Fish
The four principles of Fish are a) Be There (being emotionally present), b) Play (be sure to have fun and be creative); c) Make Their Day (focus on customer service and altruism), and d) Choose Your Attitude (take responsibility for how you react to things in life) (Lundin, Paul & Christensen). I think Choose Your Attitude is the most important, as our way of going about our work informs everything else about the Fish! Philosophy – without the right attitude, it is impossible to Be There, Play and Make Someone’s Day.
Describe your favorite job (or class). What was fun about it? What wasn’t fun about it? Now that you have read Fish, what principles from the book relate to why the job or class was fun? (6 points)
One of my favorite classes I ever took was a film class on the religious epic, where we watched and analyzed a number of films that told the stories of various religions. I love films, but the subject matter was challenging, since those films could sometimes be long and boring. However, I chose my attitude and decided that I would take this chance to learn about a kind of film I had never seen much of before. Because of that, I took a situation that the old me would find excruciating and learned way more about one of my favorite things (movies, and even religion) than I ever could have imagined.
As a manager of a business, what specific benefits for your company might come from “making your employee’s day”? From “making your customer’s day”? (6 points)
Managing a business is all about cultivating positive relationships, as that builds loyalty and gets everyone on the same page. By making my employee’s day, I can get them more invested in the success of the business, as it is a place where they feel rewarded and fulfilled. They then work harder for the customers. Making the customer’s day, meanwhile, ensures a loyal customer base that keeps returning because they feel valued, not just the means to achieve profit.
Describe a specific time that you received extraordinary service. What made it so special and how did it make you feel? What principle(s) from Fish was/were exhibited in the situation? (6 points)
I remember one time when I looked for a new laptop, and the Genius at the Apple Store sat down with me and talked to me honestly about what I was looking for and what he recommended. I felt like I was part of the conversation, and not necessarily being sold to – he took my considerations to heart and made sure that I felt comfortable with all of the concepts he threw at me. This Made My Day, and the Genius in question was absolutely emotionally present, so the Being There principle was fulfilled. This led to an incredibly successful interaction and business transaction in which I felt valued and served appropriately.
The book states “When you are present with people, you look right at them . . . like being with your best friend.” What are examples of several specific things that can get in the way of being fully present with employees or customers? What can you do to prevent this from happening? (5 points)
Some obstacles to being present with employees or customers can come from outside – stresses about money, performance, or relationships can bleed over into business interactions. Furthermore, tensions between managers and employees about performance and expectations can lead to conflict. If a manager is not focused on developing the employee, or if the employee is not interested in development, neither will be present and their respective performances will go downhill. To prevent this from happening, relationships need to be cultivated by remaining emotionally present, and for leaders to exhibit transformational leadership to invest in their workers’ development.
What do you think makes this book so appealing and successful? (Consider the setting of the fish market) (4 points)
This particular book is successful by pinpointing all of these business transactions and principles and distilling them down to core values that are easily understood. The context of the fish market allows all of these things to be given relatable examples that anyone can understand; most people have been to a fish market at least once in their lives, and so will understand the analogies being presented.
Can you “fish” alone in a company? Explain. (3 points)
I think it is theoretically possible to ‘fish’ alone within a company – being emotionally present, playing and making one’s day can easily be done with an individual and customers. Furthermore, Choosing Your Attitude is something that must come from within the individual anyway, so that goal is eminently achievable regardless of the size of a company.
Works Cited
Lundin, Stephen C., Paul, Harry, and John Christensen. Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost
Morale and Improve Results. Hyperion, 2008.
