Optimize Your Strengths

CHAPTER 6 Habit 3: Skilfully Executing (reinforcing a strengths- based culture): In which Joe continues to stretch the limits…

“Yaaaay! Dad, it's beautiful. When can we get the fish? Can we go get them now?” gushes Harry, stepping back to look at the tropical tank he has just set up with Amelia and his dad.

“What do you think, Amelia?” prompts Joe who, for once, has noticed that his usually talkative daughter has actually gone quiet.

“I really enjoyed setting that up but I'm a little worried that we've got it wrong and if we introduce fish, they'll just die – or eat each other,” she explains.

“Well, what did the book say about when to introduce fish?” Joe asks.

“To leave it three to five days for the water to settle and the plants to do their stuff oxygenating the water, or something; then to test the water for levels of pH, chlorine and other chemicals. We can take a sample to the pet shop and they will run the tests. Then, if the temperature is stable too (Dad, you're going to have to keep checking the thermometer and make sure it stays within this green safety zone), we can add our first couple of fish,” Amelia explains.

“And don't forget about the lights, Dad. You need to switch the day-time light off and the night-time light on every evening, and the night-time light off and day-time light on every morning to help establish the cycle,” adds Harry.

“Dad, can we come after ...