I was surprised to see I had not written about this book on my blog yet. I've spoken about it and emailed about it, so it seemed like I had done it.
The Energy Bus is a business parable. The basic story is a middle aged man who is failing at life -- his job, his family, his marriage. It's all breaking down. So it's no wonder his car is the next thing to break down. And it won't be fixed for days. One more thing to have to deal with. Who wants to ride the bus! Certainly, not him.
But this is no ordinary bus. The bus driver takes stock of his defeatism in a moment, and she and the other passengers turn his life around. Every day she gives him a new assignment to put into practice at work and in his life.
And, you know, when one area of life starts to turn around, they all do. (Isn't there a rule for this?)
One of his major problems is that the staff he manages are not with him. They think he's incompetent or worse. Can he remotivate them? Can he become the kind of manager they need, so they become the kind of employees he needs to get his own life back on track again?
Through the story, each chapter deals with another means of living a successful life.
The rules are recapped later:
1. You're the driver of your bus
2. Desire, vision, and focus move your bus in the right direction
3. Fuel your ride with positive energy (negative energy is friction)
4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead
5. Don't waste your energy on those who don't get on your bus
6. Post a sign that says no energy vampires allowed on your bus (get rid of the malcontents)
7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them for the ride
8. Love your passengers by giving them your time, listening, recognition, service - work to bring out the best in them
9. Drive with purpose
10. Have fun and enjoy the ride
My take
This book was given to me by a friend, and I in turn passed it to a friend who used it as the focus for a number of her employee motivational meetings. Her staff was excited about it. They posted signs up in the staff room and tried to implement the ideas. (The book is now back in my possession.)
Yes, the story is a little bit didactic, but who cares. It reminds me of what I can remember from Jonathan Living Seagull in some respects. It's easier to swallow life lessons when they are in little sound bites and couched as parable.
I give it 2* for where the story falls apart (you have to suspend reality, but again, who cares) and a 4* for sharing a worthwhile message in a way that you will always remember some of the ideas.
Notice how it syncs with some of the ideas in First, break all the rules
Invite people on your bus; love your passengers; bring out the best in them; focus your energies where it matters.
Have you read the book?
Gordon has written a number of other books. I have not read them, but I'm beginning by ordering free samples of each of the books for my Kindle. That way they are in my q for when I have time; I won't forget them; and I can decide if I want to own them or not.
Karin
www.savvythinker.com
Originally posted 2009-11-30 15:43:28.
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