2. Background
2
• Inspiration for his book
– Childhood
– Stanford “touchy-feely” class
– Family
– Setback as CEO
• The power of positive thinking
• Explored how to drive impact
• Past: Bouncing around
• Now: Author / Life Coach
Key accomplishments and crucible events
3. Connection
3
• First introduction: Stanford GSB Letter
• Second: Leadership lecture series
• Book: Positive Intelligence
– Philosophy: Stallion story
– Sage
– Saboteurs make self-love contingent on always
having amazing performance
• "I'll finally be happy when _____?"
– Proposes a solution
– “Meditation “exercises for
busy professionals
• Impact on relationships
His role as an influencer
4. Integration of the four domains
4
Positive
Intelligence
Com-
munity
Self
Work
Family
Creating sustainable overlaps to improve quality of life
• Focused on self-
improvement
• Self-reflective
• “Meditation”
exercises
• Passion for career as
an author and
entrepreneur lets him
be more present with
his family
• His passion for having
a better relationship
with his children led
him to his Positive
Intelligence research
• He is sharing what helped
him, and in turn helping
professionals, entrepreneurs
and business leaders learn
how to be more successful
5. Integration of the four domains
5
Positive
Intelligence
Community
Self
Work
Family
When four is one
6. Advice to live by
6
• Every outcome or circumstance is a gift and opportunity
– An “active” take on “It’s all part of ____’s plan.”
• “It’s a lot easier to see the spinach in someone else’s teeth,
but much more useful to see the spinach in your own.”
• Re: Leadership training in MBA: We spend all of our time
focusing on the intellectual aspect of managing people and
not enough time on the energy and emotion people feel
• McDonald's idea of improvement is flawed
– i.e. One workshop later, or one book later, you'll be
profoundly changed
• We are all special, unique, awesome, why do we forget this?
Key takeaways
