The Optimistic Workplace: Creating an Environment That Energizes Everyone

When it comes to work these days, we're expected to do more with less--but is this nose-to-the-grindstone philosophy the best way to run a business? Alarmingly low employee engagement numbers indicate otherwise. So, if pushing everyone harder isn't the path to productivity, what is? Supported by the latest research, this eye-opening book argues that our best work is the product of a positive environment. That's good news for you as a manager. While you can't personally transform the corporate culture, you can influence the workplace climate and create meaningful and lasting change. Advocating a steward model of management, The Optimistic Workplace reveals how to: Explore personal and organizational purpose--and align them for astonishing results Overcome resistance and skepticism Build camaraderie and deepen loyalty Increase intrinsic motivation Help your team find meaning in their work Identify goals collaboratively and track progress And more Examples from companies large and small demonstrate how this people-centric focus ignites employee potential, increases innovation, and catapults the organization to new levels of performance. Far from being a wish-upon-a-star discussion of workplace happiness, this book presents an array of surprisingly simple strategies as well as practical 30-, 60-, and 90-day plans designed to focus your actions and make employee optimism not just a worthy goal--but a real and measurable result.

About the Author :
Shawn Murphy is CEO and founder of Switch & Shift, an organization dedicated to the advancement of human-centered organizational practices and leadership. Often found in the classroom teaching, on the stage speaking, or alongside clients consulting, Murphy is passionate about helping people become the best version of themselves, and helping organizations create positive work environments to facilitate achieving its goals. He lives in Northern California. Dorie Clark is a marketing strategy consultant and frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes. Recognized as a branding expert by the Associated Press, she has worked with a diverse range of clients, including Google, the Ford Foundation, Yale University, the Mount Sinai Medical Center, and the National Park Service. A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, Clark is adjunct professor of business administration at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. Timothy Andres Pabon is an English- and Spanish-speaking voice-over artist who has worked extensively in advertising and audiobook narration.

Review :
"The Optimistic Workplace is a joyful read. At a time when we're hearing how engagement at work is stuck in a rut and leaders just can't be trusted, it's really nice to see something that offers a better future ... now. Shawn Murphy's book is rich with examples from businesses that are putting to work a new work ethic. It's an ethic based on values, meaning, purpose, and balance. It's an ethic that stresses stewardship and leadership, hope and happiness, openness and caring. The Optimistic Workplace is certain to uplift our spirits. It'll also prove to you that it pays to be positive." -- "Jim Kouzes, coauthor of The Leadership Challenge" "The Optimistic Workplace is an essential exploration of what makes work fun, meaningful, and ultimately worth doing. If you're serious about building an extraordinary workplace then you need to know the insights in Shawn Murphy's new book." -- "Ron Friedman, PhD, author of The Best Place to Work" "The Optimistic Workplace is bursting with ideas that are both imaginative and practical. It's a rallying cry for a more uplifting world of work." -- "Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author" "Setting aside the quasi-military concept of command and control, Murphy sets traditional motivational and management theory on its ear." -- "Library Journal"