Whale Done!

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View books by Ken Blanchard, Thad Lacinak, Jim Ballard.

A Good Read! - Rated
Ken Blanchard of One-Minute Manager fame draws on the positive training techniques that SeaWorld whale trainers use to get their whales to want to perform. Although using whale training as a teaching model is a unique twist on the literature about training and motivating employees, the material itself is not nearly as exotic. Much of it draws upon traditional principles for getting along with others, such as building trust, emphasizing the positive and redirecting undesired actions into more productive channels. If you've read Blanchard's previous book about being aware when people do something right so you can praise them, some of this content will seem familiar, though he says this is his "most important" book. The story line tracks mythical businessman Wes Kingley's discussions with whale trainers who reveal what they do to train their creatures, gradually, carefully and with real warmth. These conversations blow some very basic points up to whale-size, but Blanchard writes with charm. We recommend this splashy manual, the first course in Whale Psyc 101.

Welcome to a sarcasm free zone - Rated
There's a lot of information here about how mammals react to each other. It's very clearly presented, and will pretty much jump off the page like a killer whale, straight into your life.

Enthusiasm is a gift. Give this to yourself, and then find someone to pass it on to.

Like all books on the joy of co-operation, it's going to be read with a certain amount of scepticism by people who were raised on the 'fun' of competition.

Win-win looks boring until you've actually tried games where you all win together, or you all fall over in a giggling heap.

Win-lose feels better than lose-win, and if those are the only two you've ever tried, then 'aloof' is the safe option if you feel you're about to start consorting with - well, what? A bunch of people who want you to win at the same time that they do? A bunch of people who don't want to 'beat' anyone, and therefore by your definition must be automatically losers?

If you're addicted to sarcasm, you should still read this book, and then stop and ask yourself - when did clever get more important to me than kind? And why? And what effect is it having on the people close to me?

Don't read this in spite of the hokiness. Wake up to the fact that 'hoky' is code for 'sarcasm-free' - and then read it because of it.

Beaver cleaver goes to sea world - Rated
There are many sound success principles in this book. Build trust, accentuate the positive, redirect the energy when mistakes occur. Praise progress, catch people doing things right. There is meat to be found in this book, if you can dig it out of its somewhat sappy coating.

Through the fictional story of Wes Kingsley, Whale Done! identifies proven principles that motivate killer whales at Sea World, and illustrates how they may be applied to benefit your relationships at work and home. Prepare to learn some sound information that will help you and your team become more effective, but brace yourself for corny dialogue that reads like a bad episode of "Leave It To Beaver".

Larry Hehn, Author of Get the Prize: Nine Keys for a Life of Victory