Review of “Gung Ho!” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles;

Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization is a short story which details three steps to release unchanneled energy and enthusiasm of a team. Whether you are a manager or not, leadership is something we should all aspire too. There are plenty of managers in the world and not nearly enough leaders. If you practice the steps in Gung Ho! you will find yourself a natural leader in your organization. There are two reasons for you to read more about management and leadership. No one is an island; you can increase productivity, profits and your own prosperity.

First, what’s with the title? “Gung Ho!” means enthusiastic or overzealous. The term is an English pronunciation of the Chinese words “gong” and “he”, which translate approximately as “work” and “together”. “Gung Ho” literally means work together enthusiastically. The book contains a story of two managers exploring three steps to drive everyone in an organization to become gung ho!

Each step is itself an analogy from nature from a feeling. The first step titled The Spirit of the Squirrel. Why is it that squirrels have the energy to pursue acorns with such drive throughout the fall? They never complain about the work, they simply continue to seek acorns. Squirrels have that energy because they have worthwhile work to pursue. What could be more worthwhile than burying food for the winter? In practice, you can make work worthwhile for others by convincing them: (1) Knowing we make the world a better place. (2) Everyone works towards a shared goal. (3) Values guide all plans, decisions, and actions. These three goals will make sure each person sees their work as important in a big picture way. A view that our work is valuable drives people to care.

The next step is The Way of the Beaver. The beavers all work towards a common goal, which is truly important. But the beaver continues its work because each is in control of their own goal. There is no micro-management when beavers make a dam. Each beaver seeks out a sappling to fell, knocks it down, and places it on the dam, without the criticism or yapping of their boss. Each is in control of achieving their own goals. To put this into practice you need: (1) A playing field with clearly marked territory. (2) Thoughts, feelings, needs, and dreams are respected, listened to, and acted upon. (3) Able but challenged. Many managers screw up here. In order to create a gung-ho team, each member must be capable of making their own decisions. That means each must have the freedom to pursue goals in their own way. Furthermore, the manager’s job is to support them in their pursuits, to value individuals as persons, even when the manager disagrees with a specific method.

The last step is The Gift of the Goose. Geese fly an awful long way each and every year. They certainly understand the importance of their flight, and they are each in control of their own fate. But there is one more thing which can make a team truly productive; there is one more thing needed to make an organization gung-ho! Geese cheer one another on. They squawk the whole flight. They let one another know what a great job they are doing. In order for your praise to have the same effect on others, you need cheer others on in the following ways: (1) Active or passive, congratulations must be TRUE. (2) No score, no game, and cheer the progress. If you really want your praise to help others feel better about their work, make sure that your praise is spontaneous in timing, directed towards an individual completing a specific discrete task, and is unique. Take the view of a coach. Instead of policing for problems, look for the individuals responsible for the things going right.

Those three ideas can change an organization, any organization. Don’t consider them something that you have to try at work. Consider bringing them up in civic meetings, community events, or your own life first. Write down the ways that your work matters in the world. If you work in a sheet metal factory making training wheels, focus not on the metal in your hand, but instead on the smiles of children learning to ride a bicycle and on the miles and miles of riding they will do since they learned riding on your training wheels. That matters. Take the liberty to propose changes to your workflow. Control what you can. Make your work your own. And cheer others on. They will reciprocate in time. IF you do these things, you will emerge as a natural leader in whatever organization you are in. Your energy will be infectious. Your drive will be contagious. Your energy will attract other successful people. You will be a success.

If simple steps that can change your life sound interesting to you, check out the full story by clicking this link to Amazon.com. Thanks for reading!.