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Professional Courtesy Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

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Enthusiasm Out of Thin Air
– by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

Whether or not you realize it, you have a powerful ability to impact the lives of others. It could be via a romantic relationship, childhood friend, student or patient. Sometimes we forget how many people we impact in a significant way. Imagine for a moment, your funeral. How many people will attend? Who will be there? Many of the people in this group will be there to pay respects because you touched their lives in a special way. It's a grim exercise, but hopefully one that helps you reflect on how you are living.

I was recently reintroduced to a book I read many years ago: Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, by Stephen C. Lundin, PhD; Harry Paul and John Christensen. First published in 2000, this book has sold more than five million copies, and launched an entire Web site of spin-offs and merchandise. Visit www.fishphilosophy.com for more information.

A recent experience with this philosophy came through a live presentation to my office team at a monthly meeting. The father of one hygienist has given the Fish presentation to his own employees, as well as other small groups. He is a motivational speaker. I was invigorated by his terrific presentation, as was the rest of the team. While we have always enjoyed work, this simple approach allowed us to refocus on what is important.

There are four main parts to the Fish philosophy:
  1. Play: Have fun at work. Don't go to "work," go to "play."
  2. Make Their Day: Go the extra mile for your patients and fellow team members.
  3. Be There: Make sure you are engaged in every interaction with people throughout the day.
  4. Choose Your Attitude: Every day you decide your attitude. Bad things still happen, but your response is influenced by your attitude.
Seems simple enough, right? Does it work? You bet. I won't tell you how it has worked for me; rather I would like to share a story of how it worked on me. I had a recent service experience where all four parts of the Fish philosophy were displayed.

Randy, a first-class flight attendant on my return flight from Philadelphia to Phoenix, was a fit man of average height, approximately 60 years old, with a head full of silver hair. My first hint that Randy was different was the enthusiasm he greeted passengers with as they boarded the flight. I was flying with my family and he was gracious enough to offer a snack to each of my three kids as we boarded the plane. Standard for first class, but we were sitting in coach.

When the time came to prepare for take-off, Randy approached the first five rows of coach, where we were seated and he proceeded to tell us that he was not the first-class flight attendant, he was the forward flight attendant. In other words, he was not there to build a wall with that see-through curtain; he was there to treat us like humans. He went on to tell us that it was perfectly fine to use the restroom in the front of the plane. Everyone smiled as if Randy had made their day. Periodically, I would observe Randy's interactions with the passengers and in each instance he communicated clearly and with a big smile on his face. No request was too big or too small. When things settled down in first class, Randy came to the coach section where a uniformed pilot was sitting. He quietly asked him if he would like a piece of pie, leftover from dessert. He just made his day! Once the pilot finished, he asked our kids if they would like a piece of pie as well. This guy was good!

The end of a flight was filled with announcements, but with Randy on the job we heard much more than the memorized script. He recognized there were many foreign travelers on the flight and he made a special effort to welcome them to the United States. He finished his last announcement with a glowing compliment to the pilot on the smooth landing. I hope Randy is on my next flight.

I hope you have a Randy in your office. I also hope you strive to be a Randy in your office.

Do you have a story to share or a question that needs an answer? Send an e-mail to tom@dentaltown.com.
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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