A Few Bad Apples

We’ve all heard it before and most of us have seen it in action at one point or another, the inescapable impact of “a few bad apples” in the bunch.

That thought came to mind for me the other day when I awoke to news reports and newspaper articles that detailed the circumstances of what was reported as the overnight riots in downtown Vancouver just last week following the 7^th game loss of our beloved Vancouver Canucks to the Boston Bruins for the coveted Stanley Cup.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when I turned on the morning news, and they were showing the scene from the night before; store fronts being smashed, stores looted, police cars lit on fire, people fighting in the streets, with each other, and, with police.

I was saddened and disappointed to see these images and know that they would be broadcast all over the world - such is the impact of the media in the era that we now live in. 

It was particularly disappointing in light of all of the incredibly positive images and articles that had been generated just last year as a part of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler.  Before, during and after the Olympics story after story had been generated about what an amazing city we lived in, for so many reasons, not the least of which was the hospitality and demeanor of the residents of our beautiful city.

And now, instead, we will be remembered for the hooliganism of a few bad apples.

The mob mentality is a fascinating thing, on some levels.  It fascinates me on the level of how easily influenced some people can be by those “bad apples” where they might otherwise use their good sense to either head in the other direction, or, better yet, help to put a stop to the unacceptable actions of a few people who were obviously intent on causing trouble no matter what the outcome of the game had been.

From a hotel perspective, it also served to remind me of the importance of consistent and effective communications and the value of relationships in our business.  Without that foundation in place, a few “bad apples” can get a foot-hold and influence others with their own agenda, which is almost certain to be a negative agenda, meant to cause or further inflame disharmony in the workplace.

Don’t let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch in your workplace.

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Free Coffee - Yes Please

First of all, can we all agree that the majority of guests have now come to expect that there will be an in-room coffee maker in their hotel room, regardless of the brand?

That’s my belief. 

I think guests now associate in-room coffee as just another room amenity, like shampoo and soap.  They assume when they walk in their room that they will find some sort of coffee maker waiting for them, and that, depending on the brand, it may be anything from basic to extravagant, with the simplest of coffees or the addition of potentially elaborate offerings of various teas and other hot drinks.

Unfortunately, I also think the same is true of the coffee provider.  That is to say that there is a wide range of the level of attention or importance, or lack thereof, that this in-room amenity receives from hoteliers depending on whether they see this as an opportunity to elevate the level of guest service and guest loyalty, or, if it is simply viewed as an unnecessary and irritating expense.

This is apparent in many ways, not the least of which is the type and brand of coffees being offered out there in the hotel world.  As a guest, I myself have experienced everything from brown coloured water masquerading as coffee to Starbucks (which I admit to being a fan of).

You can tell a lot about the level of importance placed on the coffee service by the type and condition of the coffee maker and the coffee “caddie” and its contents.

I stayed in a hotel not long ago that offered a simple basic in-room coffee service.  Being the organizational freak that I am, (according to friends and co-workers over the years), I like to prep my coffee before I go to bed, so that I can simply push the “on” button as I stumble by on my way to the shower.  I did so in this instance as well.

When I got up, en route to the shower, I pushed the button as usual, and off I went.  When I returned to the coffee maker about 10 minutes later, there was about a half a cup of coffee in the pot, where there should have been 2 cups.  I checked the reservoir and it was empty.  I carefully pulled out the filter basket to find it filled to the rim with boiling hot water.  Obviously it was clogged or blocked in some way.

I was running behind by now, and I decided I would mention this problem to the concierge on my way out, unfortunately, when I entered the lobby, there were line-ups everywhere, so I left for my meetings, thinking I would call the hotel later, during a break.  The day got away on me, as did the evening, and I never called before returning to the hotel quite late that night.

Before bed, I gave my coffee maker the once over, I couldn’t tell if it had been replaced or not, but obviously the room attendant would have seen what happened and had it fixed or replaced, so I prepped my coffee and slid between the sheets.

Next morning, push button, have shower.  Return to check the state of my much-needed coffee.  Too bad for me, half a cup in the coffee maker, probably another half a cup spilled over onto the counter, and a basket full of boiling water.

Needless to say, I was disappointed, but what was most apparent to me, and the greater source of my disappointment, was that my room attendant obviously saw in-room coffee service as a pain in the rear, and as such was not even slightly concerned that my in-room coffee maker was malfunctioning, which left me to question both the commitment to guest service at this hotel, but also, to question what message had been passed on through the ranks with respect to the importance of providing this guest amenity with a level of commitment and professionalism that mirrored the brand commitments of this hotel.

Bottom line, if you’re going to provide a service, then it should be reflective of your commitment to your guests, and be viewed and treated with a level of commitment from you that demonstrates to your employees that EVERY aspect of a guests’ stay has the potential to create a defining moment and nothing should be left to chance when it comes to creating and providing that which has an impact on your guests experience.

There are no second chances to create a great first impression.

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Orientation - The Basis of a Strong Foundation

I have always appreciated the value and importance of a proper, thorough orientation for new employees, regardless of the level of your position when joining the company.

A proper, well thought out orientation is no less important to the manager joining your team than it is to the first-time employee, perhaps more so.

As a manager, you are counting on him or her to model the behavior consistent with the brand, and in doing so, to lead by example and help to reinforce and instill in your employees the fundamental principles of your brand, and what defines it and differentiates it from other hotels.

That point was probably never more apparent to me than when I joined a new company a number of years ago and received virtually no orientation whatsoever.

Let me paint the picture for you.  My role was at a corporate level, rather than at a hotel specifically.  I had inquired in advance of arriving for my first day if there was anything that I should orchestrate related to my orientation, and was told “no”, that would not be necessary.  I was asked what time I usually liked to arrive at work, and when I said that I like to be in the office by 7:00am or 7:30am, I was asked to come in at 8:00am, at which time I would be met by the president of the company.

I arrived a few minutes before 8:00am and was able to access the floor that the company offices were located on, but there was no one out front, at reception, so I made my way down the corridor to where I had previously met with the president of the company, in his office.  

