I spend a lot of time facilitating teambuilding programs to help teams gain or regain their motivation. One of the tools I use is the Fish! philosophy. Yes, there is an exclamation point after the word “fish” to show enthusiasm.
Just in case you haven’t run across it, the Fish! Philosophy was started at the world famous Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington in the northwest corner of the US http://www.pikeplacefish.com/
The staff there decided to embrace a simple but powerful approach to feeling special, acting special and becoming world-famous. It worked, as evidenced by the films, books and merchandise they sell – in addition to shipping fish around the world.
Go to http://www.fishphilosophy.com/fish-philosophy-story/ You’ll see what I mean. Then start looking for ways to
Play
Make their day
Be there, and
Choose your attitude
…at whatever you do.
But remember, it is not about throwing fish. Every team needs to find out how to make work enjoyable.
What about those honking geese I mentioned? As some of you know, I come from the Midwest of the US where each spring and each autumn an awesome migration takes place overhead when enormous flocks of Canadian geese migrate – to warmer weather in the autumn and back up north in the spring. Many people have seen the analogy between flocks of geese and teams at work. Have a look at this video and you’ll find yourself inspired each time you see a flock of migrating birds:
Just remember: the honking is to encourage, not to criticize.
- Herb Nestler