It is a cool morning in the harbor of Seattle at the northwesterly tip of the USA, just a few miles away from the Canadian border. At this time, the fish market has already seen its busiest hours when the fishermen bring in their catch and distribute it among the various fish dealers. Only at one booth there is a big crowd and something very special seems to be going on over there. Welcome to the famous Pike Place Fish Company!

The PPFC radiates a very particular atmosphere that is characterized by joy and engagement and in which both staff and customers are equally involved. It is based on four simple principles, which are the foundation for a very successful training movie and a whole series of books about motivation and engagement. Here they are:

1. Play

The fish sellers at PPFC could simply do their job, just like many employees in other organizations, too. It would be monotonous labor for which you have to be up on your feet very early in the morning, stand in the cold all day and after which you smell of fish at the end of the working day. But they don’t content themselves with that. Instead, they make their job a happening, an event, a playful game: each order is yelled out loudly by the sales guy and yelled right back at him by all other staff members, like a choir. Then, the ordered product – which could be a bag of clams or a grown up salmon – is thrown right across the shelf to the cashier. Every now and then a customer is invited to try and catch a fish. Like this, an incredibly dynamic and playful ambience is created, which is a lot of fun for everyone – including the customers.

2. Make their day

Of course, the PPFC sells fish in the first place and it could easily be reduced to that. However, by choosing the basic attitude of making other people’s day, it becomes a service. True, authentic contact and relationships are created, among staff and their customers. Children’s eyes are sparkling and grown up businessmen come down from Fifth Avenue in their coffee breaks, just to see all the commotion and be juiced up for the rest of their working day back at the office. Those who come here experience something very special and unique to this place. Something that makes them feel alive and joyful. And besides all of that, they also buy fish.

3. Be there

The staff at PPFC has made it their goal to be 100 % present in any given moment and in everything they do. Regardless of whether they are shoveling ice in the morning, sort and pack fish later on, or are in a conversation with a customer. Not like in some places where you are hardly noticed, no real contact is established and – worst case – you feel like a nuisance factor rather than a customer. Through this mindful presence, a very special atmosphere is created in which customers feel perceived, seen and valued. This experience of being truly welcome and personally appreciated fulfills a very profound human need. It is therefore more impactful than any VIP treatment with a red carpet and champagne.

4. Choose your attitude

As mentioned before, selling fish is no walk in the park. It is a hard job with many inconveniences, just like many other jobs. Basically, every job has its sunny sides and its downsides. The key question is what attitude we chose to start the day with and what we focus our attention on as a consequence. This will not change the job itself or the problems we will encounter throughout the day. But things will appear in a different light if we consciously choose to adopt an optimistic and positive attitude. The good news is: we do have this choice. Each morning when we get up and head into our day.

With these four simple principles, the PPFC achieves lasting employee engagement, engaged and loyal customers and, as a consequence, highly successful and profitable business.

I am sure you noticed: as a matter of fact, this has nothing to do with fish at all. Neither does it involve throwing things around. The principles need to be adapted to the respective situation and circumstances. There are many examples of organizations that successfully managed to do so.

What about you? In what way do you already live by these principles, e. g. in your work as a leader – and what are some of the effects? What could you do more of or what could you begin to do in order to live by these principles in your daily work more often? What would you need to stop doing?