“The most valuable commodity today is optimism.”
Reading Liz Kendall’s words, a smile crossed my face; one of those full-hearted smiles that come when someone puts into words what you feel deep down. The words arrived on a weekend already filled with joy, laughter, serendipity, and good conversation about the value of optimism.
Liz's declaration radiated clarity and conviction. As the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, speaking at Bloomberg on “Winning for Britain on AI”, Liz voiced what so many of us feel: in a world of challenge and change, it is optimism that energises people, drives innovation, and lifts nations.
Liz Kendall’s powerful closing lifted my spirits! She said, “And while there are some people – on both the Right and Left of politics – who claim Britain is broken, and that our best days are in the past, I couldn’t more strongly disagree. Every day I meet our brilliant scientists, researchers, educators, businesses and entrepreneurs. I see their talent, optimism and verve…. We can shape the changes technology inevitably brings, and ensure the benefits work for all… the most precious and valuable commodity in my business, and arguably the country, isn’t capital. Or even compute. The most valuable commodity today is optimism. I am optimistic about the future because I know this country has the talent and determination to rise to the challenges we face.”
When I began my own journey into the study of optimism, it came after two years of research and thousands of interviews on the rising negativity toward leadership in Australia. I had set out to understand the roots of Australian distrust and cynicism towards leaders and leadership. Liz’s words did more than inspire; they reminded me why I began this work in the first place. My Eureka moment was this: the problem was not a problem of leadership; the problem was the fog of pessimism. A heavy atmosphere that clouds judgment, dulls human potential, and corrodes trust. If pessimism is the fog, then optimism is the lighthouse that guides us through. From that moment, my mission became clear to ask, “What makes you optimistic?” and to listen, share, and amplify the answers.
That mission is not yet mainstream. In much of the Western world, commentators and media voices tilt toward cynicism. Pessimism is often mistaken for wisdom, and hopeful leadership is dismissed as naïve. Yet there are powerful voices who see clearly and still choose to believe in better.
My friend and colleague Will Sarni captures this spirit in his essay Optimism as Strategy:
“Optimism is not about wishful thinking. It is about seeing clearly, choosing to believe in progress, and acting accordingly. It is a mindset that fuels bold action.”
His words came to mind again yesterday when I caught up with David Sproules, Managing Director of Unlock Possibilities. He offered a powerful reflection on Liz Kendall’s message:
“Naming optimism as the most valuable commodity feels deeply true. In uncertain times, it is optimism that mobilises talent, courage, and action—not in a naïve sense, but as a grounded belief in what is possible when people are unleashed to contribute.”
This is the heartbeat of our time. Optimism is not a slogan. It is a mobilising force. It is the spark that brings talent alive, and the light that draws people forward.
Just a week before Kendall’s speech, The Economist published a warning editorial titled Pessimism is the world’s main economic problem, declaring: “The greatest threat to the world economy is now a politics shaped by pessimism itself.”
Against that backdrop, Kendall’s optimism offered not relief, but redirection. A confident alternative to the slow creep of distrust and despair.
Kendall is no newcomer to public service. A centrist in the Labour Party, she stood as a leadership contender in 2015, known for her clarity, reform agenda, and practical optimism. At the 2025 Innovation for Growth Summit, she captured the essence of realistic and optimistic leadership:
“I have always been a realist. I know we face big challenges, as a country, and as a world. But I am also an optimist. I am a glass half full kind of a woman.”
Optimism is realism. That is the foundation of what we call infectiously optimistic leadership. It means facing challenges with clarity, drawing strength and optimism from the community, and leading with purpose and belief in a better future, which in turn energises and uplifts others.
In her Bloomberg address, Kendall named optimism as Britain’s most valuable national asset, pointing to the “talent, optimism and verve” of scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs. She understands something profound. Progress does not emerge from cynicism. It comes from conviction and belief.
The science supports her claim. The University of Sydney’s Optimism Effect study confirmed that producer optimism, the confidence and mindset of business leaders and creators, leads directly to increased investment in research and development, stronger productivity, and greater innovation. Optimism is not decoration. It is an economic multiplier.
And Kendall is not alone in voicing this bold truth.
Penny Mordaunt, a Conservative Member of Parliament, former Leader of the House of Commons, and former Party leadership contender, offered a striking insight:
“The faultline in politics at the moment is not between left and right but between optimists and pessimists. We need optimists for the next tough shift.”
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore, adds a global vision:
“Creating bases for optimism has to be our central task everywhere in the world and through global collaboration. We must create bases for optimism to see ourselves through this long storm and to emerge intact; emerge a better place, and it can be done.”
These voices are converging. The message is clear. Optimism is no longer optional. It is essential. It is our most valuable human commodity.
So, I honour Liz Kendall for her courage and clarity. She joins a growing movement of leaders who are not merely describing what is wrong with the world, but are daring to build what could go right.
And I leave you with the question that opens hearts, unlocks minds, and shapes destiny:
What makes you optimistic?