Analysis of Fish A Remarkable Way To Boost Morale and Improve Results by Stephen Lundin - Book Report/Review Example

Introduction Fish! A Remarkable Way To Boost Morale and Improve Results, collectively written by Stephen Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen, is a fascinating book that discusses the finer details and role of human relationship in business decision making processes and the attitude that governs the outcome of those decisions. While the authors have emphasized the importance of understanding the human nature so that their core competencies could be effectively exploited to achieve organization’s goals and objectives, it is a fact that they also hold true in one’s personal and professional life. The authors assert that good leadership within the organization promotes the relationship building through mutual trust and confidence built primarily through positive attitude incorporated and inculcated in the work environment. The attitude of the workforce can change the most routine work into highly interesting act of gainful labor. Brief review of the book The authors have taken the ‘Pike Place Fish Market’ of Seattle as the most scintillating example of turning a routine practice into the most fascinating work of art and managerial leadership. The transformation of the dull and the so called insipid setting of fish market, into the most successful business enterprise, is not only amazing but it also throws great insight into the vast potential of nurturing human relation at all levels of personal and professional life. The authors have stressed that hope and expectations of the people within the organization are the most important factors that have direct impact on their performance outcome as well as that of the organization. In the fish market, the workforce enjoys a good inter-personal relationship and incorporates fun and humor into their profession to turn the fish market into most successful business. The book uses First Guarantee Financial, a fictional company in Seattle and explains how one of its departments, popularly called ‘toxic energy dump’ is turned around into a profit making unit by Mary Jane Ramirez, a widow, who takes up the challenge to manage the department. The Pike Place Fish Market becomes her inspiration and Mary incorporates the basic concept of the fish market into her managerial leadership to make the successful turnaround. Key elements of management for discussion The four major factors for the success of fish market comprised of: choosing your attitude; bringing humor in the work; customer relationship building; teamwork thrives on good relationship with one and all. Mary Jones uses these concepts in her department and motivates her colleagues to change their attitude through proactive participation in decision making processes. She thus helps inculcate mutual trust building and team spirit in her workforce that inspires them towards motivated goals and objective to improve performance outcome. Indeed, the book can be a fitting analogy for a lot of sick units who lack imagination but can become hugely successful with little motivation and effective managerial leadership. Analysis of key elements Leadership is an integral part of human social behavior which is intricately linked with the followers. Leadership can be defined as a persuasive communication skill which inspires others to achieve a common goal. Leadership basically refers to people who have the capacity to bring about changes in other people. Organizations are characterized by the unique culture that is inherent in the overall working of the organization. Discussion of leadership with reference to large organization is as important as that of small one for the simple reasons that the leaders within the organizations provides an intangible stability among the employees and facilitates integration with the system. It becomes the leading factor to motivate the workforce to inculcate positive attitude and provide the necessary impetus to the employees to strive towards common goals and collective vision. Managerial leadership in all areas assumes special meaning because it motivates and encourages collective decision making and ensures effective communication with the employees with shared vision of the common goals. The leadership encourages creativity and innovative practices that give a unique perspective to participatory approach of management by developing positive attitude. Strong communication skill and intrinsic understanding of human nature become vital factors that inspire people to give their best and work together to produce a cohesive output representing the organization’s unique objectives and goals. Humor and wit in the work environment greatly facilitates in mitigating work related stress and help create a congenial atmosphere of bonhomie. It also helps to break the monotony of the routine work and brings new dimension of interest and perspective, thus changing the hitherto mundane work into the interesting one. The motivating factor of managerial leadership that facilitates adaptability to changing equations, have another very important attribute of recognizing the wide scope of emerging opportunities. The empirical relationship of leaders and the emerging changes are critical for a given situation. Informed leadership and humor is observed to be the diffusing factor in a conflicting situation. Good managerial leadership demands a better informed leader who is capable of taking initiative and at the same time, he is also able to inculcate confidence in his people to move forward through effective communication. As the Sjostrand and Tyrstrup reaffirm ‘leadership is all about managing creativity’ (2001). In the changing times, the human behavior became more formal and often less predictive. The corporate strategy, therefore, started incorporating the changing human behavioral pattern and taking into account the collection decision making and participatory approach to corporate decisions. The identification of various barriers to communication that are detrimental to the organizational effectiveness has become vital for prediction and improvisation in work place, leading to improved performance. The globalization has ushered in an era of pluralistic society which has made understanding of cross cultural values as the most important barrier to effective communication. To