The president was seated at his desk, in his office, with the (glass) door closed, I approached, knocked and he gestured for me to come in, at which point he invited me to have a seat across from him.  I did so and after a few minutes of exchanging cordialities, he stopped abruptly and looked at me and said; “so, what can I tell you?”  Fortunately, I had prepared a number of questions that I had hoped to have answered through the course of my first day of orientation, and so I began to ask my questions.  

Periodically, during the next 20 minutes or so, as I was going through my questions, the president would stop to check his voice mail, make a few notes, or, make a call, and I could see that he was becoming annoyed as he had other things that he clearly wanted to address, that did not include talking to me. 

Without any warning he got up and asked me to follow him, said he would show me around.  We walked around the perimeter of the offices and he stopped to introduce me to the handful of people that had arrived early that day, first names only and without telling me what their role at the company was.  We continued on until we reached what I was to discover was my office, at which point he said to me; “and this is where you will work out of.”  He gestured for me to go on in at which point he said; “okay, we’ll talk some more later,” and he left.

I spent the next couple of hours with the company directory organizing my own orientation, and I remember thinking at the time what a missed opportunity it would have been, had I not been the kind of person to take charge of the situation, as well as being someone who sees the value of properly orientating people to the specifics of their job, the tools or resources available to them, the expectations for the position, and, the values and guiding principles that are the foundation of the company.

Sure, I managed to flush all of that out over the next couple of days, but imagine how much more powerful it would have been for me to hear that message delivered by the company president.

It’s another reminder of the important role that the hotel general manager should play in the orientation of every employee. 

It has, and continues to be a priority that I meet every employee before they are hired and I have also always played a key role in employee orientations, using my time with the new-hires to focus on our commitment to service and to lay out the foundation of our values and guiding principles and to ensure that each and every employee understands their role in contributing to our mutual success.

Not to do so would, in my opinion, be a missed opportunity.  After all, this is your culture we’re talking about, can you afford to leave it to chance?

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R E S P E C T

Aretha Franklin knew what she was talking about, (or, to be more accurate, singing about), when she first belted out the lyrics to her now infamous song; Respect.

I’ll go you one further and suggest that it’s really the issue of mutual respect that makes a difference with the people that we work with, and for that matter, everyone in our lives.

It is somewhat ironic to me that many people walk around perplexed about why they have the challenging relationships that they do with some of the people in their lives, and, instead of looking inward and asking themselves who they are being in that relationship, they look outward, only, at what they perceive is “wrong” with the other person.

I’ve said it repeatedly and I have no doubt that I will continue to reference that I believe, particularly as it relates to the hospitality business, that it’s all about relationships, and if that’s the case, then how can you expect to have a solid relationship with your co-workers, the people who report to you, whomever, if you do not first start with a solid foundation of mutual respect.

It reminds me of a great quote that I came across recently, which said; “putting icing on mud does not make it a cake, it’s still just icing on top of mud,” and that’s like a lot of the relationships that we have with the people in our lives, especially the people that we work with.  We don’t get to the real source of knowing, understanding and respecting people, but instead we try to cover it up by pretending or being nice – icing on top of mud. 

And don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re fooling anyone – you’re not.  Your staff know when you are not being genuine with them, they know when you do not respect them, respect their contribution, and in an ironic twist of fate, as a result, they lose respect for you as a leader.

It’s not unlike the classic golden rule; do unto others as you would have them do unto you, or in other words, treat others as you would want to be treated.  It’s a simple and straight forward concept, and yet many people cannot see it.

I was in what would best be described as a coaching conversation the other day with a person in a significant leadership role within a hotel, and he was expressing his frustration to me that, in his opinion, his employees did not respect him, to which I asked him the question; “do you respect them?”

In the conversation that ensued I discovered that his version of respect was based on hierarchy.  He was running around with the misguided belief that his employees should respect him because of his position in the company, regardless of his actions and who he was being, and whether or not he respected his employees had no bearing on the situation as far as he was concerned.  It served to remind me of how far we have come in the hospitality business, (well, most of us), from the era of; “if I want your opinion I’ll tell you what it is,” to the world that we operate in now, that is respectful of the individual contribution that each and every one of our employees makes when we enable and empower them to be all that they can be.

As I said when I posted my article; Labour Relations – Out With the Old, In With the New, managers, all managers, need to take a new look at the relationships that they have with their employees and remember a few simple facts along the way:

Manage your relationships, all the time, not just when you need them, and,

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”  

Want to take your relationships to an all new level, make sure that they are built on a foundation of mutual respect, and not icing on top of mud.

Need an experienced hospitality professional to help your property reach its full potential?  Contact me.

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Leadership Team Dynamics

We strive, as leaders, to surround ourselves with the right people – people who challenge us to be our best, people that we can equally challenge to be their best, and when it all comes together in perfect harmony, we have a great leadership team – a team that can consistently achieve exceptional results.

If I was to ask 100 people what they think makes for a strong and successful team, I would likely get 100 different responses, with some common themes or overlap in some instances, but it is safe to say, everyone has their own opinion, which I would suggest is largely based on their individual personality traits and the kinds of people that they enjoy working with.  Fair enough.

While I would not try to prescribe the “right” team dynamics that should be present in every leadership team, I would like to suggest two things worthy of your consideration in this regard.

First, make the effort to actually know what the various traits or attributes are that each of your leadership team members possesses, and then share them openly with each other for the benefit of the team.  Whether it’s Myers Briggs, establishing your “colours,” or other similar “tests” that you and your team members can cost-effectively take to establish what makes you and them tick, it is a worthwhile exercise in my opinion.   

Understanding the kind of person that you are, the kind of people that you like to work with, what motivates you and what motivates your team members, and ultimately your teams’ dynamics, is access to creating a high performing team.

Sharing these results, recognizing and celebrating the differences among your team members – who excels in a particular area, and who does not, can create a powerful format for creating prolonged successful results.  When team members come to realize that they are not expected to be experts in everything, and that they can rely on their team members to offset their shortcomings in certain areas, as they can count equally on them in areas where they may be lacking, amazing things are possible, driven by the strength and the vulnerability of the team.  

Second, a certain amount of conflict is good.

