Stomp the Elephant in the Office
"In fact I liked some of the concepts inStomp The Elephantso much that I decided to take them out for a test drive... So far the results have been spectacular." --Simon Barrett/Bloggers News Network"Stomp the Elephant in the Officeis a must-read for anyone who works with people... in any capacity. Its simple and practical tools are empowering and can actually be implemented immediately to improve almost all aspects of your work day—productivity, meetings, hard-to-have conversations and personal level of satisfaction with your work." --Brooke Fritz, guest commentator for JVA's Nonprofit Street"What's the elephant in your office? What's that one big thing, that underlying behavior that no one ever talks about? The issue much too overwhelming for a quick fix approach. Ultimately, all the quick fixes in the world won't work. We all know that because we've tried them. Attempts to solve problems tend to end up in a finger pointing game. Happy people motivation schemes create disillusioned employees who feel undervalued. The answer is so obvious that we've missed it. That elephant has to be exposed. Then, instead of looking for problems look to the strengths of the company to build a stronger foundation. In order to do this though, the employer has to change the way he or she manages. Listening, really listening. Being truly open to hearing about those elephants. Take the high road and use each elephant as a chance to learn and grow. Be dedicated to creating a wellness culture.Stomp the Elephant in the Officeshows you how." --Dr. Tami Brady "Whole Health Therapist" (Calgary, Canada)"This book is incredibly insightful and caused me to look at company culture and my own professional behavior in a completely different way. We really do have the choice, no matter what our level in the organization, to be a driver of a positive work environment or a contributor to a negative one. This book provides practical tools that enable you to make a difference immediately in how you communicate with others, motivate team members and resolve challenges. I highly recommend it." --Anonymous Reader"I have been passionate about Steve's first book,10 Greatest Gifts I Give My Children, for years and am so excited about having these same behaviors expressed in the office. In fact, I see these tools as invaluable in all relationships and community aspects of our lives. I have given this book to the top management of my work place in my effort to lead from "down under." Steve and Craig have a way of very succinctly conveying profound and workable concepts." --Janet E. Gunn, Doin' It On Purpose Coaching (Wheat Ridge, Co USA)"Bosses—buy this book! The wisdom of years of consulting is distilled most effectively in this easy to read yet profoundly important book. Better morale. Happier personnel. More productivity. Sustainable improvement. And, certainly, insights that will help you be a more effective leader." --David L. Kirkland (Saint Charles, Mo USA)"This may be the single most helpful book that I have read to help bring out the best in an organization. I have been in the business world for 25 years, and this book has me viewing my role as a leader completely different from the past. The tools that Vannoy and Ross provide the reader have had an immediate impact on my business." --David YatesFebruary 20, 2008"The elephant in the room" is that unseen creature that everyone knows is there. It is a harbinger of bad and distasteful information. Authors Steven Vannoy and Craig Ross use this elephant idiom to describe all of the bad practices so beloved by even the largest of corporations. Using their experience as management consultants within a very diverse set of industries they share their techniques and strategies for creating corporate cultures that are harmonious, creative, and forward headed in direction.In general I do not like business books, they tend to be very dry and coma inducing. Stomp The Elephant is a little different. They have included some aspects that I can only call masterful, many of the concepts they explore are also explained in the home life setting. Dealing with kids, dogs, wives, and all of the other things that life includes. You don?t have to be a captain of industry to take advantage of these concepts.This cleverly avoids the big mistake that many books make, the concepts may be sound but they seem to only apply to the CEO, what about the poor guy slogging away in the mail room?In fact I liked some of the concepts in Stomp The Elephant so much that I decided to take them out for a test drive. I won?t go into the details, but it did involve an important, well at least to me important, business situation. So far the results have been spectacular. I guess I am a convert!I hear you ask, is this more ?Snake Oil?? I would say no. In fact the best way I can describe it is in a quote by Patrick Swayze from the rambunctious movie Road House, ?Be nice?. Be nice to folks around you, be nice to yourself.OK Stomp The Elephant is a little more complex than my two word summary, but in my mind that really is the crux. Pointing fingers, assigning blame, and having a negative reaction is what most people do when faced with a problem, change, or challenge. However this reaction is wrong, it does nothing to solve the problem, but much to compound it, this is a destructive direction to move in. Don?t dwell on the problem, but focus on the solution. Don?t fixate on what failed, rather explore what aspects worked.In some ways this is rather like the Roman God Janus. Janus is the god of gates and doors, and is represented by two faces, one looking forward through the door, the other looking backward at the gate. We too have that ability, we can focus of the problem, which is looking backward, or focus on the solution which is looking forward.Things will happen that take you by surprise, the question is how will you react? Will you take the low road and be negative, or take the high road and find the solution?Simon Barrett--Blogger News Network