Fish! Tales is Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, and Harry Paul's follow-up to Fish!--their enormously popular fable that draws lessons aimed at combating dysfunctional workplaces from the happy fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Market. In Fish! Tales the authors show how these lessons were put into practice at businesses both big (a major hospital and long-distance carrier) and small (a local car dealership and roofing company). Anyone who enjoyed Fish! (or, for that matter, Who Moved My Cheese?) or is looking for a motivational tool to help energize their own workplace, should find this short, upbeat primer worthwhile. --Harry C. Edwards


From AudioFile
These short stories, based on the bestseller, FISH!, are delivered in the lighthearted and playful spirit the authors intended them to be. Alternate narrators tell the stories of various managers and corporations who strive to transform their businesses into places where people play, are nice to each other, and cooperation and teamwork are commonplace, rather than just buzzwords from the latest seminar. Chaplin tells the female managers' stories, and Hagerman tells the males'. Their upbeat storytelling styles adhere to the Fish! philosophy and make the reader also want to try to "catch the limit of life." As a bonus, the authors outline 12 weeks of activities to incorporate the Fish! philosophy into your own life or business. D.L.M. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
This is the sequel to Fish! (2000)--four life lessons learned by observing workers at Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market. And although that book inspired some awful puns, this follow-up book not only captures Fish!'s philosophical essences--play, be there, make their day, and choose your attitude--but also showcases four examples of success, from a well-regarded hospital in Missouri to a Rochester, New York, car dealership. The similarities? Repetitive and boring work and dismal work environments, all in industries reputed to offer less than desirable careers. Lundin and crew document with care the four befores and afters, intersperse brief Reader's Digest-type anecdotes, and then outline 12 personal activities for a dozen weeks--whether it's a gratitude journal or my favorite random act of kindness. Change does indeed happen one person at a time. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager
"I guarantee that every manager will benefit from FISH! . . . it will motivate people to take pride in what they do."


Spencer Johnson, M.D., author of Who Moved My Cheese?
"FISH! shows you how changing your attitude lets you enjoy your work and your life."


Book Description
The ofFISH!ial follow-up to the runaway national bestseller FISH!, FISH! TALES offers exciting, dramatic, real-life stories of how companies and individuals apply the "FISH! philosophy" to boost morale and improve the quality of their businesses and lives. FISH! told the story of a fictional company which transformed itself by applying lessons learned from Seattle’s famous Pike Place Fish market. Now, with FISH! TALES, readers can learn how real-life businesses and individuals energized their workplaces -- and their lives -- by implementing the lessons from FISH! Best of all, the book stands on its own for newcomers to the FISH! philosophy. FISH! TALES focuses on diverse companies, such as a bustling Sprint regional customer service center, a quiet neuro-surgical unit at a major hospital, and a brilliant car dealership. It features dozens of short takes -- quick and easy ways to apply the FISH! philosophy right now. And it includes a detailed program with specific steps and action plans. The FISH! philosophy: Play * Make Their Day * Be There * Choose Your Attitude


Download Description
FISH! told the story of a fictional company that transformed itself by applying lessons learned from Seattle's famous Pike Place Fish Market. Now, with FISH! TALES, readers can learn how real-life businesses and individuals energized their workplaces--and their lives--by implementing the lessons from FISH!. Best of all, the book stands on its own for newcomers to the FISH! philosophy. FISH! TALES focuses on diverse companies such as a bustling Sprint regional customer service center, a quiet neurosurgical unit at a major hospital, and a brilliant car dealership. It features dozens of short takes--quick and easy ways to apply the FISH! philosophy right now. And it includes a detailed program with specific steps and action plans.


Book Info
FISH shows you how changing your attitude lets you enjoy your work and your life.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
If you're one of the many people who enjoyed Fish! -- the bestselling book that taught readers to adapt the team-oriented culture of Seattle's Pike Place market to their own workplaces -- then rest assured: This sequel, which narrates some of the success stories that arose from the first book, will not disappoint. Filled with real-life tales, exercises, and more friendly advice from the now-famous fish-tossing team at Pike Place, this book is a valuable extension of its predecessor; ideally, the two should be read in conjunction to get the maximum benefit from the authors' many insights into the power of attitude to reshape unproductive or unhappy environments.

Fish! Tales is essentially divided into four parts, each of which explains an essential part of the motivational program derived from the work of Seattle's fishmongers. The first chapter describes the importance of play (an environment that's fun is more likely to spark creativity and be engaging); the book goes on to discuss how to make someone's day, how to be there for other people, and how to choose your own attitude. The authors explore these principles by looking at actual events in a telephone carrier, a hospital, a car dealership, and a roofing company. Each of these organizations was able to change its internal culture for the better by applying the Fish! philosophy. There's a certain amount of skepticism in the world about the importance of "soft skills" to the bottom-line functioning of a business; this book makes a strong case that human relationships and an enhanced capability to be competitive go hand-in-hand.

If you liked Fish or if you are a fan of Spencer Johnson or Ken Blanchard, give this book a try. You won't be disappointed. (Sunil Sharma)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The phenomenal international bestseller Fish! told the story of a fictional company that transformed itself by applying lessons learned from Seattle's Pike Place Fish market. Now, with Fish! Tales, readers can learn how people in real-life businesses boosted morale and improved results by implementing these same principles. Here are specific and tested techniques that can be put to use right away in any kind of business or organization -- even at home. And this book stands on its own, so newcomers to the "Fish! Philosophy" will be just as inspired by its examples as the millions who have already read or experienced Fish! In all of the stories, real people discuss honestly and in their own words the difficulties they encountered while trying to transform their workplaces -- and how they overcame reluctance, resistance, and employee burnout. Fish! Tales also features dozens of short bites drawn from an even larger variety of business and life situations. And the entire last section of the book is a detailed twelve-week program with specific steps and action plans to help you find greater fulfillment in your work and in your life -- while inspiring those around you to do the same.

SYNOPSIS

FISH! told the story of a fictional company that transformed itself by applying lessons learned from Seattle's famous Pike Place Fish Market. Now, with FISH! TALES, readers can learn how real-life businesses and individuals energized their workplaces--and their lives--by implementing the lessons from FISH!.

FROM THE CRITICS

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