I’ve Always Looked Up To Giraffes

by: Hugh Gouldthorpe and Bill Gravitt

Published by: Mobility, Inc. (published 2002)

Reviewed by Bob Pike CSP, CPAE-Speakers Hall of Fame

What do giraffes have to do with business? They stand tall, head and shoulders above everyone else, so they can see things others can’t. They have excellent vision (they can see a man from a mile away!). They can reach things others can’t. They have soft compassionate eyes – good leaders communicate a sense of really understanding those that they lead. In Africa the giraffe is a symbol of friendship. Though giraffes may have nine different patterns on their bodies they make no distinction among themselves – everyone is treated equally. Great leaders treat everyone with compassion and respect.

What you’ll find in this book is a collection of wonderful anecdotes, brilliantly illustrated that touch on many aspects of great leadership. The author has skillfully woven stories of Wal-Mart, Southwest Airlines, Ukrops Supermarkets, Ritz-Carlton and many others to draw the reader in to a variety of leadership moments that helped to define a person or an organization. These are stories that we all can identify with and that provide a moral that we can then apply to our own leadership opportunities.

The book is also interspersed with “giraffisms” – pithy sayings the have an imbedded call to action. A few examples are: (speaking of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz) Like Dorothy, we must be strongly determined and have a heart of gold. In speaking of Wal-Mart and other organizations: Take time to smell the flowers and “flower” those around you, and finally, in speaking of the Lone Ranger and Tonto: Individuals don’t win, teams do.

A quick and easy read that can be samples or read cover to cover – probably in one sitting!

Armchair Interviews says: This book was written by two successful businessmen.