Here is a great article by best selling author of Fish! Philosophies, Stephen Lundin on how you can boost morale and improve results by applying some simply yet powerful approaches to work.
Creating a Better Life at Work with Fish!
by Stephen Lundin.
We spend more time at work then we spend with our families and friends. We spend more time at work than we spend in our places of worship. We spend more time at work than we spend in nature. If work isn’t serving our creative spirit the sacrifice is simply too great.
There is a myth that is perpetuated in the work place. I call it the work/life balance myth. We are told we need to balance our work and our life outside of work. The problem is that we might forget it is all life. The life we spend at work is important too. The FISH! Philosophy are a set of ingredients that when mixed into the work environment allow us to create a better life while working.
The FISH! Philosophy
The following seven ingredients can be mixed to form a higher quality of life at
work. These ingredients were first observed at a Seattle fish market and later
written about in four FISH! books which have sold a million copies to date. The
ingredients have been used by individuals and organizations all over the world to
improve the quality of human life at work.
Play: The fishmongers of Pike Place Fish are known around the world for throwing and catching large slippery fish, to the delight of their customers who come from far away places with their cameras.
You and I might do serious work but we can choose not to take ourselves too seriously. As Ken Blanchard, best selling author, frequently says, “There are just too many people at work with tight underwear.” In the livable workplace you find people doing serious work in a lighthearted way.
Make Their Day: The fishmongers are dedicated to making your visit memorable and they do that by finding ways to make your day. You may find yourself catching a fish or involved in a harmless practical joke, but given enough time they will find a way to lighten your heart and create a memory. You will take that memory with you and communicate to countless others, who will in turn, want to experience the market for themselves. Each year the crowds grow.
Our workdays are full of opportunities to improve the ‘experience’ of our customers and coworkers. It might simply be a small kindness or small gesture like remembering a name. When you look for ways to “make someone’s day,” or even her or his "moment," you are focused on serving others and the act of serving others quickly returns a feeling of satisfaction.
Be There: A high quality of life workplace is a place where people listen deeply. The fishmongers of Pike Place FISH have discovered the power of focusing on one person and thing at a time. They might multi-task with stuff, but they are not distracted when they engage customers. This strategy is also available to you and me.
You might ask yourself how much you actually get accomplished when you are in one place thinking about another. Chances are you don’t do either very well and in addition the word arrogant is often used to describe the way you come across when one of your gadgets rings in the middle of a discussion. Why not be where you are? Why not commit to being in one place at a time?
Choose Your Attitude: You can choose your attitude and if you find yourself with an attitude you don’t want, you can choose another.
I learned about the preciousness of life and the power of attitude when my oldest daughter was killed. I had always thought of her as building a legacy through the work she did in Hollywood. In fact she was a talented set designer. But her real legacy was the legacy she left with those with whom she worked. She was a joy to be around and the attitudes she chose at work benefited all who worked with her. It is not so much what you do in life although that is important. You are also remembered for who you were while doing what you did.
Find It: We can improve the quality of life at work by seeking to understand our place within the vision of the organization. There is only one way to do this and the process is continuous. We must ask others.
Find opportunities to have conversations with your colleagues at work about the nature of your commitment individually and as a team. These conversations will surface possibilities that lead to new actions. The dialogue itself will create a work atmosphere that is focused, honest and inspiring. What are we committed to? What are we co-creating? What are we bringing to life by the way we live at work? What are we creating with our life energy.
Live It: Jan Carlson of Scandinavian Airlines was imploring his workforce to “live it” when he promoted the idea that every interaction with a customer was a “moment of truth” and the way these moments were handled determined the future of the airline.
We must take our commitment even deeper if we want to affect the quality of life at work. We must accept the fact that we play a role each day in recreating and renewing our organization. We must bring the vision to life by seeking out and living the “vision moments” that are there each day. Coach It: 360-degree anonymous feedback is a problem for those who want a high quality of life at work. It is a substitute for real and fierce conversations and coaching. If we shared a common commitment to a vision of work we would not need to hide behind surveys.
With the ingredients in the FISH! Philosophy anyone can have an impact on the quality of life at work. If the ideas catch on the organization will feel a deep sense of renewal and increased vitality. That is the natural energy of life! It is free. And if we want to sustain such a place over time we need to build it one conversation at a time through our coaching. Have you asked for coaching lately?
How will you know that you have been successful in bringing the ingredients of the FISH Philosophy alive at work. You will know you have been successful when you go home at the end of the day and find you are energized, not drained; when you find you not only have time for the rest of life, you have abundant energy to live it. You will know you have been successful when you FISH! for Life!
If you 'd like to find out more about the resources available to help you implement these philosophies within your work environment click the link below.