We don’t just train leaders, we build internal systems that help teams thrive, especially when times are tough. One of the most difficult challenges leaders face today isn’t just external pressure from markets or competition, it’s the silent spread of pessimism inside their teams. A pessimistic workplace chips away at performance, energy, and engagement. The worst part? Most leaders don’t even see it happening until it’s already taken hold.
Here’s the truth: you don’t have to surrender to a negative environment. You can shift it, and it starts by choosing to reclaim your power and lead with purpose, even when things feel uncertain or draining. Here are three steps from our Power in 30 framework to help you and your team break the cycle of pessimism and take back control:
1. Choose Optimism Deliberately
Pessimism feels easy. It disguises itself as realism. It shows up in hallway conversations, team meetings, and Slack threads. While it might feel justified, it’s rarely productive. Optimism, on the other hand, is often misunderstood as blind positivity, but real leadership optimism is rooted in action and agency.
The first step to reclaiming power is to realize that optimism is a choice. It’s a decision to focus on what you can influence rather than what you can’t. Anyone can point to the reasons something won’t work. Great leaders identify the path forward anyway.
Ask yourself:
- Am I modeling the mindset I want my team to adopt?
- Are we spending more time naming problems or creating solutions?
Reframing team dialogue around possibilities rather than obstacles is the first sign that a leader is regaining control of the narrative and the team’s energy.
2. Charge the Battery
Mindset is like a smartphone battery. If it’s not charged, it doesn’t matter how great the apps are, nothing works. In the same way, your team’s problem-solving ability, creativity, and accountability decline when the collective “battery” is drained.
So how do you charge it?
- We teach a three-part process in Power in 30 that starts with this question:
- What are you doing daily to recharge yourself and those you lead?
- Are your meetings fueling action or draining morale?
- Are you building in small wins and recognition, or only focusing on what’s not done?
- Do people feel like they’re making progress, or just spinning their wheels?
A recharged team doesn’t mean a stress-free team. It means a motivated, clear, and capable group of people who believe their efforts will lead to meaningful results. When leaders focus on charging mindsets intentionally, they reset the emotional energy of the entire organization.
3. Shift from Complaining to Creating
Pessimism thrives in cultures where blame is louder than action. If your team is swirling in unproductive meetings, constant finger-pointing, or passively waiting for someone else to fix things, it’s time to shift from reaction to ownership. We teach leaders to look for "excuse language" statements like:
- “That’s just how it is here.”
- “We tried that before, it didn’t work.”
- “There’s nothing we can do about it.”
These phrases are signals that your team has fallen into what we call The Excuse Trap. It’s not about bad attitudes, it’s about low belief in control. As a leader, your role is to interrupt that pattern and lead your team back into ownership. That doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. It means asking better questions:
- What can we control?
- What’s one thing we can try?
- What assumptions might be keeping us stuck?
By helping your team take one step forward, one small win, you start a chain reaction that restores momentum and optimism.
Reclaim Your Power
You don’t have to be loud, flashy, or naturally inspirational to lead with power. Reclaiming leadership in a pessimistic workplace is about small, consistent actions that shift how people think, speak, and act. When you choose optimism, recharge the battery, and shift your team from complaint to creation, you’re not just managing through hard times. You’re building a team that’s resilient, adaptive, and fully accountable.