Rating: 
Summary: One of the best business books on the market!
Review: I loved FISH! A REMARKABLE WAY TO BOOST MORALE AND IMPROVE
RESULTS Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen.It only took me a little over an hour to finish it, but don't let that fact deter you from getting hold of this insightful parable . . . nor don't dismiss it as "still another one of those story efforts" . . . rather,I think you'll find yourself agreeing with me that this is one of the best business books on the market! Based on a real business--Seattle's Pike Place Fish, a world famous enterprise that is widely successful--FISH! shows you how to love the work that you do, even if you can't always do the work that you love . . . also, it serves as a practical guide for getting others to buy into the attitude that improving customer service can actually be a fun thing to do. All you need to do is accept these four simple principles:
CHOOSE to make today a great day. PLAY. Be serious about your work without taking yourself
too seriously at work. BE THERE. Don't let distractions destroy the quality which
is present in each moment. And find someone who needs a helping hand, a word of
support or a good ear--and MAKE THEIR DAY. I know the preceding might sound too basic, but it works--as
evidenced by all the companies telling me how that they've
implemented FISH! . . . and how it has helped change things
around . . . in fact, it has so inspired me that I've put Pike Place Fish as one of the places that I want to visit on some upcoming vacation . . . but until then, my goal is to see if I can help my college to hook into both the book and philosophy.
Rating:
Summary: Keep 'em coming
Review: The people who continue to complain about the popularity of these "parable books" just amaze me. Don't they realize that the storytelling framework just enables difficult topics to be covered in a much less threatening way? I love these books because I can give them to my staff without worrying that the lessons and basic truths will be lost amid too much theory and ever-shifting paradigms. And these short books mean that they are also much more likely to be read. Keep 'em coming, as long as the stories themselves are engaging.
Rating:
Summary: Open up your mind
Review: I love the pseudo-intellectuals writing below who claim to be "insulted" by this type of book. I personally think they're great. If they make captive employees feel better and their nasty managers treat them better for even a few hours or days, then they've accomplished something. I used to work for a boss who loved those HBR theory books about strategizing and new paradigms and all that stuff. He gave them to his entire staff and *not one person ever read them.* Contrast that with this book that has people all over America talking about the Fish philosophy. Despite the cutesy cover and graphics inside, there's a real message that appeals to all workers, at all levels. That's not nothing.
Rating: 
Summary: Another work in the tiring "parable style".
Review: Is anyone else getting tired of this style of books? With three or four ideas wrapped into a cute but not particularly well-written story, I found myself skipping through the book and looking for the main ideas in larger print (the main ideas are almost always in larger print in this writing style). The principles are great, but why write a trite book to illustrate them? There's not much here to make you think, and it is a shame that there are so many of these books on the market that are vying for your time and money. If you are required to read this book, borrow it from someone else for a half hour, or better yet, read it while you stand in their office.
Rating: 
Summary: One star for the cute fishy on the cover
Review: The cover is the only good part of this book. My husband picked this up at a bookstore in the airport a few weeks ago. I took one look at it, read the back cover and proceeded to give a dead-on accurate prediction: Since this is a story out of Seattle (the liberal "happy-touchy-feely" capital of the world), you should let your employees feeeeeel good, don't make them actually stretch and work hard, above all you should rub people's positive ego area and appeal to their inner child. I then took the next 28 minutes to read this fluff garbage and have never been so psychic in all my life! Everything I predicted was there. But my powers of ESP did not predict the STUPID "love story" ending...I was ROLLLLLLLLING my eyes. Don't waste your time or money. These "feel good" management books are just quick money makers for the authors and nothing more. No wonder we are such whiners and underproducers in America. Instead of hard work, we look for ways to get out of exerting too much effort actually doing our job.
Rating:
Summary: For Nerds
Review: The message of this book is a good one. It essentially boils down to "Have a positive attitude." However, this book uses a lame nerdy parable to communicate this message, and it's embarrassing. I agree that it is a productive thing to have a good attitude and that a good attitude is contagious, but the book asks you to be a big phony and do lame grade school type of activities with your staff. I don't know about you, but I can't stand being treated like a 2-year-old when I'm at work, and the reality is that you have to be fake in order for everyone to "jsut get along." Most employees have a bad attitude because so many companies are badly run with poor management. Reading books like this is just putting a bandaid on a broken leg.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Fishy
Review: I like the storybook approach and entertaining characters that are introduced in Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale & Improve Results. Many employees and employers are feeling overwhelmed and disenchanted with the struggles and victories of turbulent economic times. So, Fish! offers a short read and easy escape from the daily grind. Incorporating fun and laughter in the workplace is just good business; most customers expect a welcoming environment when buying a product or service. But, readers seem to be more interested in practical advice on how to enjoy work and life. I would have enjoyed the book more if it offered specific ideas about tackling the difficult issues that face everyone in the workforce. Check out Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life a book of 52 simple, actionable steps to enjoy work and life
Rating: 
Summary: A little corny, but really positive
Review: The story is a little corny, but it gets the point across. I read this book in about a day and immediately gave it to my boss to read. It has some good ideas on implementing a positive work environment with out placing blame or patronizing anyone. I work in a call center and know that we can turn it around from a place of dread to a place of enjoyment with the ideas from this story. I love this book!
Rating:
Summary: In the Form of "THE GOAL"
Review: I like this book. It is a quick read. Finished it and QBQ on one flight with a meal. If you read "THE GOAL", the format of this book will be similar. The author presents the material in the form of a novel. I suspect timelines and other issues are accelerated in the story line, poetic license, btu the illustration of the key points are good. If you are looking to put fun into your work, and create a high energy, lively, customer focused work environment, this is a good book to remind you of the basics.
Rating:
Summary: good morale booster
Review: I enjoyed this book very much... short, quick read and very inspiring. I wanted everyone in my organization to read it and feel the same. Great ideas and if everyone buys into the philosophy, I can see a success story elsewhere. It sparked my company to do manager retreats... finally.
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