Sheldon Bowles

Gung Ho! 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. 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 are 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.… (mere)

Raving Fans is popular among my upper-level managers (so much so that staff are occassionally exhorted to create "raving fans"), so I thought I'd take a look. There are some sound principles of customer service buried in this very brief book, but the parable delivery style is inane and condescending. The book design, with different amounts of text on every page, is distracting and clearly intended to turn a 50-page booklet into a 130-page hardback that can be marketed for $22. I appreciate the customer service philosophy that underlies Raving Fans, and will try to take it to heart as much as someone who isn't responsible for policy can, which I think boils down to going out of your way to solve problems whenever possible. But frankly I am not a raving fan.… (mere)