A Tale of Two Employees
January 10, 2012
This morning's Globe and Mail (Report on Business) listed the top ten best selling business books in Canada for 2011. Appearing this year as #4 in the ranking was A Tale of Two Employees. Last year, it was #1.
Included in the 'top ten' list for its 9th consecutive year, this little book was authored by none other than Dr. Chris Bart, featured as a guest contributor here last week and referenced in my December 22nd piece, Money is time.
The book is told in parable format with the subject (no surprise here) being the translation of a mission statement into operational reality. For anyone tasked with mobilizing and motivating people in service of a mission, there's much to be found in this deceptively simple story. I'll repeat here my words from December 22: "As many people as I have met in the past 30 years, none have matched Chris Bart in the capacity to gather a complex set of data points across disciplines, and to articulate in simple terms a clear path forward." I wrote those words not having read the book, but they sure do fit. Don't be fooled by the straightforward, common sense narrative of this book. The best of creations look easier than they really are.
A short book, once downloaded late this afternoon, it took a little over an hour to read… the first time. I'm certain to revisit this one again, perhaps a number of times. Not rocket science, it's one of those 'back to basic' books. Once you've read it, you may say there's nothing new there, and you may be correct. At the same time, I'm reminded of Wayne Gretzky's story that at the beginning of every season, he began by lacing up and taking a skate. Such reminders are a good thing, as they sometimes hit home with a note that sticks.
The resonating note for me on this read-through was the elephant-tied-to-a-stake metaphor. It jumped straight off the page… err… screen (?) at me this evening. How many times over the past four years have I been told by readers that they could NOT conduct their own due diligence? More than I can count. The elephant doesn't know that he can just walk away because he's been tied to a stake since he was too small to do so. Too many people don't and won't try new things because they've been told forever and a day that they can't. They'll never know that they can because they'll never try.
Personally, my experience is opposite. Just about everything I have accomplished in life was for the same reason… because people kept telling me it couldn't be done, or that I couldn't do it. Case in point from Dr. Bart's own Policy class back in 1984. A quarter of our grade was computer generated from an early era business market simulation game developed by Dean Szendrovits. We were told it couldn't be done, but it took no more than a lowly, but stubborn, English major to break that game. Dean Szendrovits was NOT amused. An impossible but proud moment, I assure you.
But enough about me. The point here is that this little book connected me to this wonderful elephant metaphor, alone paying more than its fare. True to form, I make no certain predictions, but go ahead. Buy the book. It's well worth it.
Read… think… enjoy… and then think some more.
The Kindle version costs $9.99.
At Chapters, you can pick up the paper version for $14.43 (curiously, they list the price of used copies as starting at $19.68 – maybe the margin notes bring added value).
Regards,
Kevin Graham
P.S.: Note to self – when you see Dr. Bart in March, ask him about that 76 word mission statement.