Michael Saltzstein on the Hidden Harm of Forced Positivity in the Workplace Workplaces often celebrate optimism as a key ingredient of resilience and collaboration. Yet when positivity becomes compulsory, it risks doing more harm than good. Michael Saltzstein recognizes that the push for constant cheer can silence real concerns, discourage authenticity, and prevent leaders from seeing what truly needs to change. The problem is not optimism itself, but the pressure to perform happiness even when employees are struggling. Why Employees Feel Pressured to Stay Positive The pressure to remain upbeat often comes from leadership messages that frame positivity as loyalty or resilience. Employees quickly learn that showing doubt, frustration, or fatigue might be seen as weakness. In some organizations, negative feedback is dismissed as complaining, creating an atmosphere where silence feels safer than honesty. This forced optimism creates a gap between how employee...