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The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
by
In this best selling business fable, The Energy Bus, takes listeners on an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment - at work and at home.
Everyone faces challenges. And every person, organization, company and team will have to overcome negativity and a ...more
Everyone faces challenges. And every person, organization, company and team will have to overcome negativity and a ...more
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Audiobook, 3 pages
Published
June 15th 2010
by Gildan Media Corp
(first published January 1st 2007)
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Start your review of The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
Why is it that I hate business self-help books written by motivational speakers? Is it because I receive them from my employer? Is it because I look at the $21.95 price tag for an hour reading and think "Why can't I get on this gravy train?" Is it because the grammar mistakes make me scream: "This publisher has illiterate editors!"? Is it because they take attributes I actually believe in and trivialize them? Is it because I hate anything that has a mission statement?
Perhaps. But the most impor ...more
Perhaps. But the most impor ...more
I work for a public school system. We are out for the summer. As we staff members joyfully fled the building, we were handed this book for summer reading. Evidently, next school year, we can anticipate fun activities based on the book's theme and message. Here is the email I sent my principal.
Dear ______,
You've been a great boss this year. I appreciate your sense of purpose, your pragmatic way of getting things done, and the support you give your staff.
But, oh my. I just finished reading THE ENE ...more
Dear ______,
You've been a great boss this year. I appreciate your sense of purpose, your pragmatic way of getting things done, and the support you give your staff.
But, oh my. I just finished reading THE ENE ...more
I was required to read this book by my principal. This book reminded me a bit of another book I listened to last summer on CD, A Complaint Free World. Both books are brimming with painfully uncreative (because they're so blatantly obvious) extended metaphors that one could surmise the meanings of without reading or listening to the book one iota. Their intention is purposeful and righteous, but the method of communicating the ideas just doesn't motivate me.
When I read self-help books, I like th ...more
When I read self-help books, I like th ...more
FML I am on a short bus to hell..
The underlying message of the book is positive, if delivered in a pedestrian manner. Reading this book is like having someone beat you over the head repeatedly with a metaphor.
My main complaint which overrides most of the positives from the book is the same thing with all this author's works--the religious themes that go along with it. If this book is supposed to inspire workers to work hard, then it should not assume us all to be Christian. As a non-believer I see what my company was going for ...more
My main complaint which overrides most of the positives from the book is the same thing with all this author's works--the religious themes that go along with it. If this book is supposed to inspire workers to work hard, then it should not assume us all to be Christian. As a non-believer I see what my company was going for ...more
this book is just painful. the latest thing for managers to do, it would seem, is pass around these business fable books -- fairy tales for the cubicle world -- and they are just plain BAD. badly written by motivational speakers with product tie-ins, these facile little tales take common sense ideas and turn them into Words Of Wisdom which are apparently supposed to lance their eternal truths into our souls through a folksy tale written at the fourth grade level. i can only hold out the hope tha
...more
Forced to read it for work. Slammed head into desk. I'm not a third grader.
...more
I'm not an energy vampire this book is just bad.
...more
Apr 21, 2019
Robin (Bridge Four)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2019-reads,
help-yourself
One of the Managers of my job gave me this book to read as I’m one of the team leaders involved in changing the culture of our section and focusing it more on appreciation, cooperation and collaboration. This is a really short and simple books that is also pretty cheesy but it does have a good overall message for team leaders, which is basically you have the power to control the mood and direction of your team and it is your responsibility to get the team to where it is going.
10 RULES FO...more
The book seemed to rehash many age old values into a parable style that seemed under developed and haphazardly put together. What the story lacked in depth it made up for in monotony. So I'm thankful it was very short. At times it seemed so blatant in it's reuse of "The Secret" and Covey teachings that I felt bad for them. It's very religious narrative and constant reiteration of providence was a bit off putting, especially if it's supposed to be a book used by businesses to help emerging leader
...more
I'm not typically a fan of corny self-help books, but this was recommended, and I support the message of positive energy, so I gave it a try. I didn't hate this book, but geez...it is just SO corny and contrived and simplified. The fictional story of a positive energy guru driving an actual bus (yes, the conceit is that obvious) carrying passengers who are positive energy converts is kind of lame, and the few references to actual scientific and social research are not expanded in any detail. The
...more
Aug 19, 2010
Kim
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction-adult,
professional
The message is a good one in this short book, but it is a real shame that the editing (or lack thereof) is such a distraction. Wiley Publishing should be ashamed of themselves for the horrendous job they did... there's no excuse for the lack of commas (several passages could be used in the next "Eats Shoots and Leaves" edition) and very blatant errors throughout.
