Hope for Cynics: How to Replace a Lack of Trust With “Hopeful Skepticism”

BY Katie Chambers | January 13, 2025

“I wrote this book because I needed it,” said renowned psychologist and author, Jamil Zaki, Ph.D. about his latest book, Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness. “I’ve been studying the science of kindness and empathy and connection for 20 years, and oftentimes people assume that must mean that I walk around blissed out by human goodness constantly. But the secret is that this entire time, I’ve tended towards cynicism,” Zaki said during a fireside chat at From Day One’s December virtual conference.

In life and in work, cynicism is making us sick, but Zaki offers a cure. While cynicism is an understandable response to injustice and inequality, in many cases it is misplaced. Dozens of studies find that people fail to realize how kind, generous, and open-minded others really are. Dr. Zaki imparts the secret for beating back cynicism: “hopeful skepticism”–thinking critically about people and our problems while honoring and encouraging our strengths.

“We are living through a quiet but devastating epidemic of cynicism,” Zaki told session moderator, Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, reporter at the Denver Post. In 1972, about half of Americans believed most people could be trusted. By 2018, only a third believed the same. He cites the financial collapse of 2008 as a time when our faith in institutions plummeted. “We are living in a trust deficit. When trust is depressed, cynicism rises. Cynicism is poisonous for our mental health, our physical health, relationships, our communities, including our businesses and organizations and our culture.”

But not all hope is lost, cynicism is often just a mistake or a bias. “When you pay closer attention to the data, people tend to be more generous, trustworthy, open minded and kind than we realize,” Zaki said. That’s where his “hopeful skepticism” comes in—“acknowledging that oftentimes our bias means we underestimate each other and by connecting more with the data and with people in general, we can rebuild our sense of faith in each other and use that to fight for a future that more of us want.”

Hopeful Skepticism in Action

The difference between cynicism and skepticism is key. “Skeptics withhold their judgment and look for evidence,” Zaki said. And while optimism, in assuming a positive outcome, can lead to complacency, hope instead can inspire action. “Hope is the belief that things could improve, but that we don’t know that… the future is uncertain, and in that uncertainty, our actions matter.” Therefore, hopeful skeptics are data-driven and withhold assumptions, while knowing that people and situations can surprise us in a positive way.

Jamil Zaki, Ph.D., Director of the Stanford Neuroscience Lab and Author, “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness” was interviewed by Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Reporter, the Denver Post (photo by From Day One)

At work, cynicism can be lethal, says Ulu-Lani Boyanton. “[There is] a heavy price for mistrust in a corporate environment.” The data shows that cynics are less likely to rise to positions of leadership, have poor morale, perform worse, and are less loyal to organizations. Cynicism spreads easily and having too many cynics at an organization can lead to a collapse of collaboration, innovation, and productivity. “Why take a risk if the person next to you would prefer to see you fail?” Zaki said. “Leaders need to be quite intentional about fostering trust and cooperation, because without that, our tendency is to focus more on the negative.”

Political and social polarization can also breed cynicism. “Americans have lost contact with folks who are different from them. We no longer rub shoulders with people who are politically different from us. We’ve sorted so that we interact less with real folks we disagree with. So how do we know who they are?” Zaki said. We rely on media depictions for that information, and often it’s inaccurate. “We conjure up a version of people we disagree with that is quite frightening and quite wrong. And we miss out on the common ground.”

This extends to workplace disagreements and divisions. “People stop talking with one another. They start to exaggerate the negative qualities of the other side. They start to think a ‘win’ on the other side is a ‘loss’ on their own. We focus so heavily on what separates us that we lose sight of all the things we have in common,” Zaki said. To solve this within the workplace, Zaki says, bring both sides together and have them list all the things they agree on and disagree on. They will be shocked at how the agreements outweigh the disagreements.

Seeing Each Other More Clearly

It’s incumbent on HR to help team members move past their own biases and internal disagreements. When Zaki surveys employees, he always finds that the vast majority want collaboration and trust to be at the center of their work, and that they also don’t realize that other folks want it too. “If you’re a leader, one way to fight cynicism is not to lie to people, but to tell them the truth and to show them the truth in as quantitative and specific a way as you can,” Zaki said.

One way organizations can inspire collaboration, creativity, and trust, Zaki said, is by “rewarding people for not just their individual performance, but how they showed up for their colleagues.” Mission-driven companies like Patagonia or Cotopaxi, that are not only focused on product development but also “advancing a philosophy of caring, not just for ourselves, but for the planet” all speak to Zaki’s tenets of hopeful skepticism.

