Zelenskyy and the Power of Strategic Optimism
A Commentary by Victor Perton
Dan Sabbagh's headline says it all: "Zelenskyy employs strategic optimism to highlight Russia's abundant bad faith."
His observation was sharp: "A degree of optimism so high that it could only be interpreted as political positioning."
That's not theatre. That's strategic leadership powered by optimism.
President Zelenskyy didn't return deflated after a challenging round of diplomacy from #Washington to European capitals. He returned energised, offering not complaint but conviction. His optimism is deliberate.
At an early point in the war, I said in a meeting of Ukrainians at The Centre for Optimism, "Zelenskyy models optimism as defiance, as inspiration, and as strategy."
President Zelenskyy is a masterclass in infectiously optimistic leadership, a leader who proves my point: "Optimism is a state of mind, not a state of the world."
Zelenskyy proves that optimism is a rallying cry and a strategy.
As strategist and change expert Jeff Kerr-Bell says, “No optimism = no strategy.”
Optimistic leaders create the space for bold thinking, clear decision-making, and the resilience to keep going when challenges arise. Strategic optimism is realistic, purposeful, and contagious.
Visit our insights at Optimism and Strategy to explore how to incorporate optimism into your strategy sessions, scenario planning, and leadership conversations.