Developing a positive outlook to counteract negative 'yes, but…' thinking

We can all engage with negative 'yes, but…' thinking. Indeed, lawyers are trained in the art of critical thinking. Some do it very naturally
and even draw their energy from it. But,
did you ever ask yourself "could you please stop looking for problems?"

Law firm leaders need finely-tuned antennae to spot the negative 'yes, but…' issues. Much time is spent on identifying strategic, financial, client-related, operational, reputational and business risks. Almost by instinct, leaders are also looking for other project-based negatives.

Negative 'yes, but…' thinking is clearly very important; it might save the day. But, it is also important to counteract the potential psychological side effects if it starts to dominate your thought processes.

Tunnel vision

The world in which each of us lives is constantly busy. Though we think we see it all, in reality it's all too much to take in. We only have so much capacity for attention. One of the key determinants of what we actually see is the focus of our attention. We tend to have a confirmation bias and see primarily the things that we are looking for. Remember the last time you were planning to buy a car? In the days ahead of the purchase, did you suddenly notice your chosen make and model on nearly every street? Most likely, there were just as many on the roads the previous week, but you just did not notice them.

Similarly, if we are on the lookout for the negatives (and things that confirm negative thinking), we may not see or give any conscious attention to the positives. This mindset can have a damaging effect on professional and personal relationships, and create unhappiness and anxiety.

Continual negative 'yes, but…' thinking can also fuel a pessimistic predisposition. This can create excessive stress and a feeling of helplessness in challenging times. Poor wellbeing at work is increasingly becoming a 'dealbreaker' for lawyers. UK mental health charity LawCare has reported that stress is one of the most common reasons that lawyers contact it for support.¹

A focus on the negatives could
also mean foregoing the benefits of more optimistic thinking. One would not advocate a mindset that 'everything will be fine' if that is irrational or reckless. But, an optimistic mindset can enable you to keep going
when others would give up, to find creative
ways to overcome challenges and to spot new opportunities.

Research has found a positive link between optimism and performance at work.² It has also shown that leaders who are more optimistic in their outlook and language are better able to increase stakeholder confidence in the firm's future performance and to positively influence
its market position.³

And, if that's the case, there is a risk
that excessive pessimism is the pathway to less favourable results.

Positive thinking

It may not be easy to change ingrained thinking patterns, but there are ways to incorporate positive 'yes, but…' thinking into your repertoire to bring a more positive outlook into view.

• Maintain perspective on the doomsday scenario. Slow your thinking down. Consider the factors that would need to be in play for that outcome to arise, the probability of each occurring and the true impact, even if it did. Then, think about the more positive outcome that is equally likely to transpire. Perhaps the reality will be somewhere in-between.

• Make a point of looking for what's good in any given situation and what has gone well. Write down the words 'but, on the upside…' and force yourself to complete the sentence at least six times. You may well find some small wins that you can build upon. You may spot opportunities that you had not previously considered.

• Make a note each day of at least
  three moments that have been good or meaningful to you. Search for the things that you may have ignored. You can also seek to create opportunities for good or meaningful events to occur regularly. This could be very beneficial. For example, research has found that pro bono work not only improves mental health but can also help you to live longer.⁴

Changing your mindset is a challenge. However, consciously persisting with these strategies over several weeks can help you to enjoy the benefits of a more positive outlook, without losing your grip on reality.

Colin Dworkin is a former corporate
lawyer and now business psychology consultant at Talaspect Talent Development (https://talaspect.com). He gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Dr Karen Lindall (karen.lindall@roodlane.co.uk)
to this article.

References

1. See 'Poor wellbeing at work a 'dealbreaker' for male lawyers',
   Manju Manglani, Managing Partner, November 2014

2. Learned Optimism: How to Change
   Your Mind and Your Life, M.E.P Seligman, Vintage Books, 2006

3. See 'Leader's personality affects stakeholder response to bad news', Manju Manglani, Managing Partner,
   Vol. 17 Issue 5, February 2015

4. See 'Pro bono work improves mental health', Manju Manglani, Managing Partner, Vol. 16 Issue 2, October 2013