The Fish! Philosophy

Provided by: Diane Lustenader, SPHR

Principle 1:
Play

Some people think play is the opposite of work. You are either playing or you are working. Playing at work is usually frowned on. It’s considered counter-productive, unhelpful, and silly-a time-waster. But play, when balanced with the other 4 principles of the Fish! Philosophy can work for you! It can make your job and work atmosphere more enjoyable; it can give you, your fellow staff, customers and vendors a new way to look at things. It can actually help you accomplish more, have more energy, and remember why you choose the career you did.

Principle 2:
Make their Day

Sometimes we forget that our customers, both external and internal-our fellow staff, deserve our very best every moment we are at work. We can make a difference for all those around us by having fun and inviting others to join in. Remember it’s hard for anyone to resist having a good time, especially in a play where you are supposed to be serious. Think about it-if you are feeling down and you deal with someone who is upbeat and friendly, you can’t help but absorb some of their energy. This is true for us all.

Principle 3:
Be There

Remember when you were in school and the teacher was up in the front of the room taking attendance. You would hear the names of the kids in class and each would respond with a monotone “Here.” There were warm bodies in the room but most of the class wasn’t really there. The same can be true for us in the workplace. We need to examine if we are just going through the motions without really focusing on the moment. We often engage in an “out –of-body” experience called work. When you are truly and fully present with your customers and fellow staff, it will make an amazing difference in how they view you and how you see the world. It is uplifting and instead of draining your energy actually replenishes it.

Principle 4:
Choose Your Attitude

This is the last principle of Fish! and, actually the bedrock or foundation underneath the first three. You will no doubt find that you will want to try playing, making people’s day and being there. But in order to truly adopt the Fish! Attitude and consistently live by the first three points, you have to recognize that, whether you want to or not, you do choose your attitude. When you get out of bed in the morning you make a choice of your attitude for the day. Sure life can be tough, sometimes even brutal, and these realities can be hard to ignore, for our customers and ourselves. But what greater gift can we give our customers, especially those with tough circumstances, than to give them the freedom to choose their attitude each day, to make the best of every moment and to find dozens of little things to celebrate each day