FiSH! Video

Rating ***** (4 out of 5)

Initial Thoughts
Direct from fish market, the FiSH! Video has been a hit with audiences around the world for quite some time now. It's an energetic documentary about the fun environment these fishmongers bring to Seattle's famous Pike's Place Market. The concepts are fairly simple and they work.

The Pros
A lot of documentaries fail to capture the essence of what they're filming- not so with the FiSH! Video. This film really does recreate the excitement and energy of the market while making it feel accessible and possible to create the same thing in another business.

The points aren't revolutionary- Play, Make Their Day, Be There, Choose Your Attitude- but I've seen them in action and they work. This film really does energize and motivate people to create a positive work environment.

The FiSH! Video is only a part of the FiSH! Philosophy and the FiSH! Culture- there's leadership training and additional videos that go hand in hand with FiSH! This means that you can really buy into the concept and permeate your own business with the ideas from the FiSH! Market. This doesn't mean this video will solve every problem, but sometimes getting a common starting point where everyone can get on board with customer service and positivity is a really great place start.

The Cons
Unless this video is coupled with sustainable learning and coaching, it's a band-aid solution. It doesn't really address a lot of the issues that may be at the root of employee dissatisfaction. It just energizes things and may fool everyone into thinking that everything's better- when it's really not.

It's beginning to look dated (although, the same guys still work there). The film quality and CGI aren't up to HD standards and look a little hokey when compared with some of the current graphics and film stock that are produced these days.

Who Would Want It
This is primarily targeted toward motivation, a bit of customer service, and energy. If there's a team that needs a little boost to reach their potential, they would want this video.

The Bottom Line
A million Elvis fans can't be wrong. This is the biggest film to ever hit the training industry- everyone likes it. I'd encourage anyone who uses this to make sure they put sustainable learning tools and a feedback loop into place after using this video. It's a quick fix- and one that works- but that means that without proper follow-up, your team will slip back into the old way of doing things...

Check it out here: FiSH! Video