As a longtime advocate of FISH! Philosophy, which seeks to engage others through the concepts of “be there, play, make their day and choose your attitude,” I have challenged leaders to consider how they can engage, motivate, inspire and support their teams in good times and bad as well as meaningful ways of doing this on a random Tuesday.
Painting in broad strokes, leaders understand how to support others in the big moments – good and bad. The challenge comes in the day-to-day when we settle into a rhythm where “making their day” feels extravagant and illusive. This is a point of focus and reflection.
When considering how to live out FISH! on a consistent basis for others, one needs to also consider how we FISH! for ourselves. How can we choose our attitude for ourselves? How can we make our own day? How can we live in the spirit of play? How can we be there for ourselves?
Choose Your Attitude
Leaders choose their attitude so that they can extend positive energy despite the challenge of the day. When we choose our attitude for ourselves, the fullness of emotional intelligence can be realized.
Sometimes our choice will be to find quiet solace and unscrew the smile. Sometimes our choice won’t be pretty, but that can be our healthiest choice because it is temporarily what we need. Sometimes the choice will be to give ourselves a pep talk. Sometimes our choice will be to smile and fake it until we make it.
Make Your Day
If our goal as leaders is to delight others, we need to remember the need to delight ourselves. Take a day off! Invest in a hobby. Eat that extra cookie. Have a good laugh or coffee with a friend.
Play
Adults are far too serious. As leaders help others find small bursts of magic, solve problems through creative exploration and fun moments of whimsey in the midst of the mundane, we need to play, too. Be the child at the park rather than the parent watching from the park bench.
Each time your raise your desk, dance a little. Doodle in your notebook. Walk the dog on your lunch break. Play with a fidget toy while you’re on mute. Crack a joke.
Instead of having something due by the “end of day,” reframe it as the “end of play.” Enjoy your work.
Be There
Strong communicators can silence the rest of the world and be fully present with whom they are speaking. Leaders show up and make their presence, protection and support known. When we are alone, how often do our minds regret the past or worry about the future? When left on our own, grounding ourselves in the present is more difficult. Two pearls of wisdom I use to combat this are:
Redirect the time I spend worrying to loving God or loving others. Changing my intent changes my attitude, enabling me to stay present.
The only time we can receive grace, cooperate with God’s Will and live out our vocation is the present. Mercy tends to the past and Providence the future, so our choice is to live in the present.
To the Point
As much as we FISH! for others, we also should FISH! for ourselves.
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