Actionable Books

Gung Ho

Published by William Morrow

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Employee buy-in and team unity are becoming increasingly difficult to foster. In an environment of high turnover and generally lower employee loyalty, the messages from Gung Ho! are more applicable than ever. Employee dedication and loyalty come from 1) being involved in meaningful work, 2) having a clear vision of where they’re leaded and 3) the right kind of encouragement along the way.

This workshop addresses all three of the above issues and leaves employees feeling inspired, focused and looking for opportunities to recognize their peers.

Exercise Overview

1 Lecture (10 minutes) | “Power of Fables”

A recap of the article, and an understanding of the importance of “anchor points” in reading and using fables.

2 Group Discussion (10 mins) | “Spirit of the Squirrel”

All of us like to feel like the work we’re doing is making a difference in the world. In this discussion we look at the impact of our company on our clients, co-workers and community. A brief look at goals as well, as they pertain to having purpose.

3 Group Exercise (10 minutes) | “Way of the Beaver”

Beavers build a dam by everyone contributing what they can. To create the ideal dam though, they all need to have a clear image in their minds of what that dam should look like (and it should match with their co-workers). In this exercise we define our “dam” and the values we want to adhere to in building it.

4 Group Discussion (10 minutes) | “Gift of the Goose”

Recognition can be financial, but it doesn’t have to be. In this discussion we look at the different types of recognition, identifiy ways to use them, and the value of doing so.

5 Wrap Up (5 minutes) | “Barnyard Breakfast”

“Involvement” and “commitment” are two very different things. Companies and teams that do great things have people that are commited. In this brief discussion, we identify what qualities make someone commited, and which we can improve in our team.

Key Deliverables

Staff members completing this workshop will have clarity of team objectives, pride in their work, and tools to encourage each other to continue working towards their goals.

This 45 minute workshop requires no additional materials beyond the standard Pen, Paper, Whiteboard and Markers. This is a stand alone workshop, and no additional followup work is required.