This Quick List* is provided in celebration of  Squirrel Awareness Week (and month).

Remember how we went out and watched the squirrels on Sunday?   They were everywhere.  And though they often looked like they were playing, they were  busy, very busy,  collecting food to store away.   This is very important work for them.  If they don’t do it or don’t do it well – they won’t survive the winter.     Sounds like a pretty worthwhile thing for squirrels to do, doesn’t it?

Ah yes – worthwhile work – that’s in our Quote of the Week:  Spirit of the Squirrel..

What any one of us can observe about squirrels  is woven together with much additional wisdom and described as the “Spirit of the Squirrel” in Gung Ho,  a book written by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.    It’s a story about a business that’s about to close.    A new manager comes in and finds one (and only one) department that’s high on morale and productivity.  She digs in and learns their secrets to success which include squirrels, beavers and geese.    After applying these secrets to all parts of the business,  instead of closing, it makes record profits and productivity.

It’s a good, quick book to read.  One that can have lasting value for you as a manager.   As a quick glimpse/overview, here are 10 of my favorite Spirit of the Squirrel nuggets, taken  from Gung Ho:

1. “People have to understand why they are needed…why their work makes this a better place.”  (page 29)
2. “It’s how the work helps others, not units produced, shipped, etc.” (page 29).
3. “One of the fastest and surest ways to feel good about yourself is to understand how your work fits in to the big picture.  When you feel good about yourself – that’s the beginning of Gung Ho.” (page 35).
4. “You can’t have worthwhile work unless everyone is working toward a well understood and shared goal.  It also matters how you reach the goal.  You have to be proud of both the goal and how you get there. ”  (page 38).
5. “Goal sharing means buy-in, not announcing.  It’s the buy-in that makes a difference.  It’s the commitment to making the goal that has to be shared.”   (page 39).
6. “Goals are marker posts you drive into the future landscape between where you are and where you want to be.” ( page 42)
7. “In a Gung Ho organization, values are the real boss.” (page  43 )
8. “Important work and and goals get people going.  It’s values that sustain the effort.”
9. It’s important to know the numbers because they tell you what’s going on.  And it’s important to share the numbers with the team.  But “you have to go beyond the numbers”.    “Running a business from numbers is like playing basketball while watching the scoreboard instead of the ball.  Look after the basics if you want success, and the first basic is the team.”  (page 53).
10. “Customers come right after the team members.” (page 54).

From their summary on page 170:

Spirit of the Squirrel:  WORTHWHILE WORK

• Knowing we make the world a better place.
• Everyone works toward a shared goal.
• Values guide all plans, decisions and actions.

And that’s just Spirit of the Squirrel!  We haven’t even talked about the beavers and geese yet!

Reading this book would be a good way to spend an afternoon – out in the park with the squirrels.  Grab a copy from your local library or bookstore.   Or if you don’t have time to dash out – order online by clicking on the book cover or here.

*Note: 10 by 10 on Tuesday (also know as a Quick List) is a weekly feature is for managers who don’t have time or don’t want to make time to read lengthy articles or even short paragraphs. Here you will find 10 tips or questions or steps or ways to Get 2 Goal or Be a Better Manager, etc). And it will be posted by 10 (AM – EST) on Tuesdays. Here’s our collection of Quick Lists to date.

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