The current study aimed to explore the relationship between distributed leadership practices (DLP) and academic optimism (AO) among faculty members, to identify the predictive validity of distributed leadership dimensions of academic optimism, and to identify the effects of gender in DLP and AO. DLP scale and AO scale were used as the instruments for the study. For the data analysis, Pearson's correlation, multiple regression analyses, and paired sample t-test were used. The results showed that there is a significant positive correlation between DLP and AO. Available leadership opportunity was the best predictor to AO. There were not any significant differences between males and females in DLP and AO.