphere in which employees find confidence and guidance even in difficult times,” says Naughton. For him, realistic optimism is the attitude that drives change. It combines clarity with hope and a sense of reality with energy. “And that's exactly what we need to move forward into the future with courage, determination, and success.”

Three questions for Hans Rusinek!
He earned his doctorate at the University of St. Gallen, where he continues to research changes in our working world.

Mr. Rusinek, you are committed to a better future of work. Let's say I find myself in a crisis with my job. What should I do?
First of all, crises always have a positive side. They are often the impetus for change. In your case, I would recommend an open conversation with your supervisor. Conversation is our best “repair software.” Explain in detail why you are frustrated and what you could do for the company. Then give your boss at least three months to respond. He will do something.

Such a conversation requires courage...
That's true, but you have everything to gain. You spend about a third of your time at work. That third should also be meaningful. Studies show that people who find meaning in their jobs perform better, experience more appreciation, and are also much more balanced and happier in their private lives. There are interactions between these areas. The often-described model—I go to work, spend my time there to earn money, and live my real life in private—does not work. If we no longer feel anything at work, then we feel the same way in our private lives. People cannot split themselves in two. Courageous employees are extremely valuable to companies.

Why?
In an experiment, students were placed in a waiting room where smoke slowly filled the room. When the test subjects were seated alone in the room in the first arrangement, they quickly left to seek safety from what appeared to be a house fire. In the second arrangement, groups of three were led into the waiting room. Again, smoke filled the room, but this time it took much longer for one of them to seek help. Everyone relies on each other—and in the end, it may be too late before someone draws attention to a problem. Therefore: Be brave and take the lead!