The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy

For Gordon, positive energy isn’t merely a feel-good concept; it is a strategic asset in leadership and team success. Gordon’s third rule—“Fuel your ride with positive energy” (47)—advocates for consciously replacing negative thought patterns with optimism, enthusiasm, and gratitude. George, the protagonist, begins using a daily “Thank-You Walk” to shift his mindset (52), a tactic supported by psychological studies linking gratitude to improved mood and cognitive function. In business, this principle can be applied by fostering a culture of appreciation—regularly recognizing team contributions, celebrating small wins, and practicing solution-oriented thinking during setbacks. For instance, companies like Atlassian integrate recognition into their team rituals to maintain morale and innovation, encouraging peers to celebrate and reward one another’s achievements with “Kudos.” Zappos has a similar program, even holding parades to honor employees and build team spirit.

What Gordon terms “energy vampires”—those who drain morale and resist progress—must be confronted if a team is to thrive. Gordon’s advice to “post a sign that says NO ENERGY VAMPIRES ALLOWED” serves as a directive to establish strong emotional boundaries (74). While this may sound harsh, it mirrors psychological safety principles in group dynamics: Protecting team environments from chronic negativity preserves cohesion and momentum. In practice, this involves candid feedback, clear consequences for toxic behavior, and coaching for change. Netflix’s “keeper test" famously embodies this concept by encouraging managers to replace team members whom they would not fight to keep, including those who destabilize the group. This principle isn’t about exclusion but about preserving a team’s integrity by ensuring every member contributes constructively.

For Gordon, leadership is about rallying people around a shared vision. George’s transformation begins to take root when he shares his vision for the NRG-2000 project with his team and invites them to join his “bus.” Another of Gordon’s rules—“Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead” (56)—underscores the importance of communicating purpose. This requires crafting a compelling narrative around a project or mission, one that includes not just goals but also values and potential impact. Simon Sinek’s Start With Why framework echoes this takeaway: Teams are more engaged when they understand and connect with a leader’s “why.” For managers, this could mean beginning every new initiative with a vision statement and inviting input on how each team member’s role aligns with that vision, building ownership and buy-in.

Another of Gordon’s rules, “Love your passengers” (113), reframes leadership as a relationship of service rather than control. Love, in this context, means empathy, commitment, and belief in people’s potential. George, for example, shifts from a critical, withdrawn manager to someone who expresses appreciation and believes in his team’s capabilities, which transforms their performance. This aligns with servant leadership models advocated by thinkers like Robert Greenleaf and practiced by companies like Starbucks and Marriott; Bill Marriott, chairman of Marriott International, is known to visit hundreds of his hotels each year to talk with employees about their concerns. Broadly, this principle involves adopting coaching behaviors—active listening, developmental feedback, and consistent encouragement. Leaders can demonstrate love by noticing when team members are struggling and offering support rather than judgment, or by celebrating progress instead of only focusing on outcomes.