With tales of mystical scrolls, one
minute management, cheese that moves, and identical cousins,
business management allegories are changing for the better both the
way we work and the way we live.
It all began in 1968 with a tale set in
the pre-Christian era. Og Mandino’s classic The Greatest Salesman
in the World tells of Hafid, a young camel boy who, inspired by
the wisdom of ten ancient leather scrolls, finds material and
personal fulfillment. Mandino’s short book combines philosophy with
spirituality to provide advice on attaining success by paying
attention to how we "sell" ourselves to others.
The Greatest Salesman was met with
immediate acclaim. Even the book’s publisher, Frederick V. Fell,
felt compelled to list his own endorsement on the dust jacket flap:
"Og Mandino’s powerful message found a place in my innermost being.
I am proud to be the publisher of this book." Today the book boasts
millions of copies in print.
Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson entered
the arena 13 years later with what is perhaps the best-selling
business book ever, The One Minute Manager. Again it was an
overnight sensation. People soon began applying the book’s business
principles to their everyday lives as this quote on Amazon.com from
a young father testifies: "This isn’t just big business either—I’m
seeing improvements with my four and five year old boys as well. The
look of accomplishment on their faces tells me that these ideas can
work anywhere!"
In 1998, Spencer Johnson stepped up to
the plate again with what, at first glance, appears to be a
whimsical story about two "Littlepeople" and two mice who run about
in a maze looking for their cheese. Somewhat whimsical it might be,
but the substance of Who Moved My Cheese? is apparent in the
reality that the book has helped countless readers to adapt to
life’s many changes.
While originally aimed at the workplace,
Cheese too has moved onto the home front. In fact, Southwest
Airlines purchased 27,000 copies and had one delivered to each of
its employee’s homes. After all, an employee who is happy and
content with life off the job is more likely to be a happy and
content employee on the job.
According to Donna M. Genett, a
psychologist who has spent the last 15 years coaching executives of
major corporations, the reverse is also true. "Many of the problems
one encounters at home," Genett says, "have their origin in the
workplace. It is the rare individual who doesn’t take job-related
stress home to one degree or another."
Genett’s new book, If You Want It Done
Right, You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself!: The Power of Effective
Delegation, a short story about two "identical" cousins learning
to delegate, is aimed at creating efficiency and relieving stress in
the workplace and, by doing so, improving the quality of one’s
off-the-job life.
These four thin books may not be printed
on leather as Hafid’s scrolls were, but the simple wisdom they
contain is as ancient as the sandy hills he led his camels over.
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