What is the FISH! Philosophy?

The FISH! Philosophy includes four simple, interconnected practices:

Be There is being emotionally present for people. It’s a powerful message of respect that improves communication and strengthens relationships.

Play taps into your natural way of being creative, enthusiastic and having fun. Play is the spirit that drives the curious mind, as in “Let’s play with that idea!” It’s a mindset you can bring to everything you do.

Make Their Day is finding simple ways to serve or delight people in a meaningful, memorable way. It’s about contributing to someone else’s life, not because you want something out of it, but because that’s the person you want to be.

Choose Your Attitude means taking responsibility for how you respond to what life throws at you. Once you are aware that your choice impacts everyone around you, you can ask yourself, “Is my attitude helping my team or my customers? Is it helping me to be the person I want to be?”

There are 3 basic questions that typically arise for those considering FISH!:

How do we powerfully introduce FISH! so that people are inspired and see the relevance of FISH! to their work?

Once we’ve successfully introduced FISH!, how do we keep it alive, so that it imparts the lasting and positive cultural changes that we desire?

What is the role of leadership in helping to foster and support a vital, FISH!-like culture?

Our FISH! Culture program provides the answers to the first two questions and our LeaderFISH! program provides the answer to the third.

FISH! Culture is a unit-based program designed to bring your team together on a regular basis to discuss aspects of the FISH! Philosophy, define them in terms of your own work, and then commit to take actions that reinforce FISH! as a set of cultural values for your team. You do not need to be a professional trainer to lead your team through FISH! Culture. The ten units that comprise FISH! Culture follow a simple reflection-conversation-action model that anyone who is passionate about the FISH! Philosophy can lead.

How leaders shows up in support of FISH! will make or break your FISH! initiative. LeaderFISH! gives leaders the tools and support they need to create an emotionally safe work environment where people feel free to step off the beaten path and take new actions in the spirit of the FISH! Philosophy.