Squawk!

Lloyd James's narrative skills and youthful tone are well matched to this optimistic management lesson. Reading Bradberry's fable almost as a children's tale, he provides a lightness and energy that will tap into listeners' innate curiosity. The fable is about how a seagull manager takes his fellow scavengers to greater success at their regular eating spot, an outdoor food court. He has been leading just by squawking and occasionally swooping in to deposit a big mess, but then he learns three simple practices that get amazing results: set clear expectations, fine-tune communication for each member of the team, and pay consistent attention to results. The production is a reminder that most employees are more disengaged than we think and a snappy lesson on how to get more out of underperforming people. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine