Making Work Work: The Positivity Solution for Any Work Environment

by Shola Richards

Overview

Is your office a place of soul-destroying negativity? Shola Richards—keynote speaker, award winner, and creator of The Positivity Solution blog—is about to change that . . . forever.

“My mission was clear: I needed to fix the problems facing the workplace. As quickly as I came up with my new mission, I came up with the solution:
 
We need to treat each other better. Period.”
 
 
Shola Richards had reached the end of the road: after nearly two years at a soul-sucking job, he felt numb and suicidal. So he quit and devoted himself to nothing less than transforming the workplace, turning it into a space of respect, courtesy, and endless energy. Making Work Work focuses on inspiring current and future leaders to start a movement that will banish on-the-job bullying, put meaning back into work, and enhance coworkers’ happiness and engagement. Richards, whose popular blog has a worldwide following, explains why inaction is insane, why we must move forward with positivity, and why the “abc” employees (asshats, bullies, and complainers) are so destructive. This motivational guide will stay in readers’ hearts and minds long after they finish reading it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454918721
Publisher:	Sterling Ethos
Publication date:	09/06/2016
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	647,845
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Shola Richards is a dynamic keynote speaker, a certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner, an in-demand leadership trainer/consultant, and an award-winning Director of Training at a world-renowned US hospital. He created his blog, The Positivity Solution (thepositivitysolution.com), in May 2013, and has a worldwide following: his articles have been read by readers in over 160 countries. Richards has made multiple appearances on Huffington Post Live as an expert on workplace happiness and engagement, and his thoughts on how to create a more positive workplace have been published in the Chicago Tribune, Black Enterprise, National Register of Health Service Psychologists, Complete Wellbeing India, and Business Insider Australia. Richards has hosted his own television show for the CBS affiliate in New York, and proudly notes that the late literary icon Chinua Achebe was his godfather.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Section 1 The Real Work: Why Positivity is the Solution

Chapter 1 Sunshine, Rainbows, and Kittens: Exploding the Myths of Positivity 3

Chapter 2 Waiting for Happiness: The Insanity of Inaction 17

Chapter 3 The Rise of the Solutionists: The Power of Keeping it R.E.A.L. 28

Section 2 The Foundation: Relentless Respect

Chapter 4 Reclaiming Your Edge: The Lie That You've Been Told (and Believed) 43

Chapter 5 Connecting to Your "Hire" Self: Choosing Self-Accountability 58

Chapter 6 Number One: Relentlessly Respecting Ourselves 68

Section 3 The Lifeblood: Endless Energy

Chapter 7 The Fight You Must Win: Developing an Unstoppable Attitude 87

Chapter 8 Yes, You're here to Make Friends: Building Relationships That Last 104

Chapter 9 A Starving World: The Power of Appreciation 116

Section 4 The Courage: Addressing the ABCs of Workplace Negativity

Chapter 10 Dealing with the ABCs of Workplace Negativity: ABC #1: Asshats 129

Chapter 11 Dealing with the ABCs of Workplace Negativity: ABC #2: Bullies 144

Chapter 12 Dealing with the ABCs of Workplace Negativity: ABC #3: Complainers 158

Section 5 The Spirit: Lasting Leadership

Chapter 13 You're Already in Charge: Leading without Authority 169

Chapter 14 Invisible no More: Valuing Everyone 180

Chapter 15 Death Before Life: Becoming a Leader Who Will Change the World 190

Section 6 A New Reality: The Road Ahead

Chapter 16 When Keeping it R.E.A.L. Goes Wrong: Knowing When to Quit 201

Chapter 17 Positivity Forever: The End of the Beginning 210

Conclusion 217

Notes 219

Acknowledgments 221

About the Author 225

Discussion Guide 227

Index 231

Editorial Reviews

From bullying to gossiping and all manner of disrespect, Richards documents incivility in the workplace with some astounding (and credible) statistics plus, of course, a goodly number of solutions and what-to-do’s about it . . . While he debunks myths (positivity will never work; our workplaces are way too broken to fix) and underscores the facts (excuses can destroy your career, kill you, and drive away business), he provides a powerful template to follow as he ranges from defining respect to leading a world change.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

09/15/2016
Who wouldn't want work to be their happy place? Corporate trainer, consultant, and creator of the Positivity Solution blog Richards is on a mission to help employees do just that. After a soul-sucking job left the author depressed and self-destructive, he charted a new course and here shares his positivity formula with readers. Citing statistics that demonstrate how unfulfilling and even unproductive the U.S. workplace can be for some, Richards describes how people at all levels of an organization can turn things around for themselves and others by treating one another with kindness, courtesy, and mutual respect. He offers practical advice for dealing with bullies and other problematic colleagues, and his approach to work-life separation (not balance) is a nice touch. Even for people who love their jobs, making the work environment even more positive is a worthwhile aspiration. VERDICT Most books about creating a better work climate center on the role of management (e.g., Bob Chapman & Raj Sisodia's Everybody Matters); Richard's focus on leading change from across title ranks will be appreciated by people at any stage of their careers who are seeking a more spirit-enriching workplace.—Carol Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater Libs.

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