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, The Optimistic Workplace, an 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. This deck is a visual summary of my book: http://goo.gl/xFvAyv 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 workplace optimism not just a worthy goal—but a real and measurable result.

2. The workplace doesn’t
have to be a drag.

3. Yet workplaces have become
outdated, feet-dragging, soul-
sucking locations where
employees “do their time.”
Photo courtesy of Jan
Vašek

4. What if you could
turn work into a
positive
contribution
in people’s lives?
Photo courtesy of Alex Jones

5. Instead of waiting for
upper management
to do something
about the symptoms
of uninspired
workplaces,
you have access to a
powerful lever—
workplace climate.

6. What it feels like to work somewhere is climate.
It’s the lesser discussed reality of work life. It’s
different than culture; which is how things get
done.

7. Climate influences
the work experience
and employees’
perceptions of
the work environment.

8. Your leadership style has the greatest
influence on climate.
How you show up and interact with others
shapes the climate.
This influences your team’s performance.
It influences results. Photo courtesy of Startup
Stock Photos

10. Your leadership style helps cultivate
an optimistic workplace.
Photo courtesy of Zak Suhar

11. Workplace optimism
is the belief that
good things will
come from hard
work.
It’s the deliberate choice
to focus on what’s right with
and what’s possible in
the workplace, and in the
work you do.

12. The Origins of Optimism
in the work environment
are rooted
in these three factors:
Purpose
Meaningful Work
Extraordinary People

13. To help guide you
to cultivate
an energetic,
positive
work environment,
keep in mind the
Origins of
Optimism.

14. In business, a clear sense of purpose
transforms aimless work into calls to action.
Clarity is amplified. Commitment is deepened.
Communication is intentional.
Connection is experienced.
Purpose

15. Leaders use meaning
to personalize the
work experience. The
work is given meaning
by purpose,
aspirations, and
strengths.
Meaningful
Work

16. Meaning from work is the impact
it has on the person.
Meaning is experienced
when there is values alignment
between the person and the work.
Meaning is personal and unique.
It emerges when employees believe
they can have an impact on others.

17. The three Areas of Meaning
can help a leader
intentionally create
the opportunities
for meaning to emerge.

18. Leaders are relationship builders.
Those that create a sense of relatedness help unlock peoples’
potential. Today leaders need to get to know the whole person,
not just the employee. This means getting to know what
employees want from their career and out of life.
Extraordinary
People

19. While for some it
may be unfamiliar
to invest time
getting to know
the whole person,
the mutuality in
the relationship
outweighs
comfort.

20. We spend 1/3 of our
time working. We give
companies
the lion share
of our available time
each week.
By developing positive
relationships, they
enrich the time
we invest, deepen
trust, commitment, and
even loyalty.
Photo courtesy of Dafne Cholet

21. For extraordinary people to do great work,
conscious leaders help people realize their
potential in life—personally and professionally.

22. An optimistic
climate is possible
when you approach
the work as an
opportunity.
It’s not a corporate
initiative.
Photo courtesy of Glenn Simmons

23. A positive environment takes shape when you
see your employees as human beings, and
not a resource to get stuff done. Photo courtesy of Saad Akhtar

24. The last important point to make about the
optimistic workplace centers on profit.
Profit margins are healthier in positive
workplaces.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Dooley

25. Yet, the natural tendency of leaders, when profit
is the sole measure of success, is to manage
humanity out of the workplace.
This limits both the people and profit success
factors.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Wales