Fish by Stephen C Lundin
I would have never learned a different aspect of tackling issues in life if I had missed reading this fabulous book Fish by Stephen C Lundin. Once I read it, I read it again, and again, again. This book has become a single point of reference for me when I am not finding a solution to a problem. It helps actually in opening new doors and windows of my mind and thing in a very different perspective to solve a problem. It helps in handling situations when you are working in teams.
The story of Fish by Stephen C Lundin
Mary Jane join as a supervisor in a company called ''First Guarantee Financials'' one of the largest financial institute in Seattle. She was compelled to go for this job after some adverse situations arise in her happy life. After the sudden death of her husband Dane, and, thus, to take care of her kids, she had no other choice but to join this company to balance her financial needs for the family. In no time, Mary Jane emerges as a very successful supervisor.Soon, she gets promoted as Manager and is rewarded with a good pay hike. The company appoints her as the new incharge of the third floor which is the most messed up unit of the company. All the transactions of the company were handled by this unit. That's why almost every other unit in the company had to deal with this floor. Willingly or unwillingly. Actually, mostly, unwillingly. Everyone used to be sure that there is no life on the 3rd Floor of this office. Everything used to stop on this floor. Business used to get slow. People used to get dull responses. There was no momentum, no system, and no flow on this floor.
There was no energy and enthusiasm in the staff working on third floor. Mary had an option to turn down the promotion and continuing with her current position that was going smooth and hassle-free. But being a little different from others and having a 'can-do' attitude, she readily accepts this challenge, though she didn't have a readymade solution to the problems she was jumping into. Pike Place is the world's largest fish market. It was quite close to her office. And luckily, she had to cross this market everyday while going out for lunch. She started observing the 'life' there.
Everyday was a new experience for her. Soon she learnt why that place was so successful in business. The basic fact was that despite the most hectic life, the persons working there were doing a lot of work tirelessly and efficiently. She learned certain facts happening practically there and in a perfect manner like - ''Change'', ''Play at work'' and so many other things. She decided to implement those worklife gems at her office. Implementing those tactics in a systematic manner without telling anybody starts changing the complete scenario of the third floor in no time. The lifeless 3rd floor becomes most lively floor in the complete office.
There is something very important on page 44 of Fish by Stephen C Lundin
"Faith - By David Whyte"
"I want to write about faith about the way the moon rises over cold snow, night after night faithful even as it fades from fullness slowly becoming that last curving and impossible silver of light before the final darkness but I have no faith myself I refuse to give it the smallest entry Let this then, my small poem like the new moon, slender and barely open be the first prayer that opens me to faith."
I loved reading Fish by Stephen C Lundin first time, and every time thereafter I read it again. It gives energy. It inspires and motivates. Every time read it, it brings some change within me. You will find Mary Jane is not an exceptional person but her certain traits like accepting the challenge, observing around, understanding the problem well, and initiating the change in a natural manner makes her exceptional and a winner. We all have problems at work place. That's why we are there. We all have one or the other 'Pike Place' around to observe and learn new lessons and relate with our situation at work place to make it better. Only a true leader can actually dare to accept a promotion like the one Mary Jane got that is full with challenges and no scope of success.
You can buy this book from Amazon India here.
You can buy this book from Amazon here.
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