I think we too often make choices based on the safety of cynicism, and what we're led to is a life not fully lived. Cynicism is fear, and it's worse than fear - it's active disengagement.
~Ken Burns, Award-winning documentarian
Clients come to VIM Executive Coaching with all sorts of mindsets; there are the hopeful, the creative, the job-hoppers, the optimistic, the angry, the pessimistic, and so forth, however, in terms of mindset, the most difficult challenge of all are working with those who are cynical.
They give up and give in
The cynical not only give up on themselves and their work, but they give in to their fears and worse, giving up on the possibility that things could get better, ever. For many of the most cynical of the cynical, there is only one driver; the attitude of “just give me the money, and leave me alone.”
The problem with cynicism, of course, is that it is infectious. It affects every aspect of work life (and often spills over into the personal). When money is the only driver, when the most cynical view money as their sole reason to trudge into work, even if that trip is the 10 feet from the bedroom to the desk, no amount of money will ever be enough.
The cynical get so programmed into believing that nothing matters, that the world is out to get them, that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, that they shut down. They shut down to their organizations and to those around them.
Obviously, the cynical executive, regardless of the profession, affects the organization as well as themselves. The image of the “lovable old curmudgeon,” is just that – an image, a façade and an obstacle to progress. Co-workers generally avoid the cynical and frankly, those who work only for the paycheck are often isolated and are eventually dismissed from their jobs.
No one needs the cynic
Corporate life these days, from healthcare to consumer products and beyond, is tough enough. After a while, the cynic is mocked and deemed irrelevant. In most every case, they are not promotable. No one needs a whining voice reminding everyone of what can’t be done, can’t be accomplished, can’t be rectified.
Some cynics allow themselves to go so far down on the pessimistic scale that they fall into a state of hopelessness. Fortunately, the cynical in the work place can be helped to become more hopeful and engaged in their work lives. It is through the use of mindfulness instruction.
Mindfulness is the opposite of cynicism. Cynics, invariably use their state of mind to go right to an imagined conclusion that the ending will be as miserable as they imagine; a forgone deduction that their work life will always be miserable. In that context, virtually everything in their world is pre-judged.
The mindful, on the other hand, are open to possibilities and opportunities in the present moment. The mindful are open to change and growth and even to new opportunities. The cynical are not.
Often, when the cynical are fortunate enough to secure a new position (a fresh start), they almost immediately revert to type. In other words, they don’t learn and they don’t change. The mindful respond, not react. The mindful live in the moment with authenticity.
The least authentic of all are the cynics. When life is only viewed through the lens of misery, the results are as imagined. We can all work for the paycheck, that is true. The problem is that the paycheck is never quite enough.
At the end of the day, no one likes the cynic; they bore, they defeat optimism, they defeat themselves. You don’t ever have to be one of them. Ask us about our mindfulness training and why VIM feels so positive about those who become more positive.