Fishing My Way Out of a Funk

A member of TNC dropped by the office and left Fish! for me and other staff members to read. I was familiar with the book and Seattle's Pike Place Fish Company but never actually read the book. Several years ago at a leadership conference, I saw a video about Pike Place and it made quite an impression. The video below is a different one, but it will give you a good idea about why Pike Place has become a classroom for business leaders, employers, and employees. They incorporate four key principles that lead to their success.

The book spells them out in detail in a fictional account of a corporate executive (Mary Jane) who is given the responsibility to reinvigorate the operations center of one of Seattle's largest financial institutions. Mary Jane happens by the fish market one day during her lunch break and begins watching and learning the key principles of the market.

The four principles are:

1. Choose your attitude (Determine to make each day a great day.)
2. Play (Be serious about work without being serious about yourself.)
3. Be present (Stay focused when coworkers or customers need you.)
4. Make their day (Give a helping hand, a word of support, or a listening ear.)

Here's a short video of Pike Place. I laughed out loud when the guy chased customers around the market with an octupus.



This book came to me at an interesting time. I've been in a funk lately. We all go through them - at least, I know I do! I can't point my finger at any particular reason why I've been in a funk. I could blame it on busyness, stage of life, the beginnings of empty nesting, daily challenges and frustrations, even the devil. There are a number of possible reasons. Whatever they are, I picked up Fish! last weekend and read through it quickly. (It's only 110 pages, large print, easy to read.)

Last Monday morning, after my daily Bible reading and prayer time, I decided that I would not go into the office in a funk. So I got a piece of paper and put a plus sign on one side and a minus sign on the other. I listed all of the positive things in my life. It was long! I am SO BLESSED IT IS RIDICULOUS. I know God has blessed me immensely but it helps to put them on paper and meditate on them.

On the right side of the paper, I wrote down a few things that were dragging me down. I think I listed 3 things. They were so trivial and so STUPID that when I looked at my completed list I laughed out loud, shook my head and said, "Lord, I am such an idiot for letting a few things drag me down."

The negatives were no comparison to the positives in my life. Almost immediately, the FUNK was gone. I prayed a prayer of confession, forgiveness, and moved on.

I can't give Fish! all of the credit for getting me out of my foul attitude, but it is interesting that it came my way when it did.

PS - I started writing for ehow.com a month ago. My funky experience led to an article. You can see it here.