Ray Titus is CEO of United Franchise Group (UFG), a global leader for entrepreneurs with brands in over 1,600 locations in 60 countries.
I’ve always been a positive person, thanks to my dad. He had an amazing amount of confidence in his ability to get through anything, and I tried to model my behavior and attitude on his. It’s a matter of staying positive—not ignoring the negatives but realizing that, with the right attitude, you can find a silver lining behind almost any business cloud.
The first step is looking at the challenges and obstacles that get in our way, then looking at that adversity from another angle—the opportunity angle. Being opportunity-minded has helped my company thrive in some of the worst economic circumstances ever.
For instance, when people started losing their jobs in the 2008-2009 recession, we saw the opportunity to help them make a fresh start. We added a business brokerage that grew to be a thriving global brokerage.
When the pandemic hit, we created a state-of-the-art studio where we could do everything through virtual meeting platforms, including touring our headquarters and stores. It kept us going while adding to our tech capabilities. Long after the pandemic has faded, the studio continues to be an efficient way to bring together our international workforce.
When bad things happen to your good business, it’s time to ask yourself, “Bitter or better? Which would I rather become?”
Realism, Not Denialism
Staying positive doesn’t mean denying a problem exists. It means working at “turning lemons into lemonade.” It requires acknowledging what is happening but not accepting it as a fate that cannot be changed. Once you start accepting negatives this way, company culture can change so that everyone focuses only on the negatives in any situation.
The need to find a silver lining must be communicated over and over with one-on-one meetings, group meetings, emails, virtual conferences and the like, to reinforce the idea. You must get everyone to see it and believe it by living it!
An opportunity-minded approach positively affects company culture because everyone feels that, no matter what happens, they can get through it and possibly even be in a better position.
Building A Positivity Habit
I like to say looking for and finding the silver lining is in my DNA, but it’s a habit that’s become automatic from practice, just like any other habit. Anyone can build it into their life by adopting these strategies whenever a setback arises:
• Recognize the issue or problem.
To find a silver lining, you must first see the cloud it’s hiding behind. Identifying and facing the issue honestly is the first step in reaching a positive outcome.
• Observe what others are doing to get over it.
There are few problems in business that others aren’t also having or haven’t already experienced. Find out how they’ve solved it—or failed to solve it—and see if that helps you.
• Keep looking for ways to improve yourself and your company.
Practicing the habit of lifelong learning can minimize consequences when problems occur. And the more you know, the more quickly you can see the opportunities hidden behind the clouds.
Embracing Change
Finding silver linings is about accepting and adapting to change, which is inevitable. Embrace change and make it work for you.
In business, we’ve all been through both good times and bad times. I’ve learned that it’s rarely as bad as people say it is and can usually be made better by looking for the silver lining—an opportunity waiting to be discovered.
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