Praise for SOUP
“So often we only concern ourselves with wins and losses. We overlook what is at the core of success, and that is the ‘culture’ of the team that is created by the leader or leadership group. If you create a culture where all members of the team can thrive and do their jobs effectively, then the score will take care of itself. Jon gives you the recipe of how to create a culture of greatness for your team, organization, or family.”
―Mike Smith, Head Coach, The Atlanta Falcons
“In a world where leaders are pulled in a million different directions, Soup reminds us that we must make time to cultivate engaged relationships in order to build a winning organization and team.”
―Margaret Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, RE/MAX International Inc.
“Told in an entertaining parable form, Soup will help you understand how to nurture the greatness in others so that you can become great as a team.”
―Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor of National Community Church and author of Primal
“Soup provides the key ingredients to establishing culture and is another example of how Gordon’s writing transcends common thought.”
―Sam Presti, Executive Vice President and General Manager, the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder
“There’s a common problem in business today. It’s a people problem … but maybe not in the way you would think. We spend so much time focusing on the bottom line that many fail to focus on the people who make the bottom line what it is. People matter and how we lead them matters. This is why I recommend Jon Gordon’s new book. It provides the recipe for mobilizing and engaging a team.”
―Chris Brogan, New York Times bestselling author of Trust Agents and Social Media 101
Soup
A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and CultureBy Jon Gordon
John Wiley & Sons
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-470-48784-6
Chapter One
Hungry
Nancy’s stomach growled as she walked with Brenda toward their favorite lunch spot-a burrito joint with dirty floors, old furniture, and cheap, oversized burritos. After a long morning analyzing spreadsheets, reading reports, and engaging in heated discussions that lasted well into the lunch hour, Nancy was tired, hungry, and in need of food … quickly.
She didn’t want to think about the bad news the spreadsheets revealed. She didn’t want to worry about the reports anymore. And she didn’t want to talk to one more person about the future of her company. All she wanted to do was eat. Yet instead of turning left into the burrito joint, she grabbed Brenda’s arm and whispered, “Keep walking.” Her intuition was stronger than her hunger, and it told her that the man with the mustache in the blue suit was following them.
“What’s the matter?” Brenda asked, as Nancy began to jog instead of walk.
Nancy pointed and nodded toward the man following them.
“Again,” Brenda said.
“Yes, again. Come on. Let’s lose him,” Nancy said as she grabbed Brenda’s arm and they ran down the street. Moments later, they came to an intersection, turned left, made a quick right, and then took the next left, zigzagging their way through downtown, hoping to lose their pursuer.
The first time Nancy realized that someone was following her, a few months ago, it terrified her. She’d called her husband, a retired police officer, in a panic, only to learn at her board meeting later that day that it was probably some form of corporate spying. More like idiot espionage, she thought. She was told it came with the job of being the newly appointed CEO of a company that everyone was watching. With its stock price in the tank, revenue falling, and rumors swirling, the company was a likely acquisition target, which meant that business reporters, investors, potential acquirers, and powerful businesspeople were doing their due diligence on the company, and it also meant that they wanted to know more about the new CEO.
Her life wasn’t in jeopardy, but her privacy was, and Nancy didn’t like it one bit. She did whatever it took to keep the prying eyes out of her life, even if it meant forgoing mouthwatering burritos and running through downtown streets. Thankfully, her effort paid off, and when Nancy and Brenda stopped in the middle of the street and looked around, their pursuer was nowhere in sight. They had lost him, and now it was time to eat. But where?
Nancy noticed a long line of people at the end of the street, and as she and Brenda approached, they realized that these people were waiting to eat at a restaurant. Brenda looked up and read the sign on the building: Grandma’s Soup House.
“Let’s eat here,” Brenda said.
“Are you serious?” replied Nancy. “We make soup. We live and breathe soup. We are surrounded by soup every day of our lives. Do you think I really want to eat soup for lunch? I’ve had enough soup.”
“Oh, come on,” Brenda said. “Where else are we going to eat? And besides, look at this line. It’s almost 1:30 and the place is still packed. It must be good. Plus, they probably have sandwiches and salads, too.”
“Fine,” Nancy said, realizing that her hunger was getting the best of her. “But if it’s not good, you’re buying the burritos tomorrow.”
“Deal,” Brenda replied.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from Soupby Jon Gordon Copyright © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
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