Profit from the Positive by Margaret Greenberg & Senia Maymin Summary

Profit from the Positive by Margaret Greenberg and Senia Maymin applies positive psychology to business leadership, offering evidence-based strategies to boost productivity, collaboration, and profitability. The book features case studies from Google, Zappos, and Amazon, with tools like strength-based leadership and resilience-building techniques—all at no cost.

This book is ideal for managers, HR professionals, and business leaders seeking actionable ways to improve team performance. Executive coaches and entrepreneurs will also benefit from its research-backed frameworks for fostering positivity and accountability in workplaces.

Yes—it provides practical, budget-friendly strategies validated by companies like Amazon and Google. Readers praise its actionable advice on emotional contagion, strengths-focused leadership, and redefining performance reviews, calling it a "rare business book that compels you to act".

The "Achoo! effect" refers to emotional contagion: how leaders’ moods and behaviors spread through teams. The authors argue that cultivating positivity in managers creates a ripple effect, enhancing collaboration and reducing workplace conflict.

The book advocates for setting habits over goals, emphasizing small, consistent actions (e.g., daily recognition) to drive long-term change. This approach aligns with positive psychology principles to build sustainable productivity.

It advises hiring for strengths not listed on resumes, such as resilience or curiosity. Using behavioral questions and trial projects helps identify candidates who thrive in dynamic environments, as seen in Zappos’ case study.

Profit from the Positive suggests "previewing" (forward-looking feedback) instead of traditional reviews. This method aligns with strength-based leadership, focusing on future potential rather than past mistakes.

The authors argue that leveraging employees’ strengths—not fixing weaknesses—drives engagement. Tools like strengths assessments help managers build complementary teams, turning individual talents into collective success.

It teaches resilience through reframing challenges as growth opportunities. Strategies include fostering a "learn-it-all" mindset and encouraging teams to analyze setbacks constructively.

Some readers note the term "positive" might oversimplify complex workplace issues. However, most praise its balance of theory and practicality, calling it a "no-fluff guide".

Unlike generic advice, it offers specific positive psychology tools validated by research and real-world cases. It complements works by Martin Seligman but focuses solely on business applications.

The book highlights Google’s habit-forming strategies, Zappos’ strengths-based hiring, and Amazon’s resilience-building techniques. These examples illustrate how positivity directly impacts bottom-line results.