When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace by John Yokoyama

Kendra's comments:

Through various news stories over the years, I have heard about the throwing fish mongers at Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle.  As a food lover, this is a place that I am eager to visit one day.  I did not realize what an amazing business model the market is, and that a number of small businesses, large corporations, and school districts have used the lessons the market has adapted over the years to positively shift the way every employee, supervisor, and owner sees themselves and the impact of their work on the world. 

Pike Place Fish Market has been around for over forty years.  They were doing okay and getting by, but the owner, John Yokoyama, wanted to try to expand the business into the wholesale fish business about twenty years ago.  This failed miserably, and the business was in danger of going under.  Instead of giving up, however, he sought the advice of a coach who helped him to reframe his thinking.  He re-evaluated how he viewed his management style, his employees, and the future of his business.  Yokoyama explored what his business would look like if he was able to create a new vision for his business along with his employees, and that there might be a greater purpose to his business than just selling fish.      

This is a powerful little book about the power of positive thinking.  I hope my coworkers will take a few hours and listen to this message, and I believe it would serve anyone working in any kind of organization well.  GPL owns the audio version of this book, and it is available for checkout.  If you prefer to read the print version of the book and have an Evergreen card, you may place it on hold through our catalog.