The Optimistic Workplace

Starred review from October 1, 2015

Eschewing the "m" word (manager) in favor of "coach," "mentor," "leader," "guide," and "steward," and setting aside the quasi-military concept of command and control, Murphy sets traditional motivational and management theory on its ear. A consultant with decades of experience, the author is solidly in the camp of practitioners emphasizing the human side of organizations as a reliable path to higher motivation and greater innovation; this emphasis, he says, also means bottom-line benefits in enhanced productivity and profits. Urging departure from time-honored but ineffective financial motivators, Murphy advocates overlaying traditional management skills with the subtleties of stewardship behaviors, citing examples from businesses such as Luck Companies and Menlo Innovations. He convincingly argues for values-based leadership that taps into employees' desire to make a difference and to connect through work to some existential higher purpose--a powerful mindset for motivating the entire workforce and one expected by the younger contingent. This thesis echoes Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor in Primed To Perform, as does the focus on skills a leader must develop in order to move toward a positive environment aligning personal goals with organizational priorities. VERDICT Including the appendix's 12-week actionable plan for transitioning to an optimistic workplace, progressive managers will find this fascinating book an insightful basis for reexamining heirloom beliefs and evolving toward enlightened practices.--Elizabeth Wood, Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH

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