Going by the book

Learning from the experiences of others is crucial when it comes to raising standards. Steve Hemsley discovers books that continue to inspire success

Keith Knowles managing director Interpub

What's the book?

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard

Bach

But this isn't a business book...

No, it is a novel first published in 1970, which became a hit in American universities. It tells the story of a seagull bored with petty arguments over food and who wants to spread his wings and explore. His failure to conform makes other birds resentful, so he leaves and meets other seagulls and demonstrates his passion to learn new skills. He meets a wise gull who helps him believe in himself and learn to fly anywhere in the universe. He eventually comes home and tries to encourage others to be less conforming and to take more risks in life.

So there is plenty that licensees can learn from such a story?

Definitely. This book stands out in my mind because it considers how hard life can be and how we must all take responsibility for putting things right. If we create any problems ourselves we need to be strong enough to solve them. People's problems in business can stop them progressing. I have been running businesses for 31 years and consider the process as a journey where the rewards only come when you are confident to take steps forward.

Is there a good example of this kind of thinking helping your business?

When we started operating the St Christopher's chain of backpacker hostels we soon discovered staff were becoming burned out. Hotel staff had never run hostels, and vice-versa. We analysed the problem and saw we needed to adapt the training. We devised a template for what we wanted and trained people to that exact template. It created a benchmark for what we wanted to achieve so that we could move ahead as a business.

Tim Martin chairman JD Wetherspoon

What's the book?

Sam Walton: Made in America by Sam Walton and John Huey

Isn't Walton the man who built Wal-Mart into the world's biggest retailer?

Yes, so he must have known something about running a business. It's a story about being an entrepreneur and believing in your idea. It involved supermarkets rather than pubs, so some of his ideas and thinking are not relevant, but he shows how to build a business in the long term. He wrote it when he was dying of cancer in the '90s and gave away his secrets to his competitors.

After reading his book, did you feel you had much in common with Walton?

Absolutely. He was an ambitious, hard-working bloke who took delight in his employees doing well out of the business. He understood that a company is nothing without good staff, and the one thing that stands out in the book is how Walton took on board the ideas that his staff came up with. He knew that it was often those people at the coal face who really know what should be done to make the business better. It is important that managers at the top listen to them.

Have you been inspired to introduce anything at JD Wetherspoon by reading the book?

Wal-Mart encouraged its staff to pay money into a share scheme and some of them became very well-off. We have introduced a similar scheme, where we pay bonuses of about 6% to our bar staff. This is the only pub chain to pay a monthly bonus to our bar staff, who are motivated to really engage with the brand. It was painful in the short term. When we introduced it in 1998 our share price fell, but we believed in the long-term benefits of ensuring that our staff are properly rewarded for their efforts.

Peter Linacre managing director Massive Pub Company

What's the book?

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

So what's it all about?

Jim Collins is from Colorado and spends hours researching how corporate and social leaders live their lives. He and Jerry Porras wanted to discover if there really is a set of principles that can help business people build exceptional companies. It has a host of case studies featuring successful corporations that have stood the test of time, such as IBM, General Electric, 3M and Coca-Cola. The book has sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide and came out before Collins' other popular business book, Good to Great.

That's all fine and dandy - but what did it teach you as a UK businessman?

I read the book in 1998 and it taught me that many of the world's greatest companies emerged from business failures, but went on to succeed by refining their operation when there were difficulties and never giving up. We can be seduced into thinking everything is going to be easy and that if we buy a struggling business it will get better miraculously. The pub sector is a great example of the type of business where perseverance can pull you through.

Are there any examples where you've turned the book's words into action at your company?

We put this philosophy into practice every single day. Life is about making mistakes, learning from them and trying to improve. Real success is about not losing your enthusiasm when things get tough. This year is a perfect example. The smoking ban had many in the industry talking as if our world was going to end. Yet the tenacity of people in this sector is remarkable. I have followed the book's ideas in my personal life, too. I've been married for 32 years - that's a relationship built to last.

Alistair Darby managing director Marston's Beer Company

What's the book?

Shackleton's Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer by Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell

His voyage left 27 men stranded 1,200 miles from civilisation. What can business people learn from that?

He was an amazing leader - and even though that voyage on the vessel Endurance took place in 1914, we can all take something from the way he led his men during such a difficult time. The book draws on Shackleton's anecdotes and the crew's diaries and includes examples of how modern-day leaders are using the explorer's tactics. The men survived despite limited resources and Shackleton kept up everyone's morale by putting his team first. In many ways, this is a leadership handbook.

Wasn't Shackleton lucky he didn't have a mutiny on his hands?

One of the reasons Shackleton has to be admired is that he was not some super-human with a long leadership CV. What is inspirational is how he kept his crew healthy and motivated - he kept them alive. He was a fantastic observer of the characteristics of each of his workers and adjusted his management style accordingly. He understood that any team is a complex mix of individuals. The same is true in a company, where everyone has different attitudes and motivations that need to be catered for if the business is to succeed.

So what sticks in your mind from the book as being relevant to the way you run Marston's now?

Historically, leaders achieved authority through power, but these days hierarchies don't always work and professional structures are much flatter. At Marston's, as in the Antarctic years ago, communication is crucial if we're to survive and remain healthy. In our open-plan office I'm visible to everyone and I'm open about our strategy.

Justin Adams managing director, brewing & brands Greene King

What's the book? Winning!

by Clive Woodward

Ah, a very topical book considering this autumn's Rugby World Cup:

It tells the story of how England's former head coach took the national side to victory in the 2003 tournament. It's a how-to manual to inspire coaches. Clive discovered components needed to win. He decorated the away dressing room to look like one at an England home match and wasn't afraid to pick up psychology tips from other sports. You can see why the team fell apart after the competition - his replacements failed to follow the principles for moving forward, and the national team became stuck in a rut.

That a