make a significant difference to the work place, it is important the leaders and managers need to develop and enhance cross cultural relationship that must go beyond the officialdom in order to win the trust of the people. They must also become the link which would promote confidence building and strengthen interpersonal understanding with the group. In the contemporary environment of competitive business environment, customer relationship has become critical aspect of business strategy. Understanding of consumer psychology and identification of the changing trends of the customer requirements are important ingredients to gain leverage against one’s business rivals. The market strategy needs be totally focused on the needs and requirements of the people and make continuous efforts to update its products line with that of the changing public demands. Levitt (1960) says that ‘organization must learn to think of itself not as producing goods or services but as buying customers, as doing the things that would make people want to do business with it’. Hence, making customer one’s priority in the business strategy is not only intrinsic to the business strategy but it also needs to be inculcated as essential part of developing inter-personal relationship with the customers through creative input. Effective team work constitutes one of the most important factors that make valuable contribution to the organization promoting a sense of togetherness and collective responsibility that reflects in the increased output and improved performance of the organization. It is for these reasons that good leadership always strives to inculcate team spirit among the team members that helps to put team interests over individual interest so that collectively they can contribute towards achieving team targets. It can be stated that for any organization to expand and succeed, it is crucial that its people are recognized as vital part of its strategy and organizational goals and objectives be interpreted in the context of the changing paradigms of the times. The new leadership must encourage creativity and innovative practices that give a unique perspective to participatory approach of management and employees. Hence, it is imperative that managerial leadership becomes part and parcel of organizational culture that promotes team building and cohesive group structure. Conclusion and observation that apply to my workplace Indeed, the author has shown that each person has the potential to achieve great heights of personal and professional success if they are able to overcome their negative feelings. People have great potential and their inherent creativity can be exploited by good leaders through effective communication and understanding of basic human nature. Thus, leadership qualities have become vital tools to encourage people’s participation in the overall strategy of having collective goals through shared learning. They motivate and encourage their people so that their hopes and expectations converge to become common goals. That is the reason that effective team work constitutes one of the most important factors that make valuable contribution to the organization promoting a sense of togetherness and collective responsibility that reflects in the increased output and improved performance of the organization. The book has amply shown that leadership initiatives are major elements of success of a business. Good leadership is essential for effective team building and promotes strong organizational culture that thrives on efficient discharge of one’s duties, integrity, ethical and moral accountability with a strong sense of pride. It must be realized that organizations need to develop unique organizational culture with well defined vision and mission statements which are effectively communicated to their employees. The institutionalized beliefs that promote changes for the wider welfare of the organizational goals and objectives need to be implemented through shared vision. It promotes better understanding among the employees and provides impetus for improved performance and easy changeover. These concepts are also very pertinent in my work area of education. Educational leadership assumes special meaning because it motivates and encourages that target group within the population that plays a crucial part in the future of nation building processes. They help students to become a responsible citizen while they are acquiring an educational qualification that would help them become financially independent. To become a successful human-being, it is therefore important that they develop qualities which would equip them with high self esteem and help them achieve a successful professional and personal life. When teachers also don the role of leaders within the school precincts as well as in their profession, they can significantly impact the all round development of the students. Educators and school administrators both can take up the role of educational leaders because both of them have the capacity to wield considerable influence among the students and teachers alike so that they give their best. While the non teaching staffs of educational institutes indirectly influences the students to acquire character, the role of teachers is of utmost importance because of their proactive involvement in the molding of the character of the students. It is therefore, imperative that teachers must inculcate specialized teaching methodologies and value system that addresses the all round growth of the student fraternity. One can successfully conclude by saying that ‘within every school there is a sleeping giant of teacher leadership, which can be a strong catalyst for making change’ (Marilyn & Gayle, 2001, p.2). Reference Levitt, Theodore.(1960). Marketing Myopia. Harvard Business School Review. Available from: [Accessed 14 September, 2009]. Lundin, S., Paul, H., & Christensen, J. (2001). Fish! A remarkable way to boost morale and improve results. Woodbridge, CT: GK Hall and Co. Marilyn Katzenmeyer, Gayle Moller. (2001). Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Helping Teachers Develop as Leaders. Corwin Press. Sjostrand, S and Tyrstrup, M. (2001). Recognized and unrecognized managerial leadership, in invisible management – The social construction of leadership. S Sjostrand, J Sandberg and M Tyrstrup (eds.). Thomson. pp 1-27. Read More