I have come into situations before and asked the question; “how does everyone on the leadership team get along?”  And when someone tells me as a result that everyone always gets along famously, no disagreements, no debates or arguments, my radar goes off.  Not that I think that the leadership team should be at each other’s throats, but I do think that if the team is too worried about getting along, too worried about rocking the boat or offending a team member by challenging an idea or an observation, then that team is limited in their ability to maximize on their effectiveness as a team.

As it often is in our business, it’s about balance.  It’s about being comfortable to respectfully challenge the GM when he presents a new idea, and vice versa.  It’s about creating the best outcomes possible, by openly looking at things from all sides and embracing the differences in our team members, which is likely why we hired them in the first place.  It’s about openly recognizing that we are better, more effective, more unified, when we work as a team with a common goal or objective in mind.

However, there must also be agreement in this open environment that while there is an opportunity for everyone to have an opinion on the subject, and while everyone may not be in agreement, once the decision is made, everyone on the team must leave their differences in that room and put on a unified front.  It is imperative that the team is seen to be unified in their commitment to each other, and to the principles and values that are the very foundation of the property.  Unconditional support.

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Sorry, I Couldn't be Bothered to Shave Today

What else am I supposed to think when I walk into a business and run into a staff member, or worse, a manager, who is sprouting a two day growth on his face?

I can’t wait for the trend of men not shaving and not wearing neck ties in business settings to end.

I’m tired of walking into various businesses and seeing people who look like they might just as well have just rolled out of bed moments before their shift started standing behind the counter waiting to serve customers.

And I love my Son, but he is currently one of “them.”  Granted, he works in a major electronics store, which arguably is trying to appear cool and trendy, and appeal to the younger, cooler, trendier people who have an insatiable appetite for the latest technology, and are willing to spend the necessary cash to get the latest toys.  Understandably, they want to purchase from people who look like they do.  I get that, but nonetheless, I have seen my Son when he is just finishing up a shift, wearing his wrinkled clothes, his pants down around his ankles, his multiple tattoos exposed, his hair a mess and two days growth on his face, and I’ve asked him; “Your manager is okay that you look like this?”  “Oh yeah, it’s all good” he tells me, and I shake my head in disbelief.

There’s a new BMO bank that just opened in my neighbourhood, and they too are trying to make their mark.  They are open longer hours, into the evening, and they are also open on Saturdays and Sundays.  Nice, and convenient, no argument from me, from they are the embodiment of what I am whining about at this precise moment.  Everyone that I have seen that works in this bank is younger, attractive, and dressed in the latest fashions – it’s like the “W” of banks.  Okay, good so far.  However, I have also noticed that the men who work in this bank regularly do not shave, opting instead for the rugged look, and it is here that I have a problem.  I don’t think it looks professional when the bank manager looks like he couldn’t have been bothered to shave this morning, using the extra time for another cup of coffee before he left for work instead – not cool.

In hotels, I will confess that I haven’t seen much of the unshaven look in my travels, although I have seen it.  What has been more prevalent is the trend of “dressing down” with managers not necessarily wearing suits where we might have traditionally seen them in the past, or, not wearing neck ties with their suits, in an attempt to up their cool factor, and I’m sure there are people who do like it, I’m just not one of them.  If I’m paying in excess of $200.00 - $500.00 a night at a leading hotel, I want to see professionalism, everywhere I look, including in the attire of the staff and managers at the hotel.

When I was overseeing a Renaissance hotel for an owner a couple of years ago now, I started to notice that the general manager, and subsequently his department heads, was frequently not wearing a tie when I popped into the hotel, and he was also wearing a lot more trendy colours, and when I asked him what was going on, he told me that Renaissance was in the process of updating their brand image, and in so doing, adopting a more business casual approach to dress for the management – in short, they were trying to be more “W” in their new image.

No disrespect meant to this particular GM, because he did look good, but I still felt that he did not look as professional as he would if he chose to dress exactly the same, but add a coordinating neck tie to finish things off.  This is business and at the heart of business is professionalism, and while I would agree that there are plenty of people who look professional but certainly are not, I still also believe in first impressions, and to make the most of that first impression, let’s make the effort to dress up a little.

It reminds me a little bit of how annoyed I get every time I see Larry King dressing like he’s 20 years old.  Come on Larry, the time has long since passed when you can pull off wearing a pair of baggy jeans, a tie dyed t-shirt and a pair of skater shoes.  It just screams of “trying too hard to look cool.”  If you’re not careful, you’re going to trip on the laces of your cool shoes, fall and break a hip.

As for the rest of us, let’s agree to make the effort to dress professionally and represent our industry as the example of what to wear to make the right impression and to demonstrate our commitment to the highest level of professionalism.

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Cleanliness – Is There Anything More Important?

Cleanliness, directly, or indirectly, comes up every day in our business, and it’s not surprising.  Is there anything more fundamentally important to our guests than cleanliness?

In my recent post; “Hotel Fundamentals . . . Since the Beginning of Time,” it didn’t make the list, as I chose to speak about the key components that I believe that everyone is looking for in a hotel experience, but in hindsight, it would be fair to say that I missed an underpinning value, or assumption on the part of the client, that you could argue is on the top of the list of requirements or expectations of our guests – all of our guests.

Look at how much coverage the recent top 10 dirtiest hotels in America list, as identified by Trip Advisor, has seen in the last few weeks, since it was first publicized, and of course the topic of bed bugs seems to come up again and again, just when it seems to be fading to the background.

It is somewhat unfortunate, and unfair, that some hotels that have found themselves at the source of bed bug stories have been labelled as “unclean” as a result, especially when you consider that the issue of bed bugs is completely out of the hands of the hotelier, and NOT necessarily a factor of their commitment to cleanliness.  You can have the cleanest hotel in the world one moment, and be seen as “unclean” moments later, based on some unsuspecting guest having brought bed bugs into your hotel, riding in their luggage.

That said, hotels can and must at this point, have a detailed and extensive inspection program in place to compliment their commitment to cleanliness.

And it’s not enough to have clean guest rooms and public spaces if the back, or heart of the house, is not of equal importance to you, when it comes to the topic of cleanliness.

I can still remember, many years ago when I was working as a department manager within a hotel, when my General Manager had a conversation with me about cleanliness that has stuck with me for the rest of my career.