...more
I read this for a work thing, even though we already had the discussion group and I could probably have gotten away with "forgetting". Conscientious, that's me.
Anyway, this is an extended conversion fable walking us through the fictional "George" who needs to turn his life around or be fired and lose his wife and family. He's such a grump, is George, and all that negative energy is killing his relationships. Good thing he gets on the bus after his car breaks down and meets "Joy" the bus driver w ...more
Anyway, this is an extended conversion fable walking us through the fictional "George" who needs to turn his life around or be fired and lose his wife and family. He's such a grump, is George, and all that negative energy is killing his relationships. Good thing he gets on the bus after his car breaks down and meets "Joy" the bus driver w ...more
I had to read The Energy Bus for work and am so sad to see that works rife with neuromyths and quasi-scientific nonsense are still being peddled throughout school districts and other businesses throughout the country. The whole premise of the book can be boiled down to this: if you are positive you will attract positivity to your life, which you are in control of, but only when you're positive. What makes things worse is the author's poorly written parable that he uses to explain all of his "rul
...more
Would have been a nice pamphlet.
I give this book 3.5 stars. It's a business 'parable' to teach the 10 rules:
1. You're the driver of the bus.
2. Desire, vision and focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your ride with positive energy.
4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.
5. Don't waste your energy on those who don't get on your bus.
6. Post a sign that says 'No Energy Vampires Allowed.'
7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.
8. Love your passengers.
9. D ...more
1. You're the driver of the bus.
2. Desire, vision and focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your ride with positive energy.
4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.
5. Don't waste your energy on those who don't get on your bus.
6. Post a sign that says 'No Energy Vampires Allowed.'
7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.
8. Love your passengers.
9. D ...more
I saw this title while browsing for some audio books to download for my commute. This was only 3 hours long, and I'd had lots of people ask about it in my bookselling days so it jumped out at me. I'd never read any "business fables" (or "business jerk books" as I always mentally referred to them), so I thought it would be interesting to see what all the hype was about. I'm truly not sure why or how I made it through all three hours, but wow. If books like this are keeping America's corporations
...more
I went into this book with an open mind. My school district bought us each a copy and encouraged us to use this mentality in the upcoming year. Although it would be a quick fix to become a Chief Energy Officer, this positivity mantra masks more insidious problems.
I find it difficult to buy into platitudes that tell me if I run into a systemic problem that I should simply think about how I can personally grow from that challenge. This mindset might work with small workplace and relationship setb ...more
I find it difficult to buy into platitudes that tell me if I run into a systemic problem that I should simply think about how I can personally grow from that challenge. This mindset might work with small workplace and relationship setb ...more
Mar 04, 2010
Leslie Selvaggi
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE :)
This book was first given to me (and the rest of my co-workers) by our school principal. I was very reluctant to read it because self-help books typically do not hold my interest very well. My mom had read it and told me that I should too. As soon as I began reading this book, I found it difficult to put down. It was a very quick read and made me look at everyday situations in a more positive way. I would suggest this book to anyone who needs a new perspective on life and work. Stay away from "e
...more
Oversimplification of suggested action if one needs to address severe cultural problems. Calling dissenters wolves and vampires doesn't address problems. Maybe the leader is unethical and should not be allowed to drive a bus?? It would be good for those in a rut who want some quick encouragement and don't want to read something substantial. A few good nuggets of trite advice in an overly simplistic format.
...more
A self-help book that uses a fable about an individual who is having difficulties seeing the positive aspects of life and is ultimately told basic life concepts to get over the bump in the road. Part of the problem is that these concepts are nothing new, the fable is poorly conceived (the writing, characters and "logic" are terrible--I know those are not the main purpose of the book, but they are very obvious), and businesses should focus on team building exorcises rather than wasting their mone
...more
Had to read this book for work - it was passed around as part of the 'managers' series of books we share.
