Gung Ho! Turn On the People in Any Organization [Hardcover]

Ken Blanchard (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 8, 1997

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 Squirrel
• The Way of the Beaver
• The 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In these days where the computer reigns supreme and management thought is presented in complicated models, there is something refreshing about management principles taught by allegory. Blanchard (The One Minute Manager, LJ 3/1/84), along with coauthor Bowles (Raving Fans, Morrow, 1993) recounts an organizational turnaround based on three Native American lessons. In "The Spirit of the Squirrel," the lesson is one of the power of worthwhile work. In "The Way of the Beaver," the lesson is accomplished through empowerment. In "The Gift of the Goose," the lesson is the exponential factor of motivation. The problem inherent in the principles in this work, or any change program from weight-loss diets on up, is that there needs to be constant focus; success, if it is not continually renewed, is dissipated over time. Although new, this work makes a good preface and companion to Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox's The Goal (North River, 1992. 2d ed.).?Steven Silkunas, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority, Philadelphia
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

""Gung Ho!" will make a difference in your life, and in the lives of all of those you have theprivilege to touch."-- Anthony Robbins, author of "Awaken the Giant Within"and "Unlimited Power"""Gung Ho!" will become the preeminent book in energizing and empowering people as "The One Minute Manager? has become for management and "Raving Fans for customer service."-- Harvey Mackay, author of "Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive"and "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty""Aboriginal North Americans are running banks and hospitals, designing computers and teaching in universities. They own and operate thousands upon thousands of successful businesses. It's nice to have the business-book world finally catch up to reality and give us Andy Longclaw, a man who saved 1,500 jobs and may well save yours." -- Phil Fontaine, Grand Chief, Assembly of Canadian Chiefs"Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles strike again. "You need and "business needs "Gung Ho!" This book will revolutionize any organization which adopts it, and those that don't won't survive. It's that simple."-- Tom Peters, co-author of "In Search of Excellence""I predict that like "Raving Fans" and "The One Minute Manager?, Gung Ho!" will become an invaluable tool in our team's pursuit of excellence. It conveys meaningful lessons about motivation, inspiration, and goal-setting that any organization can put to immediate use."-- Sally Gore, Human Resources Leader, W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.""Gung Ho!" shows in three easy steps how to release the energy and enthusiasm of your whole team and focus it on success. A great book."-- Stephen R. Covey, author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (October 8, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068815428X
• ISBN-13: 978-0688154288
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (150 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Training
  • #27 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Human Resources & Personnel Management
  • #85 in Books > Business & Investing > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Entrepreneurship

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gung Ho! is fantastic! October 29, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I ordered this book and it is the best business book I've ever read --- and I'm an avid reader of business books with an MBA. The authors have packed more common sense and genius ideas into a hundred or so pages than others can in 500 pages. I'm putting the Spirit Of The Squirrel, The Way Of The Beaver and The Gift Of The Goose to work in my own life and what a difference, at work AND at home! If you don't know what I'm talking about with these animals you need to find out. Thankyou Amazon for tipping me off to this book with these reviews.

30 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book and Here's Another! February 5, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles have created another classic. In a highly effective parable, they provide a blueprint any leader can use to create organizational excitement in just about any type of organization. The most positive characteristics of this book, like all Blanchard books, are the underlying values and wholesome philosophies that drive the message home at each juncture along the way. Whether a person is leading a small work group, a department, a division, or an entire company, he or she will find many useful ideas in this easy-to-read book.

