Anticipatory reality is helpful in team building because it makes the team focus on the future and what the team wants to accomplish. One of the first steps of anticipatory reality is creating an image of the future and determining what can help the team get there. We can change things, add new themes, and make goals – we are constantly fashioning our anticipatory reality.
Imagining a Successful Future Will Affect the Present
We know that our past does not always identify our future. But planning our future can affect the team’s present. Thinking ahead to a successful future can increase the positivity in your team today and raise their confidence. When they focus on the successes they want to achieve and imagine them coming true, it can give them great hope for the future, which in turn gives them hope for today. The team can stay positive by knowing that they can achieve that successful future and always keep a positive attitude about reaching team goals.
- Positive outlook
- Goal successes
- Improved focus
Controlling Negative Anticipation
Many of us are the type of people who automatically assume the worst in any situation. We start to anticipate anything that can go wrong and try to determine how we would handle anything that comes up. But if a team can learn to control these negative anticipations, they can begin to see any situation from the positive side. When the team members view the positive aspects of a situation, they feel more confident about their ability to handle them. Because no matter how big or scary a situation may seem, remaining positive and changing how they view the problem can make anything possible.
- Watch for hidden negative thoughts or assumptions
- Avoid jumping to conclusions
- Realize the problem is in the situation – not you
Current Decisions Will Be Influenced Positively
The decisions your team make today can influence how they see things later. When they limit their negative anticipations and concentrate on creating a positive outlook, their current decisions and thoughts begin to develop into a positive form of thinking, which can improve our overall confidence of the team. Worrying about what may or may not happen or what could go wrong in a situation can drain a team and make the team members feel as though they don’t have any hope. But if they change their thoughts today and limit the negativity they allow in their planning, their decisions can be influenced by positivity and will help them make better choices.
- More confidence in your decisions
- Less negative or anxious feelings
- Positive outlook on future decisions
Base It on Data and Real Examples
One of the negative things about anticipatory reality is that team members often base their thoughts and conclusions on things that they have heard or have over-played in our own heads. They begin to think about the worst thing that could happen or anything that could go wrong, but they have nothing to base it upon. Instead, the team should always focus on the facts of a problem and realize what is actually there.
- “Word of mouth” stories
- The “maybe” or “what if” possibilities
- Dramatized outcomes or over-reactions