Today we learned that the UK economy has escaped recession, albeit by the skin of its teeth, and… so far. I heard on the radio that the economy is “flatlining”, which has disturbing connotations if you are a cardiac surgeon, but just means here that the growth curve not going up or down.
I visited the Southern Manufacturing trade show earlier this week, and I’d like to think that our technology and manufacturing industries are defying that trend. There was some energy at the show, with what looked like a healthy number of visitors. I spoke to some exhibitors who were reporting that business was good, and most were optimistic about both the show and the coming year. Now, these guys are all salespeople, so they are always going to say that kind of thing. But I think that this energy and optimism not only bodes well, it is also very important.
Optimists do better at selling because they are more persistent and less easily discouraged by rejection. We understand that the hallmark of pessimism is a tendency to see negative events as long-lasting, all-encompassing, and personal faults. On the other hand, those who possess an optimistic outlook, even when faced with similar challenges, take a contrary perspective. They view setbacks as temporary, specific to the situation, and not a reflection of their own abilities. Optimists view obstacles as opportunities to overcome, approaching them with determination and a can-do attitude. In our business, we believe in harnessing the power of positivity to overcome the challenges.
This is a feature of what we call “engluesiasm”. We don’t see flatlining in our future, because, underpinned by a good plan, we are applying our optimism for positive, timely outcomes. And success breeds success.
This is a good recipe for the UK economy too.
