lot of organizations say they're "upbeat." They claim their offices are "fun," and "relaxed." A quick look around, however, usually reveals a dusty foosball table and the same old hamster wheel mentality. But what if you could transform your workplace into an environment where everyone is truly engaged, motivated, and positive? What if you could increase problem-solving ability, reduce stress and infighting, limit turnover, and boost productivity? and what if you could do all this at virtually no cost? Welcome to the Optimistic Workplace. This is not just another feel-good book. Drawing on the latest research from social science and organizational psychology, it offers detailed examples from companies large and small that have created positive workplaces. It gives you real tools to help you identify and measure the attributes not just of a theoretically ideal workplace, but of your ideal workplace. You'll also learn how to: Overcome skepticism about cultivating workplace optimism, Turn work into a fulfilling part of employees' lives, Strengthen and redefine the relationship between leader and employee, Unleash people's potential to do great work, Create a pocket of excellence even in uninspired workplaces, Help your team find meaning and purpose beyond quotas, deadlines, and numbers, The Optimistic Workplace includes a step-by-step breakdown of how to personalize the lessons in the book for your situation.

As a manager of people and processes, it's too easy to think of yourself as just one in a collection of moving parts. What you really are is a steward, a guide who mentors, motivates, supports, and partners with your team members. And yes, you care about them and their experience in your workplace. An environment where this care is on display every day is one in which people want to succeed-and so they will.