Mal Fletcher comments

Another way to reinforce hope and creativity in the face of challenges is by offering people the right heroes. All cultures, whether national, regional or organisational, are partly defined by the individuals and groups they revere.

Wise management is always on the look-out for individuals or groups of people who've met challenges similar to those faced by their own team and who have produced audacious and innovative response.

If you're a manager, the people you elevate will be the ones your team will seek to emulate.

Creating a culture of confidence in the face of challenge is also a matter of commemorating the right events. Cultures the world over celebrate or memorialize certain events in their national stories.

As an Australian, I am keenly aware of the significance of the Anzac Day holiday in my homeland. Even though I've lived in Europe for 17 years, the ideals it celebrates remain special to me - those of self-sacrificing mateship and brave camaraderie in times of crisis.

Whenever Australians or New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day, they not only celebrate those values, they reinforce them within the culture.

Wise managers look for events to mark on the calendar, events that say something about the culture they're trying to create.

Compared to presenting what is often called a 'motivational talk', these methods represent a much more subtle approach to lifting confidence.

In the long run they are also much more productive, because they reinforce motives rather than relying on emotion alone to produce change.