The Shark and the Goldfish E-Book

Jon Gordon

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: Jon Gordon
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Seitenzahl: 42

Beschreibung

An illustrated business fable that gives you the faith, courage and confidence to win in today's tough economic climate Fear and uncertainty are staples of daily life in today's struggling economy. As bad as things can be, economic downturns also lead to new opportunities. It's easy to worry, give up and let fear paralyze you. However, you have more control than you think you do and how you handle adversity is your choice-and the only choice that matters. In fact, study history and you'll find that a lot of people and organizations made a name for themselves and grew their businesses during recessions and downturns. These successful people and organizations all shared similar characteristics and took similar actions to thrive while others merely tried to survive. You can do the same. In The Shark and the Goldfish, Jon Gordon shares an inspiring fable about Gordy, a pampered goldfish who gets swept out to sea. Desperate for food, Gordy meets a kind shark who teaches him the ultimate lesson-Goldfish wait to be fed. Sharks go find food. Gordy also learns that the difference between a full and empty stomach is our faith, beliefs and actions. In the face of adversity and lean times, this is a business fable that reinforces a proven truth: You can't control the events in your life. But you can control how you respond and in turn this determines the outcome. * A business fable that teaches valuable lessons on the importance of working hard, maintaining a locus of control and focusing on positive choices instead of negative voices, * Written by Jon Gordon, bestselling author of The Energy Bus and The No Complaining Rule * Reveals how change is inevitable-but that you can make it your friend or foe. * Provides an action plan filled with tips and strategies to thrive during change and adversity If you're facing tough economic times, The Shark and the Goldfish will motivate you, inspire you, and give you the confidence you need to thrive during changing times.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

A Confession

Introduction

Are You a Shark or a Goldfish?

A Wave of Change

Embrace and Ride the Wave of Change

Stay Positive

Thrive because of Change

A Shark School for Goldfish

Start Your Own Shark School for Goldfish

Food for Thought

Also by Jon Gordon . . .

About the Illustrator

Copyright © 2009 by Jon Gordon. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

Illustrations by Donald Wallace, Illustrator/Animator.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at [phone], outside the United States at [phone] or fax [phone]. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Gordon, Jon, 1971-

The shark and the goldfish : positive ways to thrive during waves of change / by Jon Gordon. p. cm.

eISBN : 978-0-470-55010-6

1. Crisis management. 2. Organizational change. I. Title.

HD49.G67 2009

650.1—dc22

2009019871

For my brother David Gordon,who suggested that I write this story.Your idea and encouragement made this book possible.Thank you.

A Confession

I recognize the fact that in real life goldfish cannot survive in the ocean’s saltwater—and that fish really can’t talk, either. ☺ This is an imaginary story meant to convey an important message. After all, Mickey Mouse, Shrek, Nemo, and Superman are invented characters as well.

Also, if you read this book to your children, please remind them not to take goldfish to the beach.

Introduction

If you are concerned about the future and anxious about your situation, I know how you feel. I lost my job in 2001 during the dot-com bust. The company was losing money faster than we could raise it and eventually the company sank faster than the Titanic. I thought it was the worst event of my life. I was two months away from being bankrupt. I had a wife, two young children, a mortgage, no health insurance, and very little savings. I was a paycheck away from losing it all. It sounds bad. It felt bad. Seen from one point of view I suppose it was bad. But one day I decided that I wasn’t going to let this challenge take me down. And that’s when I knew I had to change what I was thinking and doing.

I read a few books, which empowered me to take control of my financial future and helped me make some important decisions through the change. Eventually these decisions would lead to the work I do now as a writer, consultant, and speaker. I often joke that I went from Fired to Fired Up. My layoff led to my life’s mission and purpose. What I thought was the worst event in my life actually lead to the best. I realized that dealing with waves of change is all about how we perceive and respond to the change we are facing.

Fast forward to today. I now do a lot of work with leaders and organizations to create positive change. With so many people and organizations affected by the current economy it occurred to me that we need a new model for dealing with the new waves of change in our work and in our lives. After all, in today’s world the cheese hasn’t just been moved—it’s been swept away by a tsunami of an economic crisis. As a result, I felt compelled to write this book.