A key ingredient, and in my mind the leading factor in creating a successful and positive culture for your team or organization, is positive energy.
Here are a few powerful excerpts from The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, a book I highly recommend:
Positive energy. . . . It’s a term being talked about a lot more frequently in conference rooms, classrooms, locker rooms, and even living rooms. Perhaps it’s because there is an abundance of new research that shows that positive people, positive communication, positive interactions, and positive work and team cultures produce positive results. Or perhaps at a deeper level we all know that every person, every career, every company, every organization, every family, and every team will have to overcome negativity, adversity, and challenges to define themselves and to chart the course into the future they want, desire and deserve.
No one goes through life untested, and the answer to these tests is positive energy—not the rah-rah, cheering kind of positive energy, although there certainly is a time and a place for that, as well.
But rather, when I talk about positive energy I’m referring to the optimism, trust, enthusiasm, love, purpose, joy, passion, and spirit to live, work, and perform at a higher level; to build and lead successful teams; overcome adversity in life and at work; share contagious energy with employees, colleagues, and customers; to bring out the best in others and in yourself; and to overcome all the negative people (whom I call energy vampires) and negative situations that threaten to sabotage your health, family, team, and success.
This passage stuck with me. It hit me on a number of different levels.
I’ve had my share of struggles when I was younger, and I have had some really, really low bottoms. I had to hit and experience the lows in order to reach moments of clarity and honesty.
Sometimes you need to get really vulnerable and honest in order to really grow.
When I was at my lowest, I had a choice. Let the emotions and situation consume me and the rest of my life, or choose the alternative—marshall all of my faculties and resources, and manufacture all of that into a burning desire and positive energy to propel me into a life of deliberate purpose, intentional living and massive contribution to the world.
The power of positive energy in my life has been so overwhelming that it’s hard to describe.
I am such a firm believer, based on my life experience, in the strength and power of positive thought, envisioning outcome and energetic living.
I attract the things I want into my life. Do you know how this is done?
It’s done through embracing an unwavering commitment to always looking at life and its myriad of situations, setbacks and challenges as opportunities for growth, not reasons for despair, negativity or excuses.
When you do this, life opens up.
What does this approach to a positive attitude and life do for our cultures?
It’s arguably one of, if not the most, important and fundamental ingredients in the recipe for creating really great cultures.
Positive energy, enthusiasm and a joie de vivre are contagious—they attract other people to them.
Colleagues, potential clients, partners, friends—you name it—people want to be around people who are full of positive energy, who exude confidence and peace of mind, who are strong and stoic and unwavering in their demeanor and attitude in the face of adversity and setbacks.
These are the traits of a true leader.
These are the things that make for a really strong culture that attracts the RIGHT people into its orbit, those that share and can relate to the values embraced and want to be a part of the story.
Let’s GO!
Power Quote
“If you are positive, you’ll see opportunities instead of obstacles.” —Widad Akrawi
Key Insight
Positive energy, enthusiasm and a joie de vivre are contagious—they attract other people to them.
Tactical Tip
What energy will you put out today? Do people see you as a positive person or a negative person? How do you see yourself? Make a point to be positive and see how it affects your day and those around you.
Day Check
How did your positivity affect your day? If you got negative, how did that affect your day?