I found myself at a property where there had been a consider lack of funds injected into the property for some time, and when money was made available to address any shortcomings, the emphasis was always on the front of the house, areas where the guests would access and could easily see if things were unclean and/or in a state of disrepair.  As a result, the team at the hotel had become somewhat resigned to the fact that the heart of the house did not reflect the same level of the commitment to cleanliness as did the front of the house. 

It was shortly after the new General Manager arrived and I was touring him around the property that he shared his simple but profound philosophy with me on the subject of cleanliness and the importance of an equal emphasis on cleanliness or the front AND heart of the house.

How, he asked me, can we expect the employees to feel proud of what they do if we are not equally proud of our surroundings?  How, can we expect the employees to believe in our commitment to cleanliness, (on behalf of our guests), when our commitment is not evident within our own areas and in how they are treated?  We cannot expect our employees to flip a switch whenever they cross from the heart of the house to the front of the house and suddenly start to care about cleanliness, simply as a result of having crossed that threshold.

We met regularly after that as we crafted a plan to address every area of the heart of the house and raise the standard of cleanliness with the intent of achieving a level of cleanliness that rivalled a hospital corridor, and once achieved, to maintain that level of cleanliness, all on a cost-effective basis.

It was one of the projects that I am most proud of in my career, as we worked to raise the standards for our employees, and, as I saw the definitive difference in the attitude of our employees as they saw that we clearly valued them, and in so doing, were committed to providing them with a work environment that reflected that value and commitment. 

You could feel the level of pride and engagement rising up, and our guest service scores reflected that pride and steadily rose as well, as did our revenue stream.  It was one the earliest and most memorable demonstrations that I witnessed of the positive impact of treating your employees with a level of respect and value that you would readily provide to your guests, and seeing the positive results that follow when that becomes a commitment within your organization.

The other thing that I would have to credit this General Manager for teaching me along the way was the ability to get a lot done with a little money, depending on how you get things done, and that a shortage of funds does not necessarily need to dictate your surroundings.  He was very creative about ways to make an impact that our employees could see and value that didn’t necessarily costs a lot, but they produced results far in excess of what little they did cost. 

Not surprisingly, he went on to greater leadership roles within that company and helped to raise the level of standards throughout the company as a result.

Is your hotel as clean as it should be, in both the front AND heart of the house?

Need an experienced hospitality professional to help your property reach its full potential?  Contact me.

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Vandalism - Who Can Understand It?

When I was about 18 years old, I spent the better part of a year building a 1965 Chevelle SS to the point where it would draw attention whenever I drove it, or parked it somewhere.  Black with a white interior and lots of bells and whistles under the hood.  It doesn’t compare to the hot rods that they build today, but to me, it was something special, and I can still remember how I felt the first time that I returned to my car after having carefully parked it on the street for a few hours, to find that someone had run a key all the way down one side of the car.

Why?  How could someone possibly benefit from this action?  (With the exception of the paint shop that touched that car up for me on more than one occasion).

I didn’t understand it then, and I don’t understand it any better now.

Fast forward to today – I’m out for my usual morning run, which takes me through my neighbourhood and past a new little shopping plaza with about a dozen little shops in it that opened about 6 months ago now.  In an effort to make the little plaza more inviting and attractive, the owner has installed a few park benches so people can stop and rest for a moment, and they also have about 10 large decorative ceramic plant pots along the exterior walkway, with a nice selection of seasonal plants in them – well, not anymore.  

Today when I ran by the little plaza there were only remnants of plants and plant pots, as the plant pots had been smashed into a hundred pieces, with dirt and rocks and plants and assorted pieces of the plant pots scattered for 2 blocks.  Why?

After my initial shock and disappointment, I found myself wondering as I continued my run, what would be going through the owner’s head, when he discovered what had happened.  Clearly, they could have avoided this problem if they had left the exterior walkway a barren landscape of concrete, but they chose to make the effort, at considerable expense no doubt, to try to enhance the area, to contribute to the neighbourhood.

I will be interested to see, in the coming days, whether or not the owner decides to replace the plants and decorative plant pots again, now that they know what could happen.  It’s a shame and at least to some degree it answers the question of who benefits from vandalism – no one, we all lose.

It’s also why I have always made it crystal clear to all of my employees that I will not tolerate vandalism in my hotels.  It is unacceptable.

Vandalism in hotels demonstrates a lack of respect for the owner, for the brand, for the hotel itself, and perhaps worst of all, a lack of respect to fellow employees.

I had the unfortunate circumstance once to be faced with a situation where we had an employee who was smearing human feces on the walls in the men’s employee change room.  Other employees were appalled and wanted this vandal caught as badly as I did.  They were as disgusted as I was and felt as I did, that this person had no business in our hotel, no business being a member of our “team” if he could behave this way.  Perhaps most upset was the night cleaner who came upon this situation on several occasions before the person was caught, which he was.

It took about a week to narrow things down to determine when this was happening, who was on shift at the time on the various days when it occurred, and then, once we knew that, we started scanning the security camera footage for the dates and times when we believed it had happened to see who was coming and going from the men’s change room during those times.

That was the ironic thing, for our employees’ safety, we had cameras in the back corridor leading to and from the staff change rooms, in order to ensure that no one got in from the street, etc., got down that hallway, and possibly entered one of our staff change rooms, and everyone knew we had cameras in that hallway.  That didn’t deter our vandal and the next time that he was on shift we monitored the cameras until he went into the change room, and we gave him a few minutes to incriminate himself, and sure enough, he did so.

I probably don’t need to tell you that we fired him.  Once confronted, he confessed.  Why had he done it you may be wondering?  He was upset with his manager about what he felt was a less than favourable performance review he had received.  But, had he said anything to anyone?  No, not his immediate manager, not the Director of HR, and not to me.  He decided instead to take his anger out through vandalism, and where did that get him?

It’s a shame and as I said earlier, it at least to some degree answers the question of who benefits from vandalism – no one, we all lose.

Need an experienced hospitality professional to help your property reach its full potential?  Contact me.

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The High Cost of Apathy

Have you ever wondered why turnover in a particular department seems uncharacteristically high, compared to other departments in your hotel?