All ideas one could already know based upon reading siginificantly better written 'energizing your self and your team' books.
Also, don't bother reading if you don't like mixing god and mgmt style. ...more
All ideas one could already know based upon reading siginificantly better written 'energizing your self and your team' books.
Also, don't bother reading if you don't like mixing god and mgmt style. ...more
Jul 05, 2018
Sarah Churchill
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
self-development
An easy read, probably a one-sitting job for most people. There's a layer of cheesiness you have to scrape away to really let the message in, but I like that it's presented in the form of a fictional story. It's all pretty exaggerated (the people on that bus drank the coolaid HARD) but it works in the way that it helps you to relate to the situations and apply it to your own; whether it be work, life, career or whatever.
It's a pretty well-rounded lesson on positivity and perspective, how your a ...more
It's a pretty well-rounded lesson on positivity and perspective, how your a ...more
The Energy Bus is a brief parable about a man for whom everything is going wrong at home and at work but who finds meaning and direction from a bus driver named Joy and her regular crew of riders. Joy's answer is to amp up the positive energy and watch what flows from it. It's easy to call The Energy Bus simplistic, but that would be missing the point: If we're busy criticizing, we're losing an opportunity to move forward with something productive and positive.
...more
“The Energy Bus” is what you expect from a short business “parable” that probably sells more in bulk than individual copies. The book provides 10 “rules” for managing energy in your business relationships. I didn’t find anything very novel in this book. I often like business books, even if they don’t bring new concepts up, if they provide a valuable reminder of things I already know. This one just didn’t catch me, the story is odd and too obviously engineered to illustrate these rules in order.
...more
Unbelievably cheesy. It's a good book for kids in 5th grade or below, it didn't offer anything that I didn't already know. The two reasons I kept reading it was that the rules were nice refreshers/reminders to have a positive mindset and I finish what I start (no matter how long it may take me, and how painful reading it may be (like this).
I'd also like to mention that I agreed to read this with someone that was required to read it by their coach, never again. ...more
I'd also like to mention that I agreed to read this with someone that was required to read it by their coach, never again. ...more
I don’t typically read “self-help” books, but I read this one in advance of a presentation I am part of at a conference in September. While cheesy at times, The Energy Bus has a lot of great reminders of how to make your daily work and personal life better for you and those around you. Always good to freshen up on living life with joy and positive energy!
Great story about what it takes to maintain positive energy
I really liked this fictional story. It talks about George who sees everything negatively from his lens, whether it's his family, marriage, and career. The story takes place on a bus, which is a metaphor for life and all its paths. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high level of energy in everything you do, and staying away from low-energy and negative folks (also called Energy Vampires). It also highlights the ripple effect ...more
I really liked this fictional story. It talks about George who sees everything negatively from his lens, whether it's his family, marriage, and career. The story takes place on a bus, which is a metaphor for life and all its paths. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high level of energy in everything you do, and staying away from low-energy and negative folks (also called Energy Vampires). It also highlights the ripple effect ...more
This book was kind of cheesey but the principles and ideas in it are sound. Instead of teaching you things like a textbook it read like a story which was nice. And it just makes you feel good to listen to it. Overall a pretty solid book
I truly enjoyed this book. Jon's ability to use a story to illustrate core values and approaches to respond to challenges was fantastic.
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torches and Pitchforks | 1 | 5 | Mar 25, 2020 07:00PM | |
| Play Book Tag: The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy / Jon Gordon ~ 4 stars | 1 | 19 | Jan 25, 2018 12:47PM | |
| WLE The Energy Bus: Nov 9th Chapters 1- Chapter 8, pages 1-32 | 30 | 29 | Dec 03, 2017 11:28AM | |
| WLE The Energy Bus: WELCOME to The Energy Bus! | 29 | 33 | Nov 20, 2017 11:17AM | |
| Houston Christian...: What caused you to pick this book? | 1 | 3 | Jun 03, 2017 06:48AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Jon Gordon is an American business consultant and author on the topics of leadership, culture, sales, and teamwork.
Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, and college coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of The Wal ...more
Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, and college coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of The Wal ...more
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