Be Optimistic

Moving forward is better than standing still

I said a few weeks ago that 2021 wouldn't officially start until January 20, and that turned out to be true in so many ways. I’ll make my repeated claim that I choose not to discuss politics, and there are still many things that worry me about the state of our Union. But on the whole things have been calmer on that front since the “new year” began. 

Something else happened on January 20. This guy turned 8 years old, and joined our family on January 23rd. Meet Sarge.

Optimism reigns

Check on your stress levels since January 20. Consequential executive orders are being reversed, in favor of policies most Americans actually agree with. Vaccines are rolling out and the economy is inching forward. Guys making $35,000 per year made a cool million on the GameStop frenzy. What is consistent about the past week has been optimism:

• That the little guy can defeat Wall Street giants. That a President can work for more than just his base. 

• That a well-loved dog can travel 1600 miles from the only home he’s ever known, which sat on 4 acres of open space, to a new loving home in the city, where he is learning how to go up and down steps and walk on a leash for the first time. 

• Friends took on new, exciting jobs, got venture-funded, and bought new cars and RVs. 

• Summer vacations are being booked. 

Crazy Mountains, Montana outside Bozeman

These are signs that we are once again looking to the future, not unafraid but less afraid, and hopeful about what is to come next and how we can thrive. 

Brands are leaning in

On Inauguration Day, a smattering of brands applauded the new administration. There was no systemic backlash. Some examples (thanks Morning Brew):

• Ben & Jerry’s: Posted “First woman, first Black, first South Asian Vice President” to its socials.

• Bumble: Posted to Instagram: “It’s Madam Vice President time” with the caption “We’ve been ready.” 

• Audi and Patagonia: Praised President Biden’s climate policy decisions. .

Consumer brands are feeling confident to say how they really feel, and unsurprisingly these statements about our country are not being politicized by leadership on either side. They are mired in their own muck, but they are letting people have opinions again that don’t match their own. Let’s keep this train running. 

Work to be done

There is still a lot left on the table to be done, of course. I was listening to Tim Mapes, the CMCO of Delta Airlines, who has done an admirable job making that company a model of customer-centered excellence. He made the point on a recent CMO Moves podcast that airlines are probably the largest unsupervised workforces out there, as pilots and flight attendants rarely if ever fly with their “bosses.” It’s up to Delta to make these people feel good about their job and share that feeling with passengers when they board the plane. It's up to all of us to provide optimism to those who don’t have enough, similar to the amazing It Gets Better Project that has gotten thousands of LGBT+ youth through the toughest of times. 

In light of all the optimism I am feeling (and hope that you are too) there are plenty of people that are not seeing the light, or are just beginning to. Here are some beacons to shine on their paths:  Viola Davis would not have become an actress if it weren’t for Cicely Tyson paving the way. The new CEO of Walgreens is the only black female leader in the Fortune 500 right now, and the new Vice President of the United States is the first nationally elected woman of color. My friend Steven Wolfe Pereira, an amazing person in his own right, posts daily about BIPOC people taking on executive roles at the top of the marketing and media industry. Reaching those heights is great for them personally, but it is also the start of where change will actually come from - people who reflect the changes in our country, and can be the mentors for those who look like them and bring their communities into similar leadership roles over time.