Or maybe, you’ve been frustrated because you have lost one or more star performers, but for some reason that mediocre employee that everyone seems to be clear is just that, manages to keep his job in spite of what seems like his limited abilities? 

Could it be that you have a manager that is committing one of two particular hospitality sins?  Is he or she either managing to the lowest common denominator, or, apathetic in the management of their team members?  Either one will net you the same affect. 

It’s one of the reasons that I like exit interviews.

Granted, employees have to be confident that what they share, in confidence, will indeed be held in confidence after they leave, in order for them to be willing to share, but it’s worth it if you are able to coach departing employees into sharing what’s really going on in their department, and perhaps, why they are really leaving, despite what they may have told their manager, and he in turn told you.

All too often when you scratch beneath the surface you may find that you have a manager that does not hold his employees accountable, or, he doesn’t hold his employees equally accountable, and after a while, those star performers that you were so excited to have on board in the first place, get frustrated with the lack of consistency, or worse, the lack of commitment compared to what they were told when they were hired, and they decide to try their luck elsewhere.

They joined your hotel because of the commitment to service, they read about your company’s values on your web site, they read testimonials from existing employees on your recruitment pages, and then once they were hired, they were subjected to your extensive orientation for new employees, where manager after manager came in and spoke about your unwavering commitment to service.

Then, they landed in their new department, all excited about what they were a part of, and sooner or later they found themselves on a shift paired up with that mediocre employee I referred to earlier, (let’s call him John).  They watched as John repeatedly arrived late for his shift, unprepared.  They watched as he dispensed the minimum of service requirements to guests who were clearly unimpressed, and most importantly, they watched as they saw that their manager could see these things too, and did nothing.  They saw their manager roll his eyes as John fumbled to move a guest who had been sent to a dirty room, and most likely, before becoming so frustrated, and embarrassed by John’s service standards, they approached their manager, probably more than once, to complain.

Unfortunately, their manager likely responded by telling them things like; he’s only a few minutes late, or, there’s nothing I can do (about his lack of service) because I haven’t received any guest complaints, or, he’s always been like that and he’s been here forever, or other responses that clearly demonstrated that their manager either did not know how to hold his employees accountable, or what’s worse, he chose what he perceived as the path of least resistance, an apathetic choice to manage his employees to the lowest common denominator.

It has never ceased to amaze me when managers don’t realize the impact on other employees when they do NOT take the necessary action, to hold sub-performers accountable to the high standards that their company stands for, and that their guests expect, bringing down the whole team as a result.

Employees who are proud and passionate about what they do – the service that they provide to their guests, will not stick around in that environment.  They become frustrated and they actively choose to vote with their feet, and it doesn’t end there, not with the technology that we all live with now.  They tell all of their friends, on facebook and twitter, their fellow students in hospitality programs, that your hotel may talk about service, but it’s just that, a lot of talk, so if you really want to work at a hotel that is committed to service, don’t work there.

And if you don’t think that impacts your ability, over time, to attract the best and the brightest as they search out ways to make their mark in our industry, you’re kidding yourself.

No one can afford an apathetic manager or a manager that manages his people to the lowest common denominator.  It’s like a cancer, it starts out small, it goes unnoticed for a while, then it pops up in one area and before long, if it goes untreated, it spreads to other areas, and left untreated long enough, it will kill your business. 

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Balanced Scorecard

I’m a big fan of the balanced scorecard approach to management, or leadership, as I prefer to look at it.

I think it can (and should) form the base of your operation and be your organizations over-riding focus when it comes to everything that you do.

Assuming it has been developed from your company’s Vision, Values and Guiding Principles, it should, in my opinion, be the gage by which you measure everything, and the means from which you set your goals and objectives, for your Hotel, every division within it, and every division head.

And it should be widely and regularly communicated to every team member within your Hotel.  Everyone in your organization should know what the priorities are for your business, what they mean to the success of the organization, and how each of them can and do impact the results for those areas of your business that you have defined as crucial.

The reason, in particular, that I think that it is so important to identify the components or themes of your balanced scorecard, and to ensure that everyone is equally aware of your commitment to these areas, is so that they are not forgotten in the decision making process, which seems to happen all too often.

All too often, especially it seems when times get tough, people seem to forget the commitments that have been made to run the business from a balanced perspective and decisions are made in isolation, and no one stops long enough along the way to look at the impact that these decisions will have in other areas of your operation, most often service.

As an example, someone comes along and says that “we need to cut costs” and with that wide spread changes are made without a thought for how this will impact employees’ ability to deliver service, or, how it may even directly impact guests and their perception of service at the Hotel as a result.

To me, the components of a balanced scorecard, the areas that you have identified as critical to your business’ long-term success, are like the pillars of a building, forming the foundation, that supports everything else.  

Assuming, for the purpose of my argument, that there are four pillars, (let’s say; strong financial results, exceptional guest service and guest loyalty, and employee engagement.), you can imagine what would happen if you remove one of the supporting pillars, or, if you start to chip away at one of them.  The integrity of your foundation is compromised at the least.  Remove the entire pillar and your building is going to come toppling down.

Based on that, can you really afford to ignore any of your pillars?

You may be able to make subtle changes to the structural components of one or more of your pillars, but you must consider the impact on the remaining pillars and potentially take action to reinforce them in light of the changes that you feel it is necessary to make.

It’s a great reminder that there is no one component that can guarantee business success, but rather it is the combination of a number of things, brought together and combined in the right way, that creates a successful formula for success.  In a number of presentations I made to newer managers several years ago now, I used to describe it as the “recipe for success” and in that instance, draw the comparison to baking a cake and the impact of removing any one of the key ingredients from the recipe.  It was a simple but effective message that has stood the test of time.

It is a complicated task to create, refine and hopefully, perfect your own recipe for success.  Once you have done so, do you really want to risk throwing it all away in an instant by making decisions in isolation?  

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The Golden Rule

I have often described myself as a student of leadership and I value the opportunity to continuously learn and grow.

There is it seems, an endless supply of resources, both tangible and intangible, from which we can learn important lessons in leadership, good and bad, you just need to open yourself up to see what is out there.

