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KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF BUSINESS
Volume 38, May 2004
    Publisher: © Key Associates, 2004
ISSN # 1545-8873
http://www.mkkey.com

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This Issue: On "Cynicism"

This is a monthly electronic magazine for anyone 
who wants to be a better leader, coach, facilitator, 
or simply, to tune up their people skills.  It is a 
complimentary publication, devoted to the next
evolution of Quality Thinking.

Contents:

"A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons 
from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed 
in the future." - Sydney J. Harris

"A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks 
around for a coffin." - H. L. Mencken (1880-1956)

"Cynicism is an unpleasant way of saying the truth."  
- Lillian Hellman, (1905-1984), The Little Foxes, 1939.

"What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything 
and the value of nothing."
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Lady Windermere's Fan 1892, Act III

"Cynicism is not realistic and tough. It's unrealistic and 
kind of cowardly because it means you don't have to try."
- Peggy Noonan (1950- ), in Good Housekeeping

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WHAT'S HOT IN LEADERSHIP
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KEEPING HOPE ALIVE.

LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT
THEIR WORK IS, AND THEREFORE, HOW
IMPORTANT THEY ARE.

LISTENING TO WHOM/WHAT YOU PERCEIVE 
AS OPPOSITION, IN ORDER TO LEARN.

COUNTERING CYNICISM AND SARCASM 
WITH AN EAR FOR THE TRUTH AND AN 
EYE FOR THE FUTURE.

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MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A LEADER
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Pessimism is a bad habit.  You encounter it in others; 
you experience it in yourself.  So often in 
management, we are looking for 
problems we must solve, where the fault lies, 
what is broken and how should we fix it.  Exhausted
pessimists become cynics.

In systems terms, cynicism is a Declining
Cycle--repeatedly looking for what's wrong.  
Instead of a Reinforcing Cycle--searching for 
the  good.  The cycles tend to loop in a given direction
until the habit becomes unconscious.  It's the old 
cup-half-full vs. half-empty.  We get stuck in 
viewing everything with the lens of what's wrong, 
not what's right.

Notice the right.  What are we doing well that
we can do more of, to delight customers and 
employees?  Notice someone doing something 
right and applaud it.  Make deposits rather than
withdrawals in people's emotional bank accounts
(S. Covey).  

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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I am inundated with "cynicism."  It's getting to me, 
and I find myself talking the same way.  What to do?

Synonyms for cynicism: sarcasm, suspicion, 
disparagement, skepticism, distrust, doubt,
scorn.

Cynicism is the offspring of "dashed hopes."  At one 
time, there was a dream and it crumbled.  There is a 
second component to cynicism: self-efficacy or "the 
ability to cause something to happen."  Cynics have 
lost their sense of power to change things, thus perceive 
a helplessness that goes along with the hopelessness.  

The leader's challenge is to keep hope alive or 
at least try to rekindle it.  Leaders keep hope 
alive when they set high standards and 
believe in people's capability to achieve them.  
They give reinforcing feedback and publicly recognize 
accomplishments.  They are there to celebrate 
successes and failures.  They train, support, and 
coach people to exceed their capabilities.  They 
lead with inclusiveness.

And they model the way--providing the example of 
optimism and hope, painting word pictures of a
future success together.  Read Kouzes and Posner's
"Encouraging the Heart" (2003).

When I introduce a new idea, I frequently get a 
sarcastic remark about how it won't work?  How
do I reply?

First of all, inventory how many of these remarks 
you have heard in your culture: 

• We will need to hire more staff
• We have too many projects now
• That's not our problem
• Here we go again
• It'll mean more work
• Who thought that one up?
• Yes, but...
• It's too late
• It's not in the budget
• Our system isn't set up to do it that way
• It's too expensive to do it that way
• Are you kidding?
• If it ain't broke, don't fix it
• We've always done it this way
• Don't go there
• They won't let us
• The staff  won't go for it
• Administration won't go for it
• It won't work here.

These are known as "Idea Killers."  PUSH BACK.

"Really, tell me more..."

"Awful lot of work, but it might be worth it."

"Let's stay with this for a moment.  There's time to be realistic later."

"Maybe it's time to try...Let's experiment."

"Who are THEY?"  

"What's a budget for?"

"We'll create it the way we want it."

There is a grain of truth to what the cynics are saying.  
Need I acknowledge this?

Sadly, organizations have disempowered, disillusioned 
and disappointed people.  Management has been seen 
acting in its own self-interests.  Unfair practices, untruths,
and unkept promises have corroded trust.  Maybe cynics
are realists and serve as your reality check.

Don't duck it, clean it up.  

1.  Assume responsibility for the result and apologize.  
2.  Talk straight.  Reveal the truth (it always comes out anyway).  
3.  Make a promise about your future actions, and keep the agreement.  
4.  Re-commit to your relationship and your partnership.
5.  Continue to engage in fair practices.
6.  Link strongly to the values and vision of the organization.

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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Definitions and origins of cynicism, including 
characterization as "a sneering fault-finder"
http://www.molloy.edu/academic/philosophy/sophia/ancient_lit/happiness/cynicism.htm

Take the cynicism test
http://www.i-cynic.com/quiz.asp

The home page for cynicism
http://humanityquest.com/topic/Index.asp?theme1=cynicism

Scholarly treatment of cynicism in business
http://www.mapnp.org/library/prsn_wll/cynicism/research.htm

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OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES 
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This is funny
http://cynicism.com/

Cynicism has been cited as a potential couse
of heart disease.  Check yourself:
http://www.beliefnet.com/section/quiz/index.asp?sectionID=&surveyID=53

Cynicism is not entirely negative
http://www.freeinquirynetwork.com/Cynicism.html

Cartoons on cynicism
http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/c/cynicism.asp

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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS                              
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On-line bibliography
http://www.zeta.org.au/~nps/cynicism/bibliography/en/index.html