Fish

A few years ago, I read a book titled Fish by Stephen C. Lundin, Ph.D., Harry Paul, and John Christensen. The book tells a parable of a businesswoman struggling to improve morale in her department (the work environment at her office is described as a "toxic energy dump"), and getting inspiration from the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, WA. The theme of the story is that if you choose to be positive at work, any job -- even a dirty thankless job like working with slimy, stinky fish all day -- can be fun. According to Fish, the four key points to boost morale and improve results at work are: Play. Have fun and create energy at home and at the office. Make their day. Engage fellow employees and customers and make each other's day. Be Present. Be fully available and aware during conversations with people. It is about creating a greater sense of intimacy between individuals. Choose Your Attitude. Each day you choose how you are going to act (which "side of the bed" you will wake up on). The choice is yours and, the way you act affects others. In order to truly create positive energy and workplace fun, everyone from the top down needs to buy in to the Fish concepts. If that happens, even the "worst" job you could have like working in a fish market, working on the ramp in sub-zero temperatures or 100+ degrees, or dealing with a heavy workload can seem like the best job in the world. If it doesn't happen, then working in the "best" job you could ever have can still seem like just a thankless job working around slimy, stinky fish -- like working in a toxic energy dump. I have seen plenty of aircraft maintenance companies where the employees are happy at work. They have strong, engaged leaders that foster a positive work culture. Employees there work their hind ends off, and are happy. I have also seen quite a few toxic energy dumps. The mechanics there are disgruntled and unhappy. Productivity suffers. Turnover is high. What kind of work environment are you working in? Thanks for reading. Joe Escobar