Gung Ho is a book written in the late 1990s by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. This is a book about team work and effective management. It is written in a story-telling style, where a manager is put in charge of an organisation in a very bad condition. To her surprise, there is one department in the company which seems to be exemplary and stands out as a contrast. Her endeavour to turn around the organisation is the story, and this forms the backdrop for the inputs the author wants to share.
The book has three key takeaway points:
~~ The Spirit of the Squirrel: Worthwhile Work
~~ The Way of the Beaver: In Control of Achieving the Goal
~~ The Gift of the Goose: Cheering Each Other On
I would strongly recommend that you read this book as it is very useful and an easy read. I do not plan to elaborate on the book’s content further and that is another reason why you should read Gung Ho .
It must be obvious that Gung Ho is one of my favourite books. I speak about the book’s message and how it can be applied to a team, organisation or even in personal life. In many instances there is a counter to these points, stating that the learning from the book is very idealistic and that it is not relevant in day-to-day life.
Selfless service
My strong belief has been that Gung Ho is relevant and that the inputs from the book can be applied in a practical manner. The fantastic work of selfless service by volunteers during the Chennai rains is ample proof that the inputs from this book are practical and can be used.
The core of the book is the three points mentioned above. The first is that people should find the work they do worthwhile or meaningful. One of the key reasons why there was an unprecedented response to rescue and relief work is because everyone involved found it to be meaningful. They were doing it for their city and their own people. When people across religions reached out to help without any discrimination, the core of worthwhile work is what made it successful.
Everyone contributes
Everyone who contributed and helped was in control of achieving their goals. The goal could have been something as simple as sharing a post asking for help with someone who could offer or organise that help. Alternatively, it could have been contacting someone on behalf of a friend or contact to check on their safety or more intense efforts like wading and swimming into ten or twelve feet of water to rescue people.
The immediate goal was to provide relief, rescue, help and it was clear that this was within the control of the people attempting to do this.
Cheering each other on is a crucial aspect for effectiveness and success. Social media helped in a big way to help cheer all those who were involved in providing help. Pictures, videos, posts appreciating the work, thanking individuals, and so on, were shared widely. Apart from motivating the individual concerned, it also served as an inspiration to others.
These can be incorporated into our daily life with ease and with a definite positive impact.