One of the many resources available to us is the wide variety of books on leadership that have been written by many recognized and celebrated leaders.

It was while I was recently reviewing Isadore Sharp’s book; FOUR SEASONS: The Story of a Business Philosophy, that I was reminded of one of my favourite guiding principles – The Golden Rule.

The Golden Rule:  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts credits much of their success on their unwavering commitment to the application of The Golden Rule and for me, it reinforced both the importance of that message, but also the simplicity of it as well.

As Hotel companies strive to outdo each other, and to introduce new service components, I often find myself thinking about the fact that, in many instances, these same companies have lost sight of the forest for the trees.

Service, genuine, sincere, authentic service trumps everything else – everything, and the right attitude trumps experience, every time.

And imagine, as a team member at Four Seasons, what you have to think about as you welcome guests and serve them in your respective area – one thing and one thing only – The Golden Rule.  The simplicity of it is genius.  Instead of having to think about the “10 Key Service Standards” or the like at some other Hotel companies, all you have to think about is one thing, and how you apply that one thing as you go about carrying out the duties of your position.

Sure, Four Seasons will have other standards that need to be applied, but regardless, the foundation that they are built upon is about as straight forward as you can get, and what I also love about it, is that anyone and everyone can understand it.

Long before I first became aware of Four Seasons’ commitment to The Golden Rule, I introduced the concept to my employees when I first became a department manager and I have continued to reinforce my belief in the simplicity of service to managers, supervisors and employees that have worked with me ever since, and what simpler way to convey that commitment to the simplicity of service but through the application of The Golden Rule.

It has served me well, and I suspect many of the people who have worked with me over the years as well.

As I've been guilty of saying before; service 101 - it aint rocket science... 

The more that we can simplify things for our employees, and leave them with a sense of ownership in how they can individualize their service delivery, the greater the likelihood that they will deliver the genuine, sincere and authentic service that exceeds guests expectations, creates guest loyalty, and sets us apart from our competitors. 

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The Happiest Place in the World

I know what you’re probably expecting, based on that headline, but no, this is not a story about Disneyland or Disney World – but admittedly this is my pre-Christmas “feel good” article.

Granted, that Walt Disney was no dummy, and most people, if asked, would say that Disneyland or Disney World are the happiest places on earth.

I’m not here to try and argue the point – Disneyland and Disney World are unique products with unprecedented levels of success.

However, for me, my personal happy place is a Hotel, most any full-service Hotel in most any major city around the world.

I love everything thing about a Hotel, and it makes me happy, instantly I might add, to step inside of a busy full-service Hotel and come face-to-face with everything that makes for a great Hotel experience.

I’ve known for a very long time now that I was destined to work in the Hospitality business, and specifically, in Hotels, and that point is never clearer to me than when I walk into a Hotel that I have not been in before for the first time.

I can feel a warm smile cross my face and I have an almost overwhelming sensation that I am home again, no matter where I might actually be in the world. 

At that point, I become aware of the cleanliness of the lobby, the attention to detail in the layout, the furnishings, all things physical.

Simultaneously, I become aware of the many conversations taking place, between staff and guests, guest to guest, and amongst the staff.

There is a steady and consistent buzz in the lobby as everyone is set on their individual course, they all have their own priorities, and for the most part, all are indifferent to the activities and conversations of the other groups, but it all works.

To the lay person it must look like controlled chaos at times, but I see it for what it is; a symphony, where everyone in the orchestra knows their respective part and instinctively goes about their tasks with a harmony and efficiency that is rarely seen in other business environments.

A Hotel is a truly special place.

And the only thing that makes me happier than being in a Hotel that creates that positive environment that you sense as soon as you cross the threshold, is being the “orchestra leader” in that scenario.

I’m always so proud of my team when I can see them in action, sense their confidence as they each do what they do and know best, and support each other in pursuit of a common goal – to create consistently exceptional guest experiences, different, special and unique to each and every guest that we have the privilege to come in contact with, but exceptional nonetheless.

It may not be Disneyland, but Disneyland is not for everyone.  

Everyone should be so lucky as to find their true calling – to live their dream.  

It reminds me of a great quote that I was recently exposed to – regrettably I do not know the author.

“A person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play, their labour and their leisure, their mind and their body, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion.  They hardly know which is which and simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace, whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing.  To them, they are always doing both.”

When you do what you love, you do not think of it as “work.” 

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Learning and Development – The Gift You Give Yourself and Others

How committed are you to continuous learning, both for yourself, and for those who work with you?

I, for one, love to learn, to see and be exposed to new ways of looking at the many and varied components that make up our dynamic industry, which arguably, is always changing.

As I write this entry today, I am awaiting the final grade, on my final assignment, for my last subject, to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management.

For a variety of reasons, I had to leave home when I was 15 years old, and started working shortly thereafter.

As a result, I was unable to complete high school, at the time, let alone pursue any post-secondary education.

I tried to continue my schooling, for as long as possible, but I simply couldn’t manage the demands of working, full-time, with a full course load at high school, and since I had to eat and keep a roof over my head, the choice was fairly clear – I had to quit school.

I worked at a number of entry-level jobs for the next several years until I began what I thought would be my career, as an electrician – a job that I worked at, as well as several others in construction, for the next several years.

But, as I have written before, it was, quite by chance, a few years later, that I landed a job in a Hotel as a bellman and came to realize that I had found my calling.

I knew as I began to progress into Supervisory positions that I was going to need to complete my high school education at some point, and so, a few years later I applied to take my grade 12 equivalency test.

I obtained the study materials and spent as much time as I could reviewing the material before taking the exam, which I did, and for which I passed and obtained my GED.

I would have loved to have then pursued post-secondary education, but now I was enjoying continuous advancement in an industry that I loved and had a natural ability for.

I was far too excited and enjoying myself far too much to have even considered leaving the Hotel business long enough to obtain my degree at that time.

And so I worked, and as I worked I participated in any and all of the training and personal development that I could along the way, both from within my respective companies at the time, as well as through outside sources, such as local Colleges and Universities.

Ironically, in spite of enjoying an enviable level of success over the years, including hosting world leaders in the first G8 Summit post 9/11, among other significant accomplishments, I always felt that there was something left unfinished.