He encourages organizations to invest in developing “soft skills,” or what he calls “human skills,” so that employees can get better at understanding themselves and others and communicate more effectively. Empathy and emotional intelligence are vital to success.

Humans suffer from a negativity bias as part of an evolutionary response to physical threats. Noticing that knee jerk response within oneself is key to moving past it. “Being a hopeful skeptic can open us to incredible numbers of social opportunities, whether that’s pleasant conversations with strangers, bridging differences with people we disagree with, building relationships, friendships, collaborations, parenting more effectively, and building more trusting communities. And in all these cases, the steps are simple,” Zaki said. “I’m much more positive and hopeful since researching cynicism, because I realized how much of it is just an error, and that’s true in our politics, in our organizations, but just in our everyday lives as well. Hope is not naïve, it’s not privileged, it’s not toxic. It’s an adaptive and adaptable response to the best data that we have. We can fight for that better future together by seeing it more clearly.”

Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.


RELATED STORIES

How to Support Workers in Times of Crisis, From Natural Disasters to Personal Challenges

“What I love about benefits is that it’s not stagnant. What was considered a hot benefit 20 years ago ain’t a hot benefit today, and there’s always a need to make sure what we’re providing through benefits–yes, we want to make sure it’s competitive–is truly meeting the needs of the people,” said Chris Smith, a veteran of the benefits field with more than two decades of experience.Yet he’s surprised by how few people will simply ask employees what they need. “There is this belief that, if we ask, if we do a survey, we are signing a promissory note,” he said. So rather than promise something they can’t deliver, some don’t ask at all. But that’s not how Smith sees a survey or a sit-down meeting: It’s not a promise, it’s an exercise.Smith is the head of benefits at Universal Music Group, the music label supporting massive stars including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Stevie Wonder, and the Rolling Stones. Smith spoke during a fireside chat at From Day One’s January virtual conference on benefits and total rewards. He offered frank advice for how employers can support their workers in crisis and in peace.Smith prides himself on delivering great benefits, so he was disappointed to find, during an open enrollment roadshow, that employees simply didn’t know what’s available to them. The same weakness so many benefits leaders find in their own organizations. And Smith prides himself on great communications emails, so he was equally disappointed to learn that those weren’t making traction.But that was the point of this listening tour, to find ways to make the system better. He’s now exploring creative ways to strengthen comms and lower barriers to access so employees can find and get what they need in good times and in bad.Though this isn’t a part of UMG’s process yet, Smith says he’d like to introduce text messaging or mailers. “People are bored of emails. People are overwhelmed with emails, and because of that, they’re missing really important information.” He’s also exploring old-school methods like mailers. If he can “shock” employees with novel or unexpected communication methods, they may be more likely to listen.Journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza interviewed Christopher Smith of Universal Music Group (photo by From Day One)In the meantime, they’ve made access easier. “People are not thinking about benefits between nine and five. It’s around 5:15 when you’re at the pharmacy and you’re trying to remember, ‘Oh, shoot, who do I call for my pharmacy benefits? What’s that phone number? I can’t find my ID card.’”So, he stood up a microsite with basic information on benefits–which company handles this or that and which phone numbers to call for help. There’s no log-in required, so employees don’t have to bother with a lengthy sign-in process as the line at Walgreens forms behind them.Universal Music Group is headquartered in Santa Monica, at the epicenter of the recent Los Angeles fires that killed 28 people and displaced more than a hundred thousand. When employees came looking for support and resources, Smith was clear on his team’s role in providing disaster relief: They pulled together every resource, whether directly or indirectly related, into a single place that employees could reference and use. Removing barriers to access was priority number-one.He also made himself personally available. “One of the things that I do–and my family sometimes chastises me for doing it–is make my personal cell phone number available in a heartbeat. I might not be able to get to you as quickly through an email, but you will be able to get to me pretty quickly by calling my cell phone. I don’t want there to be any guard rails or barriers to getting information.”Smith is preparing for the next disaster, hoping it never comes. “However, I think we’d all be irresponsible if we came through this, and didn’t take anything away from the experience and ask ourselves, what can we do better? How can we be more prepared?”Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is an independent journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about business and the world of work. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Inc., and Business Insider, among others. She is the recipient of a Virginia Press Association award for business and financial journalism.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | February 03, 2025

Adapting to Evolving Workforce Expectations: Key Areas for Leaders’ Focus in the New Year

