Book Review: The No Complaining Rule

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

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


We all need more "Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work." Sometimes we are the center of negativity ourselves and sometimes we have a co-worker who is. Either way, this book is a strong contribution to the self-help literature.  Writing fable-style, with a lead character whose personal and professional life is headed south, Gordon gives us a way to connect our own situations with his master thesis.  Chronic venting is not productive... it creates a downward spiral of negativity that makes everyone feel rotten and does not solve the problem.  The best way to avoid this situation is to avoid it - to implement and enforce a rule against complaining in the workplace. 

Got a problem? Fine, let's talk about it.  What is your proposed solution?

I felt like I benefited a lot by reading this little tale.  I took the Are You A Complainer? Self-Assessment and got a bit of a wake up call.  I have become more aware of my tendency to grumble and moan - and I try to keep myself from wearing out others with my irritation du jour.  I've even stopped myself mid-sentence and apologized to whoever I was dumping on.  Most people are too polite to say "Thank God you get it now" but they may well be thinking it.  So, thanks Mr. Gordon.

A word of caution: I tried to introduce the rule to a group I was consulting with and it backfired big time.  I had been hired to help a work team implement a new set of rules they absolutely did not like. Many of those involved were not past being mad at the upper administration of their organization, so when I introduced the rule in an effort to give them a way to take back some control over their quality of work life, I was seen as casting blame.  In retrospect, it would have been better to hold on to this one until someone within the group surfaced the negative work atmosphere as an issue.  Live and learn.

If you like fables... and you want to work on yourself or find strategies for dealing with coworkers who suck up time and energy with endless caterwauling, pick this one up.  You'll be glad you did! Here's a link to a downloadable two-page summary of four of my favorite fable-style books with a leadership message.




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Book Review: FISH!

Fish!: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen C. Lundin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It's always good to become familiar with a classic work like this, a book or concept that is widely known throughout the work world.  In this case, I am glad I read it.  I sure would like to live in a society where more people knew this philosophy, or more importantly, where more people lived this philosophy.

I first picked the book up because a client organization asked me to deliver a presentation at an all-staff in-service, something to help inspire the troops and boost morale.  I asked what they had already tried and they explained they had been implementing the FISH method.  I never like to recreate wheels, so I went to the original source to see what fresh inspiration I might find.  (In the end, I found my answer in the third book of the series -- FISH! Sticks -- which is about sustaining change.)

Simple ideas are always the best, especially when not overwhelmed by other ideas.  Much thanks is due the Pike Place Fish Market guys for figuring out that applying the simple ideas of choosing your attitude, being present, intending to help others, and going out of our way to have fun not only improves quality of work life, but it also improves customer service and grows the business.  Credit is also due the authors for seeing that the FISH method has wide applicability.

My summary for this one includes the other two books in the series, FISH Tales (real-life stories from those who have adopted the principles) and FISH Sticks about sustaining the change.  Download it for free by clicking here.






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