And so it was that I was fortunate enough to find the Executive Cohort Degree Program – Bachelor of Hospitality Management, being offered at Vancouver Community College and specifically geared towards people just like myself.   

I applied as soon as I became aware of the program and I have spent the last 2 years enjoying the company of many senior Hospitality executives who had a similar history to my own.

Although I was no stranger to any of the topics that we studied, I have enjoyed being exposed to new points of view, and perhaps in particular, how the many developments in technology and social media have drastically changed the Hospitality landscape forever.

And when I “officially” receive my degree, which I will shortly, it will indeed be a proud day for me, having achieved my goal of obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management, a testament to my passion for continuous learning, personal growth and development, and a commitment to excellence that can only be achieved by constantly challenging yourself, and the status quo.

What are you doing to challenge yourself, and as importantly, what kind of an environment are you creating at your Hotel when it comes to training and development?

Our industry is always changing, always evolving, and as a result, if we hope not only to keep up, but rather to stay one step ahead of our many competitors, we too need to be open to change and the continuing evolution of the Hospitality industry.

You can be a leader in this area, an example to others, or, you can spend your career playing catch-up to those leaders that are changing and shaping our industry for the future.  

Which will you choose to be? 

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When is the Last Time That You Ate in the Staff Cafeteria?

Are you a regular in the staff cafeteria at your Hotel?

If your answer is “no,” you are missing out on a lot of opportunities, and, you are unnecessarily distancing yourself from the majority of your staff.

I have always made it a habit to dine in the staff cafeteria as much as possible, the only exceptions being when I have been entertaining clients, and I have even taken some clients to the staff cafeteria.

This is not something that I have to think about doing – I have always enjoyed my visits to the staff cafeteria, and spending time there has provided me with a wealth of information, while gaining the respect and support of my staff.

For me, this is like walking the floors, which I also try to do every day.

When I come across one of our room attendants on the floor and I ask her how it’s going today, and she knows that I know her family situation as an example, because we have had a nice chat in the staff cafeteria previously, she is more likely to give me an honest answer, one that speaks to the connection that we have made, as people, not as General Manager and Room Attendant.

And that wouldn’t be possible, were it not for the times that I have pulled up a chair at the table where one of my groups of employees were gathered for lunch and asked if I could join them.

From those times we have shared stories about the challenges of raising kids and other information that we have in common and after a time, if I have been lucky, they have come to see me as another “person” through the conversations that we have shared over lunch, or perhaps when I have followed up with them later, when I have seen them on the floors, working so hard as they always do.

And there is no better way to find out what is really going on in your Hotel.

How is that new employee program really being received and perceived, amongst your employees?

Has the roll out been ineffective?  

Have employees misunderstood the information or the intent?

You’ll soon find out, but what’s better, is the fact that now that you know, now that you are presented with this information in a casual conversation in the staff cafeteria, you have the opportunity to address the situation, now, not in a month when the information has finally filtered its way up to you.

And not to be ignored or overlooked as an equally important piece of information; how is the food in your staff cafeteria?

If you don’t eat there with any frequency, you won’t know, and what’s worse, your employees will think that you do know, and as a result, you either don’t care, or, that that’s the reason why you never eat there.  

Either way, it’s not good, and it’s certainly not going to help your relationship with your employees.

So, push back from the table in your dining room, put down your nice cloth napkin, and head for the staff caf, you’ll be glad you did.

And while you’re at it, make sure that ALL of your Managers are taking the majority of their meals in the staff cafeteria as well.

Let’s face it, if there are opportunities and positive messaging from you eating in the staff cafeteria with your employees on a regular basis, imagine the positive impact if ALL of the Management team is eating in the staff cafeteria the majority of the time.  

Doesn’t that send the right message to your employees? 

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Service Ethic – Dead or Alive?

I met with a colleague the other day.  He left his last job in a major branded Hotel a few months back and we have gotten together on a number of occasions to discuss the “state of the nation” as it relates to Hotels.

Our conversations have taken us in many different directions when we have gotten together, but it was the topic of our last conversation that left me wondering about the future of our industry, or at least as it relates to the true commitment to service.

My friend, as I said, has recently left his job with a major branded Hotel.

Why, you may be wondering?

Because, in short, he could no longer work in an environment that boasted of their commitment to their associates and their guests, through their over-riding commitment to service, while experiencing first-hand the actions and instructions of his General Manager to the contrary.

This friend of mine, himself a department head, was repeatedly told by his General Manager, to do things that were completely against their corporate (brand) commitments to employees, to guests, and to service.

When this Manager respectively questioned some of the directions that he was given by his General Manager, he was accused of not having any business acumen and told that “this is what it takes to be a Manager.”

Now, don’t mistake me for some bleeding heart that can’t make the tough decisions, pass on the bad news, when the need arises, or make necessary cuts, to improve an operation – quite the contrary.

I have gone into operations and found multiple items that could, and should, be cut.  Frivolous or extravagant expenditures or programs that did not add any value to the guest experience – gone.

However, what I have not done is cut items that were invaluable to the staff in their ability to deliver service to our guests, or items that provided a direct or indirect benefit or value to our guests, thus supporting our commitment to providing consistently exceptional guest experiences, and ensuring their loyalty to our Hotel and our brand. 

My over-riding concern, what got me putting fingertips to keyboard, was my view that this is happening more and more every day, certainly in North America at least.

More and more, Hotel companies are standing up and professing their unwavering commitment to service, telling consumers why they are better than their competitors, and why YOU should choose to stay with them, while on the other hand, they are cutting the guts out of their loyalty programs, reducing their (inclusive) services and operating like a limited service brand, while they charge for the luxury brands that they are, or at least by definition.

Service, is for sale, and if you want it, you’re going to have to pay to stay at the most exclusive Hotels, and even then there won’t be any guarantee that they haven’t made significant cuts to their service or guest programs as well, or, you’ll have to travel to Hotels in places like Asia, where the labour market is still so cheap that the major Hotels in Asia can afford to provide service, and, throw bodies at the problem when all else fails.

