The true hope of optimistic pessimism

Last week I had an absolute ball running a session for the Agency Hackers community on our Agency Radar forecasts of inflation, recession and client decision-hesitancy.

Sounds bizarre to enjoy that, doesn't it?

But, to me, it was energising.

I wanted to write about the weird optimism I feel, behind the pessimism about the global outlook — after all, I'm also forecasting we’re on the road to a golden age for agencies.

I struggled for a few days with the words, when serendipity provided me the way.

An email arrived from the blogger Noah Smith in which he quotes the philosopher Antonio Gramsci on how he was “a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will”:

You must realize that I am far from feeling beaten…it seems to me that… a man ought to be deeply convinced that the source of his own moral force is in himself — his very energy and will, the iron coherence of ends and means — that he never falls into those vulgar, banal moods, pessimism and optimism.

My own state of mind synthesises these two feelings and transcends them: my mind is pessimistic, but my will is optimistic. Whatever the situation, I imagine the worst that could happen in order to summon up all my reserves and will power to overcome every obstacle.

And that says perfectly what I love about great entrepreneurs, especially those in the adventurous terrain of agency land.

Yes, plenty of agency owners are the 'crushing it, smashing it' type who always appear to be up, thinking they need to portray pure optimism and “fake it 'til they make it” — so they find it hard to frankly face up to problems.

And of course the people at the far pessimistic end of the scale never start an agency in the first place.

But most leaders I meet are thoughtful, wise, frank and open people capable of being both "pessimistic because of intelligence, and optimistic because of will".

And this is where true hope is, I believe.

This is real entrepreneurship. Being able to see what's wrong, where the problems are going to come from — and having the will to make it all good.

This was demonstrated by a question in the webinar from an agency founder I respect highly, in which he half-joked that maybe he's crazy for planning to grow his agency in this coming economic storm.

I don't think that's crazy at all.

I think that's great agency leadership, to both know big problems are coming, and have big positive plans based on that reality.

So that's the challenge this week. Embracing both those aspects in your self. Let your intelligence go wild with exploring what could be problematic in the next year, but let this knowledge fire up your will to build a great agency to be proud of.

Get fired up about your purpose and ambitions all over again.

Your clients need you more than ever.

They need you to be the trusted adviser who shows them what's ahead and prepares them for it.

Procurements will go quiet, and that's not going to be the way to win business now — being their go-to wise head is going to be the way.

Fire up your will power all over again.

There are great opportunities ahead, for those who can see ahead.