Gung Ho!

Andy Longclaw has left this earthly plain, but not before handing down the wisdom of his grandfather about Gung Ho people.  Gung Ho was the term his grandfather had for people who did the right work, the right way for the right reward.  As animal lovers I believe you will find his observations about the animal world especially interesting.

Spend some time watching squirrels.  Tirelessly they gather and store seeds and nuts.  You never see squirrels sleeping or idling away the day.  They are always in frenetic motion because they are motivated.  Their work is motivated by their desire to survive, so gathering for tomorrow becomes a very important goal.  Doing their job, to the best of their ability is worthwhile to them.  When people know that the work they do is worthwhile, it becomes a joy to do it well.

The Secret of the Squirrel is Worthwhile Work. 

Consider the phrase, “busy as a beaver.”  If you have ever watched beavers when they are reconstructing a damaged dam, they are all busily gathering sticks and logs and working independent of each other and yet the final product is a home that is safe for all.  There is no boss beaver telling the others where to work or how to do the repair.  They all have a true sense of their purpose and work endlessly to accomplish their task.  People feel most alive and excited when they know that they are in control of their own destiny.  Let them know what needs to be done and then get out of their way and let them do it.

The Way of the Beaver is in Control of Achieving the Goal. 

Have you ever noticed all the honking that goes with a flock of geese?  Some animals call out when there is danger, but if you watch a flock of geese for long, you will notice that all the honking is at each other and it is all in a good natured spirit.  What is all the noise about?  They are encouraging each other.  Whether in flight or during rest they honk away at each other with such unbridled enthusiasm that even the slowest goose will try to keep up.  This constant reward of encouragement is so simple, so obvious and so powerful.  A driving force in humanity is the need to be fulfilled. People love to be acknowledged and appreciated.  It only takes a moment of your time and yet is a precious gift to the receiver.

The Gift of the Goose is Cheering Others On. 

Gung Ho people do the right work, the right way for the right reward.  Big Cat Rescuers are Gung Ho!

For more details on how to help your family, work group or volunteer force become more Gung Ho, read Kenneth H. Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles book Gung Ho.