Rating: 
Summary: Quite inspirational!
Review: Using Seattle's famous & booming Pike Place Fish Market as an example, a business parable emphasizing communication, energy, & fun in the workplace as the keys to a company's success.
Motivating emploees the Park Place Fish market way.
Rating:
Summary: Wish it were longer!
Review: Truly, I didn't want this book to end. I read it very slowly, knowing that it is such a quick read, but it is so enjoyable.I am astonished at the couple of terrible reviews (along with the powerful ones) this book received. I work in a needed turnaround place, and this book really speaks to us. Ironically, the people who know how to turn a company around are the ones who "get" this book. We have all worked in lots of places who would "pooh-pooh" it. These are the people who need it the most. Perhaps this is preaching to the converted. The core of the book is how to bring joy to what you do, and how this affects everyone else. It works!
Rating: 
Summary: Delivers on the Investment, but You Don't Invest Much
Review: If you expect a miracle solving all your people problems, save your money and your minutes. Lundin and his coauthours understand a few important pieces to "people problems." Further, they share those few pieces thoughtfully and entertainingly. A good manager could cover the same material just as solidly with a half-dozen slide presentation. If you are serious about dealing with "people problems," pony up more cash for Buckingham's First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths. You'll spend more money and invest more effort in the reading, but the payoff will more than compensate for the larger investment.
Rating: 
Summary: Trite and smarmy
Review: My boss made me read this. Fortunately, it only took about ten minutes. Okay, so it actually took about an hour, but there was so little content that the essence of the book could have been communicated in about 15 pages. I thought the "parable" was bad enough before I got to the completely predictable end. Not inspiring in the least. Instead, I found myself wondering if I could take a few completely obvious concepts and write a fluffy little book that would become a management fad, spawn several spinoff products, and make me a bucketload of money.
Rating:
Summary: employee = dumb?
Review: Oh boy, another 'management' technique. Not being a manager I know they are talking about me. Goody. I often read these kind of books so I can guess what the next 'team building' episode at work will be like. Somehow these 'fable writers' think that all employees are stupid and cannot spot symbolism. Gee, I had an education, we talked about it in 7th grade. Oh, and don't get me started on the cheese thing. Perhaps workers just want to be treated like adults and be given adequate creative freedom and time at home. Ya think? *shakes her head*
Rating:
Summary: Parabole excelence
Review: This book is written as parable, that helps and allows the reader to retain more in detail all the information and makes easy to apply all the concepts. Also it's not restricted only for international companies but for local and familiar enterprises because it's excellent!
Rating:
Summary: hidden agendas!
Review: One of the most telling points in "Fish" comes late in the book. AFTER the bit about having your employees have a "designated creativity area" called "The Sand Box" (ugh). And AFTER the bit about having employees walk around on colored circles of paper, reading out the ideas for improving their workplace when the music stops on them (gag). No, my favorite part is when the fictional employees on the "Choose Your Attitude" team suggest that their co-workers read "Personal Accountability: The Path to A Rewarding Work Life." No mention is made of the fact that that book is written by THE SAME AUTHOR as "Fish"! But, then again, this clearly isn't aimed at anyone with an IQ over about 80... If you feel your employees will benefit from reading this book, then you clearly do not have an intelligent workforce. Rather than spending money on this brain-numbing parable, why not try to hire some employees who don't need the obvious explained to them? What's next in this "dumbing down" of Corporate America, anyway? A parable to convince employees that bathing is in their best interests?!?
Rating:
Summary: Good story, sound business principles, but too short
Review: The basic premise of this book is how to re-energize your workforce by using principles applied successfully at a Seattle fish market. I grew up in Seattle, and know the Pike Place Market well. The book accurately depicts the passion the "fish mongers" have for their work, and if you are ever in the area, stop by and watch the fish and the verbal bantering fly through the air. They really do live their work! Now, about the story. In this (very short) book, the author tries to spin a tale of a woman, recently widowed, who is promoted to managing the classic "toxic" work group. Her objective: improve their performance and attitude. One day while strolling through Pike Place at lunch she happens on the fish market. The next thing we know, she is getting advice about how to re-energize her workgroup by using the basic principles applied at the fish market. The bottom line of the story is that she applies the principles and changes the performance and attitude of her team. The bottom line of the book is that it presents some great principles, dresses them up in a hokey and overly sappy story with a way too contrived ending. Despite that, it is still a good story and the principles are sound. From what I hear the video is much better than the book so I would recommend that first.
Rating: 
Summary: Change at work to change your life
Review: This book you can read it in one night, is easy to read and has a very good message, the part of the book that could be a fable is that everybody in the office will do everything to change and work better, when they are used to do absolutely nothing for the customers, could be that possible?
I thing we can try to do what is written in the book and change at work for our own good
Rating:
Summary: This one teaches you to swim.
Review: We come across several instances where the work place is described as: "foggy; smoky; need a chimney to clear the place; this place stinks". Work at such places is not only drudgery for those who work in but also an even worse experience for customers who need to interact with them. Typically such places are described as bureaucratic bastions wrapped in red tape, blissfully wasting time and energy in all things other than serving the customer. No prizes for guessing an "ideal fit" describing such situations. If you cannot breathe, then swim; learn to swim from fish -literally. Learn what you should from the ones who are the best at it. This book shows the way through a simple story, with a happy ending. Mary Jane Ramirez is caught in the midst of a personal tragedy and a very disgusting workplace. She is the manager of back office jobs in a financial services company that is aptly termed as the "toxic energy dump". Help comes from a most unexpected corner: Lonnie who sells fish in Seattle's most famous Pike Place fish market. He prescribes four simple principles that transform Mary, her workplace and the rest of her life. a) Choose your attitude - You may not have a choice in what you are doing, but you are in full control of how to do it. Do it with a smile. b) Play - Do not forget this important element when you grow up in age. It is equally important to have fun while you work. c) Make their day - Make every interaction with the customer a great experience for them to remember d) Be present - Be fully present in interactions as if you are meeting a long lost friend. Every human being is compared to a clock that needs to be wound and energized from time to time. This book is bound to do just that if you are in need of it.
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