Narrator: For years, the Clemson University football team was a punchline. They were talented, yes, but they had a reputation for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, a phenomenon so common it earned its own name: "Clemsoning." Then, a coach named Dabo Swinney arrived and began talking about something different. He didn't just focus on plays and physical conditioning; he focused on belief. He told his team they could be legendary, and he challenged them to believe in each other. Slowly, impossibly, the culture began to shift. The team that was known for collapsing under pressure became a team that thrived on it, culminating in a dramatic, last-second national championship victory. What was the invisible force that transformed a group of talented but fragile players into an unbreakable, championship-winning team?

In his book, The Power of a Positive Team, author and consultant Jon Gordon argues that this transformation is not accidental. He provides a blueprint revealing that the most successful teams—in sports, business, and beyond—are built on a foundation of proven principles. It’s not just about strategy or talent; it’s about intentionally cultivating a positive, connected, and committed culture that allows a team to achieve uncommon collective greatness.

Narrator: Gordon asserts that the most critical, yet often overlooked, element of any great team is its culture. It’s the invisible architecture that dictates expectations, behaviors, and ultimately, results. A powerful example of this comes from the author's own experience playing lacrosse at Cornell University. During his sophomore year, the team was a powerhouse, winning nearly every close game. There was a palpable sense of belief and unity; they expected to win. Two years later, as a senior, the team had similar talent on paper, but the culture had eroded. They began losing the same close games they had once dominated. The talent was still there, but the championship culture—the shared belief and expectation of success—was gone.

This principle is echoed in the world of college tennis. For years, the University of Virginia (UVA) had incredibly talented teams but consistently fell short of a national championship. Their coach, Brian Boland, was a hard driver focused on results. Meanwhile, the University of Southern California (USC) won four consecutive championships with a culture built on love, family, and accountability. In 2013, Boland had a revelation. He shifted his focus from driving for results to intentionally building a positive culture and process. The change was transformative. After a decade of falling short, UVA’s newly connected team went on to win four of the next five national championships, proving that culture isn't a soft concept—it's the very engine that drives the numbers.

Narrator: A team can have a strong culture, but without a clear destination, its energy is wasted. Gordon explains that great teams are united by both a shared vision of where they are going and a greater purpose explaining why the journey matters. No story illustrates this better than the historic turnaround of Ford Motor Company under CEO Alan Mulally. In 2006, Ford was on the brink of collapse, losing billions of dollars. The company was a collection of warring internal factions. Mulally introduced a simple yet powerful vision called "One Ford." The goal was to have one team, one plan, and one goal.

He relentlessly communicated this vision, ensuring every single employee knew the plan and their role in it. But it wasn't just a business strategy; it was a purpose-driven mission to save an iconic American company. This greater purpose energized the workforce, breaking down silos and fostering a new era of collaboration. By uniting everyone around a clear vision and a compelling purpose, Mulally led one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in history, demonstrating that when a team knows its "why," no obstacle is too great.

Narrator: Many teams start a journey with enthusiasm, but Gordon argues that great teams are defined by their ability to sustain positivity when faced with adversity. This isn't about fake positivity; it's about a deep, resilient belief in the mission and in each other. This is the very principle that Dabo Swinney used to eradicate "Clemsoning" at Clemson. He knew the team had talent, but they lacked belief. He worked tirelessly to instill a culture of optimism, bringing in signs that said "Believe" and encouraging players to feed their positive dog, not their negative one.

This belief became most powerful when it was shared among the players themselves. In the 2016 national championship game, with just over two minutes left, Clemson was losing to the powerhouse Alabama team. It was the exact moment old Clemson would have folded. Instead, quarterback Deshaun Watson gathered his offense and said, "Let's be legendary." They believed in each other, and that collective belief powered them down the field for a game-winning touchdown with one second on the clock. They proved that a team that believes together, achieves together.

Narrator: Positivity is powerful, but it's also fragile. Gordon warns that a single negative person—an "energy vampire"—can drain a team's morale and sabotage its mission. Therefore, positive teams must be vigilant in addressing negativity. The first step is to build a culture where it can't thrive. Coach Mark Richt demonstrated this at the University of Georgia. After a rough start to the season, he was determined not to let negativity take hold. He had an artist draw a large energy vampire on a wall in the team room. Any player or coach caught being negative would have their picture put up on the wall.

This simple, visual tool created accountability and made it clear that negativity was not welcome. The team went on to win ten straight games. For teams where negativity is more persistent, Gordon advocates for the "No Complaining Rule," a policy where no one is allowed to complain unless they also offer a potential solution. This simple rule transforms the team's focus from problems to proactive problem-solving, turning a culture of complaint into a culture of contribution.

Narrator: What truly separates a good team from a great one? According to research from Google's Project Aristotle, the single most important factor is psychological safety—a shared belief that team members feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable with one another. In other words, the key is connection. Gordon highlights the story of the UVA men's tennis team, which, despite immense talent, couldn't win a championship. Stranded by a blizzard after a tough loss, their coach, Brian Boland, challenged their claim of being a "connected" team. He asked if they knew anything about each other's families, the most important people in their lives. The answer was no.

Boland then gave them an assignment: each player had to call and interview the family of a teammate and present what they learned. This exercise forced them to be vulnerable and to see each other as whole people, not just as tennis players. The experience was transformative. That year, they finally won the national championship. The talent had always been there, but it was the connection that unlocked their greatness, proving that team beats talent when talent isn't a team.

Narrator: Connection builds the bridge, but commitment is what drives a team across it. Great teams are defined by a "We before Me" ethos, where individual sacrifice for the collective good is the norm. The most extreme example of this is the Navy SEALs' "Hell Week," a grueling five-and-a-half-day ordeal designed to push candidates to their absolute limits. Former SEAL Nick Hays explains that recruits who enter Hell Week focused on their own survival are almost always the first to quit.

The only ones who make it through are those who shift their focus from "me" to "we." They stop worrying about their own pain and start worrying about the man next to them. They carry the logs for each other, they sing to keep spirits up, and they commit to getting the team through the challenge. This intense, shared struggle forges an unbreakable bond and instills a profound understanding that individual success is inextricably linked to the success of the team.

Narrator: Finally, Gordon emphasizes that positive teams are never complacent. They are in a constant state of "positive discontent," always striving to get better. This requires a delicate balance of two seemingly opposite forces: love and accountability. Coach Hank Janczyk of the Gettysburg College lacrosse team had built a team that was like a family. They loved each other, but he realized that love wasn't enough. They were so close that they made excuses for each other and failed to hold one another to a high standard on the field.

He realized that true care means you don't let someone settle for less than their best. He introduced a new level of accountability, not based on rigid rules, but on a shared commitment to excellence. This combination of love and tough accountability—caring enough to challenge each other—is what forges a good team into a great one. It creates a culture where everyone "owns the boat" and is responsible for pushing it forward, one percent better every single day.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from The Power of a Positive Team is that greatness is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is the result of intentionally building a team that is not just skilled, but is also positive, connected, committed, and accountable. Teamwork isn't a platitude; it's a strategic advantage built through deliberate, daily actions that foster a culture where everyone is dedicated to a purpose larger than themselves.

The book leaves us with a profound and challenging question. It’s easy to point to leaders or external factors when a team fails, but Gordon forces us to look inward. The ultimate question is not what your team can do for you, but what you are contributing to your team. Are you a source of positive energy that lifts everyone up, or are you an energy vampire that drains the room? Every day, in every interaction, you are making a choice that either builds your team or breaks it. Which will you choose to be?