The Optimistic Workplace: A Book Visual Summary

The workplace doesn’t have to be a drag.

Yet workplaces have become outdated, feet-dragging, soul-sucking locations where employees “do their time.”

Photo courtesy of Jan Vašek

What if you could turn work into a positive contribution in people’s

lives?

Photo courtesy of Alex Jones

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

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.

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

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

Your leadership style helps cultivate an optimistic workplace.

Photo courtesy of Zak Suhar

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.

The Origins of Optimism in the work environment are rooted in these three factors:

Purpose Meaningful Work Extraordinary People

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

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

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

Meaningful Work

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.

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

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

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

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

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

An optimistic climate is possible when you approach the work as an opportunity.

It’s not a corporate initiative.

Photo courtesy of Glenn Simmons

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

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

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