As part of the Student Leadership Development Series, Iqbal Atcha, WalMart Regional Talent Specialist and adjunct pharmacy professor at Midwestern University, presented “Make Their Day – The FISH! Philosophy” to Drake University pharmacy and health sciences students.  The presentation was based off the book, Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, which uses the fun-loving fishmongers at Seattle’s Pike Place Market to help employees find their way to a fun and happy work place.  Iqbal talked about how to make a difference in the lives of people that one works with, focusing primarily on ‘Make Their Day,’ one of the four components of the FISH! Philosophy and in Iqbal’s opinion, the most vivid, strongest, and effective of the four components.  Iqbal stressed that the components are not stepping stones, but rather ‘Make Their Day’ is the final culmination of all of the components.

·         Involvement.  Using an anecdote from his personal experience about involving his own patients in action against the third party payer State-Aid in Illinois reducing reimbursement rates, Iqbal relayed the importance of getting other people involved into what you do for both their benefit and for your own benefit.  He also talked about the importance of creating and inspiring ideas that will get other people involved because efforts are commonly more worthwhile with larger numbers of people involved. 

·         Surprise.  In Iqbal’s opinion, surprise is important because individuals often remember events more vividly and place more importance on them when an element of surprise is involved.  Breaking out of habit allows us to be more objective, creative, and allows us to remember the reason we chose to do what we are doing.  Iqbal demonstrated the importance of surprise first-hand by asking a member of the audience to come to the front of the room and tell the audience about an average day in her own life.  That member of the audience, Iqbal said, would certainly not forget his presentation.

·         Empathy. Empathy, according to Iqbal, is important because in order for effective relationships to be constructed and worked with, individuals must take time to talk to each other and look into what is going on with each other.  The biggest influences are commonly made by people who take the time to take a vested interest in others.  Using audience involvement again, he asked two individuals to tell the rest of the audience about their favorite college professor or high school teacher.  In both cases, Iqbal pointed out, the individuals talked about teachers or professors that took the time to develop a relationship.  Iqbal also stressed the importance of sincerity when attempting to make an impact on others. 

·         Lasting Memory.  In an attempt to illustrate the importance of the last ideal of Make Their Day, lasting memory, Iqbal place a pair of boxer shorts on his head, took out a guitar and sang a song written about the four ideasl of Make Their Day.  He certainly made a lasting memory on the audience in attendance, his take-home message being that when you do something that is completely out of the norm, people will remember that and that’s what they will build upon during return visits.