Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization | Ken Blanchard

Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization | Ken Blanchard | Outstanding book on how to manage people effectively

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Gung Ho! Turn On t...

	Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization Ken Blanchard William Morrow, 1997 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 105 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, co-authors of the New York Times business bestseller Raving Fans, are back with Gung Ho! Here is an invaluable management tool that outlines foolproof ways to increase productivity by fostering excellent morale in the workplace. It is a must-read for everyone who wants to stay on top in today's ultra-competitive business world.

Raving Fans taught managers how to turn customers into full-fledged fans. Now, Gung Ho! brings the same magic to employees. Through the inspirational story of business leaders Peggy Sinclair and Andy Longclaw, Blanchard and Bowles reveal the secret of Gung Ho--a revolutionary technique to boost enthusiasm and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization. The three principles of Gung Ho are:

The Spirit of the SquirrelThe Way of the BeaverThe Gift of the Goose

These three cornerstones of Gung Ho are surprisingly simple and yet amazingly powerful. Whether your organization consists of one or is listed in the Fortune 500, this book ensures Gung Ho employees committed to success.

Gung Ho! also includes a clear game plan with a step-by-step outline for instituting these groundbreaking ideas. Destined to become a classic, Gung Ho! is a rare and wonderful business book that is packed with invaluable information as well as a compelling, page-turning story.

Management legend Ken Blanchard and master entrepreneur Sheldon Bowles are back with Gung Ho!, revealing a surefire way to boost employee enthusiasm, productivity, and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization.

Raving Fans brilliantly schooled managers on how to turn customers into raving fans. Gung Ho! now brings the same magic to employees. Here is the story of how two managers saved a failing company and turned in record profits with record productivity. The three core ideas of Gung Ho! are surprisingly simple: worthwhile work guided by goals and values; putting workers in control of their production; and cheering one another on. Their principles are so powerful that business leaders, reviewing the manuscript for Ken and Sheldon, have written to say, "Sorry. Ignored instructions. Have photocopied for everyone. I promise to buy books, but can't wait. We need now!" Like Raving Fans, Gung Ho! delivers.

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Gung Ho is for real!

I did not think it could happen - but with our new intitatives and
company wide conference calls explaining them, people are begining to
take on the Gung Ho mentality. It's all in the approach. The book taught us that.

Outstanding book on how to manage people effectively

If there are any people who know more about the practical aspects of the management of people than the authors, I have yet to encounter any of their work. In this book, they once again demonstrate how simple the principles of good management are to state. The problem of course is that they require managers to give up control and let their workers have some power and receive praise. Since many managers are fundamentally insecure, this does not happen. Instead, when something goes wrong, they impose more controls, lowering morale even further and in the worse case situations start a negative feedback loop to catastrophe.
Peggy Sinclair is given the managerial responsibility at the Walton Works #2, a location that is notorious for under performing. Before she gets there, she is warned about Andy Longclaw, a Native American who is considered a problem. When Peggy arrives, she immediately encounters Andy and they strike up a conversation. Andy talks about the "Wicked Witch" who will be arriving shortly to take over. Fortunately, rather than be offended, Peggy is polite and takes Andy seriously. This begins an effective collaboration between them as Andy teaches her the principles of the "Gung Ho!" organization.
They are simple and are represented by the behavior of three species of animals:

*) The squirrel - do worthwhile work, the squirrel gathers food and stores it away to avoid starving later. However, the squirrels chatter at each other and do not work together.
*) The beaver - in control of achieving the goal, when their dam is breached, the beavers work together, while one is putting a stick in one location and of a certain orientation, another will be placing another that reinforces what the first has done. When danger appears, a slap of the tail on the water warns all other beavers.
*) The goose - when geese fly together, they are constantly honking at each other. This communication can be considered as encouragement of the others.

These three principles are the fundamentals to getting people to perform:

*) Give them meaningful work
*) Have the work of each employee reinforce that of others
*) Give regular and appropriate encouragement and congratulations for work done

The authors also use a different take on the famous Einstein equation E = m*c*c.

Enthusiasm equals mission times cash and congratulations

There is no question that these principles will work, they will turn work groups into high producers, and the problem is that so many managers lack the self-esteem to make the attempt. Which is one of the primary reasons why American business is weaker than it could be.

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A Good Startng Point!

Gung Ho! Turn on the People in Any Organization is an interesting mix of management principles and personal narrative (as related to the reader utilizing allegory) with the express purpose of motivating and inspiring the reader to become "turned on" about the work they do...and to, in turn, "infect" others with that same spirit and motivation. The author's talk about three guiding principles (The Spirit of the Squirrel, The Way of the Beaver, and The Gift of the Goose) which are on the surface, quite simple and are, basically, common sense. Digging deeper, if one really thinks about these guiding principles; how they should be applied, what impact they have, or explores them through discussion with co-workers (or peers), one finds that they are indeed profound and can have an incredible impact on both individuals and businesses.

The main drawback to this book, well, the story is so simplified and, well too corny to be fully believable. The characters are all basically caricatures...overly simplified and way too pleasant. This story is either entirely untrue or has been overly distilled, leaving only a syrupy sweet outer shell which gives one a bad aftertaste. I was left with the feeling that the reader was supposed to get to the end and have eyes brimming with tears (HOORAY, they did it) AND a big, cheesy grin on one's face (awwwwwwwww, they did it). All in all, Peggy's narrative had a very "after-school special" feel to it (everything works out just so perfectly that it becomes unbelievable when compared to normal everyday life, there is even a tragically overacted death scene) which was not, in the end, entirely enjoyable or believable.

Overall, Gung Ho! would certainly be an excellent start to any reading an individual might undertake to improve (or learn) management techniques, but it is not a one stop solution to all one's management needs (even discounting the simplicity of the story as it's told). It's lacking in several areas that most other books on management cover...namely, conflict resolution (it's all well and good to infect people with enthusiasm, creativity, and encourage productivity but there is nothing here on how to deal with problem employees over the long haul). This book would (and likely has) make an ideal selection for discussion groups or as a tool for introspection. I give Gung Ho! 4 stars and would readily recommend it for its intended purpose, while it's not without flaws, it is an excellent resource.

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Simple Leadership More Management Information

We went GUNG HO at work. This was easy to read with clear concise examples on how to put this common sense advice to use. Peggy Sinclair and Andy Longclaw attempt to change their organization in order to save the company and town they live in. The story is a simple parable about how to motivate people to be productive, encourage leadership and increase customer service. The Spirit of the Squirrel, The Way of the Beaver and The Gift of the Goose discuss various ways to make employees feel important and provide positive reinforcement for work well done.

I definitely recommend this book for managers/leaders that may be stuck in a rut and looking for motivation. If you are a student of leadership, this will be a 45-minute read and much will be review. Small business owners can use these techniques when dealing with their employees...I did.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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