SargentPower11320
Pike Place Fish, founded in 1930, is located in Seattle’s historic,…
Pike Place Fish, founded in 1930, is located in Seattle’s historic, open-air Pike Place
Market. As many as 10,000 visitors from many parts of the world come daily, not only
to buy high-quality seafood and have it shipped home, but also to watch fishmongers
throwing their wares and having fun. From a humble beginning as a small stand, Pike
Place Fish has gained a big reputation. The change began when a young employee
said, “Let’s be world-famous,” and the owner responded, “Why not?”
John Yokoyama worked at Pike Place Fish when the owner offered to sell him the
business in 1965. Only 25, Yokoyama was reluctant to buy the struggling market, but
after much thought he decided to give it a try. He knew nothing about managing
people, and his management style was that of a tyrant: you do what I tell you or else.
Pike Place Fish did not do well, and Yokoyama was close to failing. That’s when Jim
Bergquist entered the scene.
A consultant whose wife worked at the fish market, Bergquist approached
Yokoyama with a proposition: Give me three months and I’ll improve your business
or else I’ll quit. They agreed. Then, when they were trying to decide their strategy, the
young worker made his wild suggestion. At first the partners regarded the notion of
becoming world-famous as a joke, but the idea began to grow on them. They adopted
the idea of becoming “world-famous,” added the words to the logo, and had them
printed on shipping boxes.
What does it mean to be world-famous? That’s what Yokoyama, Bergquist, and
their crew had to figure out. They decided it means making a difference in the lives of
customers and others with whom they come into contact. “For us it means going
beyond just providing outstanding service to people,” explains Yokoyama. “We’re out
to discover how we can make their day. We’ve made a commitment to have our
customers leave with the experience of having been served. They experience being
appreciated whether they buy fish or not.”
Providing such an experience for customers requires total commitment. At Pike
Place Fish there are no jobs; rather, there are positions available for those who make
the team. You have to commit to the purposebeing world-famousor you won’t even
want to be on the team. New employees sometimes take three months to understand
the distinctionbeing world-famous rather than merely wanting to be or believing you
areand become productive team members.
A big change for John Yokoyama was to share responsibility and power with
workers. Yokoyama found the best way to manage the type of team he needed was to
stay out of employees’ way and let them be creative and manage themselves.
Inspirational management is the preferred style. Pike Place Fish creates a context for
personal growth and development. For instance, someone who wants to master the art
of filleting fish will be coached to reach that goal. Anyone can be a coach, and
everyone is allowed to coach others. The intention is for the coach to empower the
other person to achieve. When coaching is needed, everyone has the responsibility to
step up and contribute.
The best-selling book Fish! has popularized the workplace philosophy at Pike Place
Fish. This book identifies four principles, based on the fishmongers at the Seattle
market, for creating a fun-filled environment: play, make their day, be there, and
choose your attitude. Pike Place Fish uses these principles to create a culture where
employees are creative and mix well with customers. Sales, customer satisfaction,
and employee retention have increased steadily since the “fish” philosophy has
been introduced. Other companies, including Sprint and Marriott, also have
adopted the principles.
Questions for Discussion
1. How does Pike Place Fish create an environment for workers to reach their
maximum potential?
2. What roles do socialization and mentoring play in creating and nurturing
this atmosphere?
