Amanda Noz lives in Nice in the south of France.

Amanda has a background in the telecom industry. She started in Australia and worked her way around the world – Paris, Carolinas in the USA, Petaluma in California, San Francisco Bay area and then back to Paris.

As COVID hit, Amanda left the corporate world and started her own company focused on helping clients with transformation and change. She is also an advisor on the board of the Centre for Optimism. In the Nice Cote d'Azur, Amanda is the Professional Women's Association leader.

Optimism is the belief that things will work out in the end. Suppose it doesn't work out it is not necessarily the end. There are several types of optimists.

Amanda considers herself to be a natural optimist. However, she is also a realistic optimist.

At each stage of a transformation process, optimism has a role to play.

People are not easily fooled. Therefore, during a crisis, be open and honest with everyone.

From a leadership perspective, the modern organisation is much flatter than in the past. This means the leader's role has changed a lot. L

What makes you optimistic today? This question opens up a different conversation.

Some responses start positive, but then a "but" is inserted, and the actual situation comes to the surface. It can be a brake from the positive outlook.

How important is it to have an explorer mindset?

Psychological safety at work is essential.

Optimistic people are more engaged.

An optimistic culture requires people to feel comfortable presenting their ideas and progress and to be supported. There needs to be trust on both sides and across the organisation.