Service doesn’t have to be defined by a higher body count, sure it helps at times, depending on the specific service, but it isn’t a necessity.

What is necessary is a dedication to service in the first place, and a specific plan on how to deliver it, consistently, so you can look your employees in the eye every day, with the confidence that you are behaving like and modelling the behaviour of the leader that they expect and deserve.

There is, in my opinion, no better leadership model than leadership by (positive) example.

Great leaders inspire others with their passionate commitment to what they believe in. They love what they’re doing, and they’re doing what they love.  

Inspire your employees through your passionate commitment to service. 

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Labour Relations – Out With the Old, In With the New

The topic of “Labour Relations” has been on my mind of late.

If you’ve been following my Blog for any length of time you will have noticed several articles, in the last month, on the topic of unions, their impact on service, and the question of their validity in this era.

I’ve long thought that even the term “Labour Relations” is out of date.

What do you think of when you hear the term?   

For me, it conjures up memories of stories of labour disputes, protracted and adversarial contract negotiations and other negative examples of a typical relationship.

In my opinion, there is currently no “relations” within the labour sector, so why do we refer to it as Labour Relations?

If we’re going to have successful relationships with the people that we work with, union or not, management, hourly, whatever, it’s time to look at this area with fresh eyes.

I think, for starters, a more appropriate label would be; Relationship Management, not Labour Relations anymore – Labour Relations is outdated and out of touch w reality.

After all, everything, and I mean everything in this business is all about relationships.  

As I’ve said before, I firmly believe that the 4 most important words in the hospitality business are; it’s all about relationships, so why wouldn’t that extend to the relationships that we have with our employees?

Managers, all managers, need to take a new look at the relationships that they have with their employees and remember a few simple facts along the way:

Manage your relationships, all the time, not just when you need them.

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”  

I love that quote.  To me, it reinforces the fact that it isn’t about what you know, how much experience you have in this or any other preceding position that matters to your employees, or at least not as much as it matters to them how you treat people.

Show your employees how much you care and watch them line up beside you. 

You need to know your people, what makes them tick, what motivates and inspires them.

Show them how they make a difference.

Be real, be sincere, be genuine:

- Dogs can smell fear, and,

- Your employees can smell bullsh**.

Be present and listen, really listen.

Thank people, often, and be specific.  (Show appreciation)

Labour Relations, or in this case Relationship Management, is everyone’s job, and it’s time that this important topic was elevated and prioritized within every service-based hospitality business.

Statistics show, repeatedly, and consistently, that happy, engaged employees are significantly more productive than other employees, and, those same happy and engaged employees are also much more likely to extend their happy attitude to your guests, a reflection of your company’s commitment to extending exceptional guest service.

Doesn’t everyone win when this happens?

It’s going to take a commitment though.  It’s going to take bold leadership to establish this as a priority within your business and to stick to it, even when it’s harder to do so.

It’s always harder to do the right thing, but, as I’ve said before, if it was easy, anyone could do it. 

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First Impressions - The Sequel

I only just recently wrote on the importance of first impressions, and in that case my focus was on the silent or unspoken first impression that your building makes in contributing to the initial arrival experience.

I stand by my comments and the importance of your building, landscaping etc., being well maintained and consistent with your brand image.

But let’s move on, and assume that you have an impeccable building exterior, driveway, etc., that sends the right message about your commitment to providing exceptional experiences.

Your guest pulls up in his or her car, or by cab, to the front of your Hotel.  Now what happens?

It’s the moment of truth.

I always liked that expression. 

When I was a Front Office Manager, at Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, many years ago now, the (then) Executive Assistant Manager that I reported to first introduced me to that expression and the concept that every time that we come in contact with a guest, or potential guest, it is a moment of truth, a defining moment.

It’s one of those moments that I still remember today, because it had an immediate and profound impact on me – I “got it” the minute he said it, and I have tried to pass on that concept to employees at all levels ever since.

It’s why it is in fact so important that the person that your guests first come in contact with has the right “attitude” towards this guest, and every guest, no matter what the circumstances, no matter what kind of day it’s been.  

If that Bellman, Doorman, or perhaps Valet does not spring forth with an exuberance that sets the Hotel apart, find someone that will.

Yes, it’s that simple to me, I feel that strongly about it.

I have been to Hotels where I pulled up in a cab, and marveled as I struggled to get my bags out of the cab, (thanks to an equally less than helpful cab driver), to see Bellmen or Doormen watching me, clearly aware that I was struggling with an awkward load, and what did they do to help me?

Nothing, nothing, not until I either waved them over, or, as I now approached the actual doors to the Hotel and I was forced to walk by them to get access to the Hotel, they felt that I was now close enough to warrant their efforts to throw my bags on their now within reach bell cart.

What was I left thinking?

I was left to think that this was one of “those” Hotels where the staff, and perhaps the management, had grown to think that they were better than the guests.  A Hotel where the guests should feel fortunate that these well-seasoned employees that deemed them worthy to be served by them.

You all know a Hotel like this.  Where the environment is so arrogant you can sense it immediately upon arrival, and certainly upon first contact, and most every service contact that follows.

And if you’re like me, and you have found yourself unwillingly or unexpectedly in this Twilight Zone episode of service, you make it a point never to go back, and to warn of everyone else that you possibly can.

Alternatively, there are those gems, those ambassadors of service, that we all want to steal away for ourselves when we encounter them.

Patrick, the Doorman at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver, BC is just such a gem.

I had the pleasure of working with Patrick when he was at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel, and when it was previously a Delta Hotel before that, but as often happens, we could not hang on to him forever.

He was at the Marriott/Delta property for many years and guest after guest after guest would comment on what an amazing, warm, charming, personable man this was, and how he remembered them and made them feel welcome, and how he was the reason that they consistently returned. 

And now, the Fairmont will benefit from his natural abilities, his warmth, his genuine caring, or more accurately, any and every guest that gets anywhere near the entrance to the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel will benefit from their experience of meeting Patrick.

If you go to the Fairmont Pacific Rim, you won’t need to look for Patrick, he will find you, and you will immediately know that it is him.

Make sure that you have your own gem, like Patrick, in position to make the right first impression to your guests when they arrive.

You know what they say; “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” 

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