Show Notes – Episode 17: Victor Perton

Victor Perton is the Chief Optimism Officer for the Centre for Optimism.  He encourages everyone to plagiarise this title because he would love to see more COOs around the world.

Victor is the child of refugees who came to Australia in the early ’50s.  His mother survived Soviet communism and nazism in Germany.  She died last year at the age of 92 and still teaching.  His mother was a great influence on his life. 

Victor has been a barrister and then a politician for 18 years.  He was then the trade commissioner for Australia in the Americas.  Victor found the Australian reputation in the Americas as a people of relentless optimism.  Once he arrived back in Australia, he was stunned by the negative language towards leadership. 

He embarked upon a survey of the Australian leaders.  The conclusion was that the leadership was quite good.  So why the negativity?  In 2017 at the Global Integrity Summit, he made a speech titled: “The Case for Optimism”.  It was wildly successful, turning into a book and a global speaking tour.

The Victorian government then sponsored the opening of the Centre for Optimism.

The critical question is: “What makes you optimistic?” He acknowledges there is hardship, grief and misery in the world, but through it, all people can be, and are, optimistic.

Every day he asks several people:

“What makes you optimistic?” 

“How are you leading your team with optimism?” 

“How has Covid set you up for a better future?”

University students are motivating each other on TikTok. 

Optimism needs to be involved in strategy. Organizations need to measure optimism and make it part of the strategy. When this approach changes, the outputs and direction of an organization also changes.  If the board and the executive team are open to optimism, then opportunities and an innovative way forward also opens up.

The ideal leader in the evolving work environment is to be realistic and infectiously optimistic.  The ideal leader is the person who can unlock the optimism in their team.

Do not ask: “What is keeping you awake at night?”

Ask:  What makes you Optimistic?”

The pessimist is incapable of innovating.  Successful companies need to recruit optimists.

There is much discussion about resilience. However, the optimist will devise a way forward.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, senior leaders are much more in touch with employees.  They are in meetings and engaged with the team. Talking and listening to employees is critical.  It used to be “touching base”, but what is needed now is engagement from leaders.

“My best self” is an initiative that helps people visualize an optimistic future and realize dreams and life goals.

Ask, “What makes you Optimistic?

Do not ask, “How are you?”

Instead, ask: “What is the best thing that has happened this week?”