On Monday, July 27th, 2009, Carolinas Specialty Hospital held a kick-off event based on the FISH! Philosophy. The staff was immersed in training which included having fun! An introduction to the FISH! Culture and segments centered on the four principles of “Be There, Make Their Day, Play and Choose Your Attitude,” were presented.
“The event was offered in an effort to transform our organization to a culture of quality and customer-oriented service to our patients, their families and each other,” commented Susan Davis, Chief Executive Officer. The purpose of this event was to support staff development and encourage open communication.
FISH! gets people thinking, in a way they never imagined, about what is possible at work and gives them tools to bring energy and passion to their jobs. The concepts started at Seattle's world-famous Pike Place Fish Market. It’s an otherwise ordinary fish market that's extraordinarily successful. The work is hard and the hours are long—yet these employees make a personal choice to bring amazing passion, playfulness, commitment and a positive attitude to work every day. This is the exciting—and extremely entertaining—basis of FISH! Like thousands of other organizations worldwide, including Saturn, Sprint and Southwest Airlines, Carolinas Specialty Hospital will tap into the secrets of creating a super-satisfying work environment and even more delighted customers, our patients.
The bottom line? FISH! creates a new vocabulary that won't just change how we view work, it just may change our entire view on life. The FISH! Culture will help:
· Create a more engaged and alive workplace
· Increase productivity and reduce employee turnover
· Encourage imagination and creativity and infuse a fun-filled spirit
· Inspire others to own their choice of attitudes
· Build trust and improve communications and relationships in the workplace
Prior to the roll-out event, six staff members traveled to a similar long term acute care (LTAC) hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. They attended two days of intense training and then brought the principles back to Charlotte. It was then that the LeaderFISH!, canned the Fish Tank Board, was created. The goal of the board is to provide support to the team so they may inspire others, lead genuinely, and leave a legacy of caring, integrity and success. The FISH! Philosophy is a way of life – the program will be a continuing focus for our hospital.