The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices that Make Great Teams Great

Jon Gordon delivers exactly what you'd expect: high-energy, actionable advice for anyone leading a group. I've been a fan of The Energy Bus for years, but this felt like a more mature evolution of those core principles. Truth is, most teams fail because they ignore the culture, and Gordon provides a solid blueprint to fix that. The anecdotes about the Navy SEALs and various sports teams really drive home the point that excellence isn't an accident. While some might find the tone a bit too optimistic, I think that’s exactly what’s missing in today’s cynical corporate world. It is a quick read that you can actually implement tomorrow morning during your stand-up meeting. Great for those who want to foster real connection.

Ever wonder why some teams just 'click' while others fall apart at the first sign of trouble? This book answers that question by focusing on the intangible elements of connection and commitment that make or break a group. Jon Gordon has a gift for taking complex social dynamics and distilling them into simple, memorable mantras that stay with you long after you close the book. I loved the emphasis on purpose over rules; page 124 really hit home about how demands often lead to oppression rather than inspiration. We are actually planning to buy copies for the entire department to read as a group study. It is easily one of the most impactful team-building resources I've found this year.

Picked this up on a recommendation from a fellow coach and it absolutely lived up to the reputation. The examples from the Clemson football team and the Miami Heat provided a perfect roadmap for how to handle the inevitable egos and setbacks that come with high-stakes competition. Gordon’s focus on the 'Power of a Positive Team' isn't about ignoring the negative, but about building a culture strong enough to survive it. The book is incredibly easy to read and the practical tools for building trust are something every leader should have in their toolkit. If you want your team to move from a group of individuals to a united front, buy this today. It is truly an outstanding resource.

Wow, this was exactly the jolt our department needed after a really rough year of transitions and uncertainty. The book provides a clear blueprint for addressing common pitfalls like complaining and selfishness without sounding like a lecture. I found the section on 'refining vs. defining' feedback to be particularly transformative for our performance review process. It’s a quick read, but the impact of the stories—from Navy SEALs to the Billions writing team—is lasting. This is the kind of book that works best if the whole team reads it together to get on the same page. Highly recommend for any leader who wants to cultivate a more resilient and positive office culture.

After hearing so much about Gordon’s work, I finally dove into this one during our quarterly retreat. The framework he provides for overcoming negativity is practical, even if it feels a little familiar to those who have studied leadership before. I particularly appreciated the section on having difficult conversations; it's a skill my team really struggles with. Frankly, there are a lot of sports references which might alienate non-fans, but the underlying message about 'The Power of We' is universal. My only real gripe is that it feels a bit repetitive in the middle chapters. Still, it’s a valuable resource for any coach or manager looking to boost morale and create a more cohesive environment.

As someone who manages a small corporate team, I found the chapters on transforming negativity particularly useful for our current office dynamic. Gordon emphasizes that positive teams don't just ignore problems, but rather they confront reality together to find a way forward. I took several pages of notes on how to foster better communication and shared many of the quotes with my staff. Some parts of the book definitely felt a bit repetitive, and the author does reference his own previous books quite a bit. However, the 'self-study' guide format makes it very easy for a group to read this together and discuss the concepts. It's a solid 4-star read for anyone needing a culture reset.

Finally got around to reading this and I think the biggest takeaway is the concept of 'connectedness' being more important than just following a set of rules. The author explains that when people are connected to a shared purpose, they don't need to be micro-managed. I’ll admit that the constant self-promotion of his other titles got a little annoying after a while. However, the core principles are sound and I found myself highlighting several passages to turn into posters for our breakroom. It’s a great guide for anyone who wants to move away from a 'demand and control' leadership style. A very solid, albeit slightly repetitive, addition to any leadership library for those looking to improve performance.

To be fair, the message here is undeniably good, but the execution felt a bit thin for my taste. The book is filled with anecdotal evidence from winning sports teams, which is fine, but I would have loved to see some actual research or data to support the claims. Everything is very 'rah-rah' and optimistic, which can be great for motivation, but it lacks the grit needed for truly toxic environments. I also noticed that Gordon repeats himself quite a bit, making me feel like this could have been a very long blog post instead of a full book. It's not a waste of time by any means, but it isn't groundbreaking either. Decent for a quick shot of inspiration.

Not what I expected given the massive hype and all the five-star reviews surrounding this title. To be honest, I found the content to be largely oversimplified kumbaya drivel that lacks any real scientific backing or data-driven studies. It seems like the author is just recycling the same three ideas across twenty different books to keep the royalty checks coming in. If you have never had a leadership training in your life, you might find a nugget of gold here, but for most professionals, it's just surface-level fluff. The sports examples are constant and frankly, they start to feel very one-dimensional after the first fifty pages. I’d suggest looking elsewhere for something with more meat on its bones.

Look, I really wanted to like this because I’m a fan of positive psychology, but it felt more like a commercial for the author’s speaking business. The writing style is very elementary and the advice is so surface-level that it becomes almost meaningless for a seasoned professional. 'Love each other' and 'get on the bus' are nice sentiments, but they don't help much when you're dealing with budget cuts or complex structural issues. It’s a very short read, which is its only saving grace, but I’d recommend spending that hour on a book with more depth. I truly don't understand how this has such a high rating when it offers so little substance. Hard pass for me.