Looking ahead in 2025, leaders are setting their priorities. At From Day One’s December virtual conference, leaders shared their plans to advance development initiatives with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and artificial intelligence in 2025.As companies progress in developing diversity, equity and inclusion goals, Rebecca Warren, director of talent-centered transformation at Eightfold, says that the DEI objectives will continue to move forward and become more integrated within the workforce.“The general definition of diversity is widening. We’re moving from just focusing on demographic, cultural and social identities to also thinking about abilities and perspective and cognitive capabilities as well,” said Warren.DEI can also be reflected in how companies include and engage with their staff. Laura Mazzullo, founder and owner of East Side Staffing, says that when she spoke to undertrained internal recruiters, they expressed a desire to sit in meetings with HR business partners, executives and be involved with creating plans and strategies.Many employees lack the confidence to pursue their goals because they’ve never been given the opportunity. Companies can address this by fostering inclusivity and developing emotional intelligence and other important soft skills.AI and New TechnologyAI is rapidly evolving within companies, particularly in human resources, where it’s being introduced as a tool for task efficiency. But as Warren points out, its full potential is still unfolding with continued use. As AI advances, leaders face a key question: How can companies balance automation with the irreplaceable human touch?At Hearst, the company hosted a learning program to create a cultural switch in the integration of AI. For 2025, Hearst is planning for more programs to be available for staff to continue their education on AI as well as maintaining and developing human based skills such as empathy, collaboration, communication and leadership.“We absolutely envision an environment where technology and power human skills are working together, because we don’t believe that generative AI is going to replace people,” said Maris Krieger, senior director of talent programs at Hearst Corporation.These learning and development efforts are a result of staff feedback and input, says Krieger. “It wasn’t a corporation doing something behind closed doors. We collaborated. We asked what [staff] needed and what their priorities were,” she said.Investing in Development During Times of ChangeAs the workforce undergoes changes with technological advancements and evolving work expectations, companies need to be prepared to adapt. Especially during times of change, it's important for leaders to be a guiding hand for their team.SiriusXM is actively working on leveling up managers, said Bhavna Sharma, vice president of talent enablement and engagement at SiriusXM. Investing in leadership creates a ripple effect on the company’s culture, employee experience and business outcomes, she adds.SiriusXM began by building a leadership profile that reflected the company’s core values to create a baseline of what it means to be a leader. HR also conducts quarterly conversations and succession plannings to assess not only manager readiness but also identify developmental needs.They also launched SiriusXM University, a curriculum based program that aims to support and cultivate a growth mindset for leaders. Sharma emphasized the importance of empowering managers as career coaches. The program provides leaders with quick training sessions and resources that help boost manager accountability and team collaboration, helping them support their employees.Lydia Dishman, senior editor at Fast Company, moderated the panel about "Adapting to Evolving Workforce Expectations: Key Areas for Leaders’ Focus in the New Year" (photo by From Day One)The company dedicates its training to all employees as well, embracing the idea that career progression can be taken in different ways and that the company encourages everyone to develop their skills.At MiTek, the company will be conducting its first upward feedback manager survey, an assessment of the managers performance. Christopher Rotolo, vice president of global talent at MiTek, says that the feedback from the survey will start off as a way for managers to assess their own development, but after a couple of years the survey data will be used to discuss succession and talent mobility.MiTek also encourages managers to hold Aspiration, Capability, Engagement (ACE) conversations with each of their employees at least once a year to hear about their personal aspirations, capabilities and engagement.Holding one-on-one meetings with employees allows managers to gain a better understanding of how they can support their team.When companies around the world evolve, employees might feel pressure from the change. These new evolutions might look like the recent increase in shifting back to in person work or work expectations changing. In these cases, Warren thinks it's more important for companies to focus on the outcome of the employee’s work, not the amount of hours they put in. Companies should be looking at “skill and performance based metrics rather than focusing on schedules or presenteeism,” Warren said.Sharma says that productivity will increase when companies foster a culture of trust and autonomy. By eliminating micromanagement, employees will be empowered in decision making within their role.At Hearst Corporation, Krieger has witnessed many successes with remote work. Although some companies are encouraging people to return to offices, Krieger emphasizes that in person work is not necessary for successful outcomes. Working a remote or hybrid position also plays into mental health and work life balance, agrees Rotolo.HR can sometimes be resistant to trusting data that shows employees are happier and more productive working from home or with a flexible schedule, says Mazzullo. “We talk so much about tech and AI but you’ve got to actually look at the information and then do something with it,” Mazzullo said. “There’s data there that would allow employees to have the flexibility they want. There’s no reason a company should not be listening to that.”Jennifer Yoshikoshi is a local news and education reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jennifer Yoshikoshi | January 29, 2025

