Travis Bradberry’s Squawk – A Revision of a Leadership Fable

Are you a seagull manager? Do you jump in when problems arise yelling and throwing advice, only to take off and let others clean up the mess? Do you know a seagull manager? In “Squawk!” Travis Bradberry, Ph.D., reveals the three virtues that will help readers deal with seagull managers in the workplace and, more importantly, avoid becoming seagull managers themselves.

“Squawks!” is described as “A little fable about how a seagull manager learned the three virtues of great leadership,” and that’s exactly what it is. It is a very fast read, which reminds me of books like “Who took my cheese” and “The present”. It’s a short story about Charlie, a seagull who has trouble managing her flock. Through the guidance of a wise sea turtle, a mother sea otter, a dolphin, and a border collie, Charlie learns some valuable lessons about leadership.

The short fable is cute, and I even found myself smiling at a couple of “poop” jokes. How many business books have you read with the line “precisely guided poop” in the text? More importantly, I discussed the lessons that Bradberry included in the story of my experience in business administration and law. The three lessons from her on Complete Expectations, Communication That Clicks, and Paws on Performance are really important and this was a smart way to get the message across. After the story, Bradberry includes a couple of short summary chapters on these three virtues of top managers to help the reader understand them and hopefully implement them in their own situations.

I was happy to receive an advanced reader’s edition of “Squawk!” by Travis Bradberry and is a book I recommend to anyone who enjoys simple stories with powerful management messages. It won’t take long to read, but if you apply the lessons, you’ll be so glad you did. Read “Quack!” to eliminate the management of seagulls.