Bullshit: A Good Word and a Vital Part of Leadership

When you think of leadership, you might think of motivation, mentoring, or coaching—or maybe inspiring “win one for the Gipper” speeches. John W. Wright would like to add a new tactic to your leadership strategies: positive bullshit.

At first glance, that seems an odd (if not outright outlandish) strategy. Bullshit is not usually seen as positive—indeed, the word is most often associated with falsehoods and nonsense.

This is true, but positive bullshit can be a powerful leadership force—a “fake it till you make it” strategy that has very real and positive effects on your team. Positive BS is emotional makeup. Practice the fine art of positive bullshit, and learn to change negative actions into positive ones, turning inferior results into superior outcomes.

Beginning with a humorous examination of the role bullshit plays in life, Wright then reveals the secrets of positive bullshit and how to use it to inspire yourself and your team. It’s a tactic not taught in business school but one athletic coaches know well—convince a team they can do it, and more often than not, they rise to your expectations. Even when you know it’s bullshit.