The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work, by Jon Gordon

“There comes a point where my kindness is detrimental to all of us. If I don’t change you you’re not going to grow, and if you don’t grow you can’t help us grow” (pg 24).

“Stop being disappointed about where you are and start being optimistic about where you are going. Focus on the future. Move beyond yourself. Instead of focusing on your own problems, focus on healing others with theirs” (pg 25).

“Chronic Complainers - they’re not only hurting themselves but annoying everyone else” (pg 42).

“Let your complaints about problems move you to solutions” (pg 47).

In response to why South America, for all its natural wonders and resources, still lagged far behind North America in terms of prosperity and progress. The President of Argentina responded with, “I have come to the conclusion. South America was discovered by the Spaniards in search of gold but North America was settled by the Pilgrims in search of God” (pg 55).

“In the process of building a positive culture you had to let some energy vampires off the bus . . . one person can’t make a team, but one person can break a team” (pg 60).

A positive environment and culture do not “happen by osmosis. It happens by relentlessly focusing on our culture and weeding out negativity” (pg 76).

“Winning is just a goal and not the focus. Winning is the by-product of great effort, leadership, coaching, teamwork, and positive energy . . . if you lead with truth, success will follow” (pg 79).

“Once you have your principles in place, then you can align your strategies, actions, and processes with our principles” (pg 83).

“Employees should never complain to someone who is not able to help with a solution. Mindless complaining serves no purpose and only sabotages morale and performance. Mindless complaining cultivates negativity and adversely affects the complainer and the person being complained to” (pg 96).

Grade: B

As with most Gordon’s books, it is a simple read packed with nuggets of truth that won’t blow your mind, but it will for sure encourage and remind and inspire a way of living. It’s definitely worth the read.

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The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon

“Positive people, positive communication, positive interactions, and positive work and team cultures produce positive results” (pg. XV)

“Optimism, trust, enthusiasm, love, purpose, joy, passion, and spirit to live, work, and perform at a higher level . . . to share contagious energy with employees, colleagues . . .” (pv xvi).

For every event in your life, “You can choose to ignore it or ask what that reason is and try and learn from it” (pg 7).

“He and most of his team had spent most of the day dealing with conflict and putting out fires rather than getting something done” (pg 18).

“How could I love myself if I don’t love you? How could I love myself if I don’t love everyone? (pg 20).

“If you don’t take responsibility for your life and control your bus then you can’t take it where you want to go” (pg 26).

“No one can choose your attitude but you” (pg 28).

“Every crisis offers an opportunity to grow stronger and wiser; to reach deep and within and discover a better you that will create a better outcome” (pg 40).

“Thoughts are magnetic. What we think about, we attract. What we think about expands and grows. What we put our energy and attention on starts to show up more in our life. And the energy we project through our thoughts is the energy we receive . . . so it’s important that you spend your time thinking about what you do want rather than what you don’t want” (pg 43).

“I don’t know all you are facing. But I do know that if you want to change your situation you must first change your thoughts. Because if you keep on thinking what you have been thinking you’ll keep on gettin what you have been getting” (pg 45).

“I am not bound to win, I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have” - Abraham Lincoln (pg 62).

“He had spent so much time thinking about the three wolves that he had completely ignored the people who wanted to be on his bus” (pg 71).

“You have got to be strong enough to tell people that you will not allow any negativity on your bus” (pg 74).

“Your positive energy and vision must be greater than anyone’sand everyone’s negativity. Your certainty must be greater than everyone’s doubts” (pg 77).

“A positive company with a positive corporate culture will outperform their negative counterparts every time” (pg 111).

“When you love someone you want the best for them. You want them to shine. And the best way to do this is to help them discover the value inside them” (pg 117).

Three words of wisdom from “a bunch of ninety-five-year-olds" . . . “1) They would reflect more. Enjoy more moments. More sunrises and sunsets. More moments of joy. 2) They would take more risks and chances. Life is too short not to go for it. 3). They would have left a legacy. Something that would live on after they die” (pg 144).

I highly recommend this book, to everyone. It may be simple and a bit cheesy, but it sure ain’t wrong neither.

Grade: A

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