Another book, with a foreword by Ken Blanchard, that I have just finished is also destined to be a classic alongside GUNG HO! I highly recommend everyone - not just people in leadership positions - read WINNING WAYS: FOUR SECRETS FOR GETTING GREAT RESULTS BY WORKING WELL WITH PEOPLE, by Dick Lyles. Dr. Lyles is a protégé of Blanchard and Bowles and this book proves that he, also, has mastered the art of parable writing. This book contains tips that will help anyone be more powerful and charismatic in their dealings with other people.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple ideas to motivate your people October 19, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

This book is easy to read and offers wholesome useful advice to those who want to motivate others. Having read all the best-selling business and self help books, I believe we have to incorporate Optimal Thinking into corporate culture, and hire and retain people who can make the commitment to be their best regardless of the circumstances. So I recommend Optimal Thinking--How To Be Your Best Self along with this book.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It will make you believe in yourself and your staff October 10, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I joined a new company almost two years ago. Many management people over me were required to read "Gung Ho". I asked to read it and found it thought-provoking, but the three concepts exciting. I've lived those three concepts for the past year and just recently was put in charge of a group seven staff-members. As I recalled the book and the basic concepts, I took it down and read it afresh. As I had practiced, I began teaching the three basic concepts without telling my staff what they are doing. Now my next step is to let them in on the secret. I know "people" are watching me and that's okay. My team is succeeding. With these three concepts in my daily plan of action, I know I will pass the test of a new supervisor as well as have helped create a great winning team. The staff themselves are the winners. The book explains in extremely simple but motivating language how to work together, take control of your actions, and praise one another when we "do good". The book "Gung Ho" is a great birthday or Christmas gift.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Listen up, Management! April 3, 2001

By Merline Hatfield

Format:Hardcover

Gung Ho!

Gung Ho! is one of the best management books that I have read. Anyone that supervises others should read this book and practice using the techniques on a daily basis. The co-authors, Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles tell a story that is basically common sense and easy to understand. The principles could be used in your personal life as well as your professional life. In the prologue, Peggy Sinclair was faced with the task of telling the Gung Ho story, a promise she made to her friend Andy Longclaw, before he passed away. As she was walking away from the hospital, Peggy was wondering how she was going to keep her promise. After hearing a conversation that two men were having, something one man said to the other came through loud and clear. "The Buddhists say when the student is ready the teacher would appear." Gung Ho! is a tale of a new general manager challenged with turning a failing business at Walton Works #2 into a success. Old man Morris thought for sure he would use Peggy Sinclair for a scapegoat. After figuring this out, she was out to prove him wrong. This book teaches management personnel how to motivate and improve performance of those they direct. The three simple techniques, "The Spirit of the Squirrel," "The Way of the Beaver" and "The Gift of the Goose" stand for worthwhile work, in control of achieving a goal, and cheer each other on respectively, are excellent tools to motivate others, though a lot of people do not utilize these tools or feel that a word of praise is necessary. I have presented my manager with these same ideas, before I ever read this book; only to be told "They get a paycheck, don't they? That should be all they need...." I tried to reason with him and make him understand that a simple "Thank you" or "Good job" would go a long way in a positive direction. This will create good morale from the associates and they would be more apt to "buy into" the company goals. This is the same manager that gave me the Gung Ho! book to read. For me, the book was a refresher course in my style of management. As for my manager, I don't think he read the book, if he has, he evidently doesn't understand it. People want to be treated with respect. They want clearly defined and attainable goals to achieve. Recognition needs to be given to let others know that you appreciate their efforts. Others, myself included, will perform at maximum efficiency when someone else, especially their superiors, displays gratitude and appreciation. Any praise must be sincere, truly mean what you say; others can tell if you are being phony. What you say, and how you say it, could have a positive or a negative impact on your goals. The term Gung Ho is Chinese for "working together." Gung Ho, friend! Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gung Ho Friend! June 28, 2001

By ufrh4

Format:Audio Cassette

This book certainly spoke to me in a way I was not expecting. One result that was probably unintended was my newfound desire to study nature around me, people around me, things that are flowing in harmony. What's their secret?

The squirrel and beaver were absolutely fascinating in their tasks, but my hands-down favorite was the geese. I am now going to buy some beanie baby geese or something to begin passing out to people to "honk" on a job well done.

I love the method employed to tell a great truth, quite similar to the fables of old.

Well written, a must-read for anyone operating within today's organizational cultures.