Whoever dreamed a flying salmon would spawn a series of internationally best-selling business books — and hook business leaders on the idea of getting better results by making work more fun?

Harry Paul, that’s who. He’s a co-author of FISH! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, as well as two follow-up books, FISH! Tales and FISH! Sticks. The inspiration for the FISH! Philosophy is the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, which transformed itself from a run-of-the-mill fish stand to a world-famous tourist attraction through the joyous enthusiasm, commitment, and playful antics of its fishmongers.

Paul and his two co-authors were struck by the passion and positive attitudes the market’s fishmongers brought to a job that’s 14 hours a day of hard work in cold, wet, smelly conditions. Employees engaged customers by throwing fish through the air, calling out in a chorus, and mingling with the crowd to send a lobster claw creeping up an unsuspecting bystander’s shoulder. The fishmongers have fun, the customers have fun — and the cash registers ring non-stop.

The co-authors used the market as a case study to frame a parable for their story, taking the lessons learned from the fish market and applying them to the business world for a culture change that energizes the workforce, increases job satisfaction, improves customer service and sends profits soaring. The books have become a global publishing phenomenon, selling 3.5 million copies (and counting) in 28 countries and in 14 languages.

CareerThink recently caught Harry at his home near San Diego for an exclusive interview.

9 Questions with Harry Paul

1. How do you describe the FISH! Philosophy?

It has four parts …

1. Choose your attitude
   Decide to bring more enthusiasm to work.
2. Play
   Discover ways to have more fun and instill more energy at work.
3. Be there
   Listen to customers and fellow employees and be there for them.
4. Make their day
   Include your customers in the energy and fun.

Combine these parts, and you create a strong culture that grounds people in something unchanging — a foundation of commitment, common sense and integrity. A strong culture builds a basis for alignment — of energy, enthusiasm and flawless execution.

The FISH! philosophy really works. It starts with choosing your attitude, and then finding a way to enjoy what you do, no matter what you do. It’s about taking the attitude of “I get go to work in the morning — I don’t have to” — of finding a way to enjoy what you do, no matter WHAT you do.

2. The first time you visited Pike Place Fish Market with the book project in mind, what were your impressions?

The excitement is there — not just when the market is packed but even when it’s slow. The guys ALWAYS live the FISH! philosophy, whether there are a lot of customers or a few. The customer is never short-changed.

3. Why do you believe the FISH! philosophy and your books have been so embraced in the management world?

The first book came out right when the bubble was bursting in the stock market and from high tech. People started dreading going to work, looking over their shoulders. Then a book comes out, saying you CAN have fun, using the low common denominator of a job – fish mongering – as an example. It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s long hours, yet these guys have incredible fun and success with it. If they have fun, we don’t have any excuse, do we?

4. You take the FISH! philosophy on the road full-time now. What reactions do you get from managers and business leaders in your workshops?

Most people, when they hear they have to learn a new management philosophy, say “Oh, no, what is it this week?” But when we teach FISH!, the reaction is, “Hey, I can do that! This is one concept I'd really like to try.”

5. How difficult is it for the average business organization to apply the FISH! philosophy?

The four principles – you can learn how they work in a couple of hours. Implementing the FISH! philosophy doesn’t require a line item in the budget. It doesn’t cost anything, but it’s so valuable, you can’t put a price on it.

Basically, you’ve got to know what kind of culture you have in your organization and understand how it’s going to have to change to make the FISH! philosophy work. And you’ve got to find your own way to use the principles, you can’t imitate the fish market.

6. I’ve got to ask — don’t managers and business owners get a little nervous when you tell them their people need to play more on the job?

(Chuckles.) In the workshops, we talk about how far you can go with certain aspects of the philosophy, such as playing AT work, not playing INSTEAD of work. There’s a big difference.

For example, at the market, a guy throws a fish and yells, “One salmon flying back Kansas City!” And all the other fishmongers chant, “One salmon flying back to Kansas City!” It’s fun, but it’s also efficient – it keeps the orders straight. We talk about how to have fun while you’re getting the work done.

7. What was your role in creating the books with other two co-authors, Stephen Lundin and John Christensen?

I read the early drafts and was given a chance to make the manuscript come alive – to get the reader interested. I also tweaked the story line, knew how to use a parable people can relate to. And with 20 years of work in motivational training and in book publishing, I was experienced at positioning and promoting a book.

8. How has FISH! changed your personal or professional life?

Well, it’s given me the freedom to become totally independent, to be Harry Paul, Inc., speaker and author. I travel about 100 days a year, 75,000-100,000 air miles, going around the country helping people discover a better way of doing what they do.

One way I use FISH! on the job is when I fly. There’s waiting, waiting, cramped seats, rushing around. But I choose my attitude when I get on that plane: I’m on a mission to make a difference in someone’s life.

9. OK, in the spirit of playing at work, I’ll ask a silly question: Do you like seafood — what’s your favorite fish?

Love it! Salmon prepared any possible way.