| What does an aquarium have to do with the | | | | were in their places. |
| status quo and a new hire? More than you think. | | | | We came to the conclusion that our hard earned |
| Read on and see how an experience in ignoring | | | | zebra fish - all alone because we lacked the |
| the rules of good aquarium management resulted | | | | patience to wait until we had the money for a |
| in a lesson that has much broader application. | | | | pair, and introduced with little preparation because |
| What does an aquarium have to do with the | | | | we had not taken the time to introduce him |
| status quo and a new hire? More than you think. | | | | properly, had been eaten by the other fish in the |
| Read on and see how an experience in ignoring | | | | aquarium. That was the only possible explanation |
| the rules of good aquarium management resulted | | | | for his disappearance. |
| in a lesson that has much broader application. | | | | See any similarities to what so often happens in |
| At 12 years old, I was a partner in an aquarium. | | | | business situations? We spend all our time and |
| Four of us owned it and the fish and plants that | | | | energy on the acquisition of a person, we want |
| inhabited it. We got the money to buy new fish | | | | them to shake things up, we're eager to have |
| by scavenging 5 cent deposit beverage bottles. | | | | that happen, so we just drop them in the tank! |
| We'd gather the bottles, cash them in and go to | | | | And they get eaten figuratively - by the status |
| the aquarium dealer and buy fish. | | | | quo. |
| We had developed a pretty good collection of | | | | The purpose of this story is to suggest you |
| Gouramis, Angelfish. Mollys and Neon Tetras, along | | | | spend at least as much time and effort in the |
| with the necessary catfish and plants to make | | | | assimilation of people as you do in the acquistion |
| our freshwater aquarium look good, provide | | | | of people. Spend time with the new person, and |
| cover, and yet remain uncrowded. | | | | with the people who will be part of the |
| The one thing we had done was always buy two | | | | environment that the new person will have to live, |
| fish of the same kind. But one Saturday we went | | | | survive and succeed in. Build the bridges of |
| looking for bottles pickings were scarce and we | | | | understanding and expectations that will allow the |
| only found enough to get money for one fish. We | | | | workgroup to be successful in accepting the |
| really wanted to add zebra fish to our collection, | | | | newcomer. If you just parachute them in sink |
| so we bought just one fish - even though the | | | | or swim you do so at your own peril. Make |
| dealer advised against it - and brought it home. | | | | sure the success of people that are hired is a goal |
| We introduced our new fish with little fanfare - | | | | of the hiring manager, and make sure he or she |
| we simply dropped it into the tank. All the other | | | | understands their own performance will be |
| pairs had been put into the aquarium in their | | | | measured on the basis of how well their hires |
| plastic bags for a few hours in order to let the | | | | succeed |
| community get to know them. We were tired | | | | Create a structure for followup that ensures the |
| from scavenging bottles, it was getting late, and | | | | new person has regular contact with their |
| we were in a hurry to see how our zebra fish | | | | manager - a structure that communicates |
| looked in the aquarium. | | | | expectations to the hiring manager for how they |
| Our zebra fish darted around and showed a lot of | | | | are to develop the new person. |
| energy just what we wanted to liven up the | | | | If you accept the attitude that every new |
| aquarium. We noticed that all the other fish | | | | selection, be it a hire, promotion or transfer, |
| seemed to get a little tense with this new fish | | | | represents an opportunity to improve your |
| buzzing around the aquarium, but none attacked | | | | organization, and you follow that attitude, you will |
| him and we felt that everything would settle | | | | see a much higher proportion of successful |
| down overnight. We put the cover on the | | | | selections from both a retention and contribution |
| aquarium, and went to bed. | | | | standpoint. |
| The next day we checked on our aquarium, and | | | | I wish we'd used that process with our zebra fish. |
| the zebra fish was gone! The cover was still on, | | | | As it turned out our aquarium never did get |
| and it was heavy glass that could not be moved | | | | another fish our little fish community liked |
| by a fish. We had no other pets at the time, and | | | | things just the way they were and we didn't |
| the house was free of rats and rodents. What | | | | want to mess with the status quo. Plus, our |
| we did notice was that the other fish in the | | | | unsuccessful experience with the zebra fish made |
| aquarium had returned to their pre-zebra | | | | it difficult to work up any enthusiasm for trying |
| demeanor - everything was calm and collected in | | | | again. |
| this little community - no tension, and all the pairs | | | | Sound familiar? . |