How Far Should AI Go? Exploring the Workforce Limits of Generative AI

Artificial intelligence is like a cool race car, says Marcus Mossberger, future of work strategist at cloud-based software maker Infor. “Everybody wants it, but have you thought about where you’re taking this race car? Have you built roads to drive it on? What are you going to fuel it with?”Companies have been racing to incorporate AI into their workflows, betting that the tech will make good on its promise to make employees more productive and the business more competitive. But despite the enthusiasm, adoption can be stymied by regulation and risk. In other cases, the speed of adoption can be reckless or unnecessary. In a panel discussion during From Day One’s December virtual conference on pioneering approaches to the future of work, Mossberger and other leaders debated the limits of AI in changing the way we work.AI Adoption by IndustryAdoption tends to be high in the tech industry simply because of its proximity to AI and general openness to change, but in others, like healthcare, regulatory constraints slow the process, says Sumana Srikurmam, who leads HR for the network services division at Tech Mahindra, a global tech services firm.“But even within the tech industry,” she said, “no two organizations will be in the same place at the same time, because the cultures differ, the restrictions may differ, and the stage of growth may be different.”Therefore, move with cautious determination, she says. Compliance is an important part of her job, and keeping up with changing regulations is a complicating factor that is currently multiplying the tools needed. Despite its benefits, there will always be risks, like data privacy, biased language-learning models, and misinterpretation. Many companies are required to deploy even more tools that will mitigate those risks.Marcus Mossberger of Infor, Anita Jivani of Avanade and Sumana Srikurmam of Tech Mahindra spoke with journalist Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza during the webinar (photo by From Day One)Yet a rigid deployment plan isn’t necessarily the solution when it comes to innovative applications, says Anita Jivani, global head of innovation at Avanade, a management consultancy that advises on cloud and AI technologies. “In design thinking, we often think about convergent and divergent thinking. When are we in the problem space? When are we in the solution space? This is one where we have to be in the problem and solution spaces at the same time.” Without flexibility, the problem may change before the solution has been decided.Forward-Thinking Applications in HRHuman resources teams are finding their own applications for AI. Most begin with eliminating administrative tasks. “Tasks most of us don’t want to be doing anyway,” said Mossberger. For instance, “you always have to do payroll processing, which includes reconciliation, so you’re looking for errors and exceptions. Why not AI do that for you?”Agentic AI, or artificial intelligence capable of making decisions on its own, also holds a lot of promise for HR. Being able to “outsource” questions about benefits or PTO or company policies to AI-powered chatbots is freeing many practitioners to spend their time on higher-level reasoning tasks.Assisted authorship is another application Mossberg enjoys. He no longer starts a writing task with a blank page, but with a ChatGPT prompt. Others use AI to track and aggregate employee tasks, “so when it comes time to do your performance evaluation, you have a record of all of the great work that you’ve done,” he said.The Limits Practical and Ethical Limits of Artificial IntelligencePanelists agreed that AI will never be a substitute for human empathy or judgement. As AI gets better at generation, we shouldn’t be tempted to allow it to make decisions on our behalf. Nor should we overvalue the accuracy of its results, Jivani explained. “There’s this view that AI is like a god, an all knowing thing, but we need to re-shift and think of it as a super nerdy, really smart neighbor.” That is: fallible.“Anything that is complex and needs human judgment, any ethical decision making, issues, creativity, innovation–these are things that will need human intervention,” said Srikurmam.Mossberger, who considers himself an optimist when it comes to AI, believes that if we use it wisely, we’ll only have more time to interact with each other.And if AI is giving us back time previously eaten up by tedium, “the question is, what are we doing with that time?” said Jivani. “When a meeting ends 15 minutes early, you could take a walk or make a meal, but what you end up doing is refreshing Outlook. Is that what’s going to happen with the extra time that we have? Are we being intentional, or are we just adding more noise to an already very noisy environment?”Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza is an independent journalist and From Day One contributing editor who writes about business and the world of work. Her work has appeared in the Economist, the BBC, The Washington Post, Inc., and Business Insider, among others. She is the recipient of a Virginia Press Association award for business and financial journalism.

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza | January 28, 2025