Leadership

It’s official. We are out of recession. OK, so it may be marginal. It may well be possible that the sustained growth of the past quarters will recede again in coming months. But for now, it’s official. We are out of the recession. Six words that should get us all feeling upbeat and optimistic about the future. So why, despite this news, is there such a strong and enduring sense of pessimism?

In the last week, since the news of economic growth was announced, I’ve heard nothing but downbeat forecasts for the future. Speaking to senior and fairly influential leaders in business reveals a consistent view that our troubles are set to continue for another few years. Apparently this will be a ‘double-dip’ recession, and we’re about to slide down the double-dip bit. And all positive indicators of recovery have been falsely propped up by cash injection anyway, so the recovery will soon evaporate with the VAT changes and higher interest rates. Everyone seems to have a view on the future, but it’s all rather negative. So here’s a challenge. A simple challenge. Be optimistic... [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND COMMENT]

In today's bulletin:
British Airways' latest losses 'only' £50m
Waitrose sales up 15% in the last six months
Another 4,500 companies go bust in Q4
Exclusive MT survey: We're getting a fair deal from our banks, say SMEs
Psychology at Work: Time for some optimism