Review of "Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results," by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen

Review of

Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen ISBN 9780786866021

Three out of five stars

 While the goal expressed in this book is a desirable one, the approach taken is weak and devoid of effective tactics. Mary Jane is a manager at First Guarantee and she accepts a transfer to manage the dreaded third floor. It is a place considered a dead end in the company, described by others as unpleasant, slow and unresponsive. While she understood the opinions held by others outside the group, Mary Jane agreed to take on the challenge.

 Things do not go well until she visits Pike Place, a fish market where the employees seem to be having the time of their lives, enjoying their work. That attitude spills over to her and she decides to apply some of the basic principles followed by the workers at Pike Place. As one would expect, after initial difficulties, Mary Jane manages to turn the dreaded third floor into an exciting and enjoyable place to work. There is even some romance to complete the happy ending.

 The problem is that the financial industry and a fish market are so vastly different that it is hard to find similarities. If a fish is thrown and dropped, there is little harm done. However, if a financial transaction is messed up, there can be dire consequences for the organization, the employees involved in the transaction and the customers. It is always dangerous to create an equivalence between events when the stakes are so different. Especially when one of the industries is subject to heavy regulation.

 I was unimpressed by the book, to me it never gets beyond the initial “Rah! Rah!” concepts to the reality of injecting fun into a financial institution.