RSA ANIMATE: Smile or Die

Royal Society of Arts

Why leaders watch it

Shows how forced positivity suppresses bad news and honest risk discussion, a trap leaders create when they demand optimism from teams.

An RSA Animate drawing of Barbara Ehrenreich's talk on the darker side of positive thinking. It argues that forced positivity in culture, work and policy can be harmful and played a part in the financial crisis.

Takeaways

• Mandatory positivity hides real problems
• Optimism culture discourages honest risk talk
• Blaming individuals ignores systemic causes

Topics: Culture & values, Ethics & character

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