Will they call to THANK YOU?

Working in the hospitality industry can provide you with so much positive and magic filled experiences if your looking for them, but they can also offer the opposite. My question today is, as a leader, will someone you have lead speak highly of you in 5 or 10 years from now?
Will you receive a call from a previous colleague to say thank you?






Look, leading people takes many qualities, patience, stamina, determination, and even love. We will all fail sometimes in our lives, we are born to do that. We will all do it. The question is, are you willing to stand back up, dust yourself off and learn from your mistakes?
As a leader, it is our responsibilities to mold our colleagues and push them to become greater than we are. We learn to nurture and encourage and push our people to be better, DO better.

I haven't been in the business as long as some, but I have seen so many things. I continue to fall and repeat. I continue to learn and grow and I am proud of every last bruise and cut I receive from those falls, it makes me who I am. It recreates me as a human being. Whilst I fall, I hope that I learn my lessons from the fall or else, I will continue to fall time and time again.

My wish is also that once I fall, I get to learn something I can pass along to my colleagues. Schooling can only teach so much. You can take so many classes in the world but the on the job training that you can learn means so much more. Being out with the guests, experiencing different opportunities to do better, to learn.

What I have been questioning lately is this, will colleagues that I have trained previously contact me and say THANK YOU I learnt THIS or I appreciate you being hard on me because I learn this?

When I worked for Disney I had my very own experiences and trauma. Working at Le Cellier once upon a time, I was in F&B and was trying to become a server. When you receive the nod that you have been chosen to work there, it's an HONOR to become a server and certainly not a RIGHT. With that means tons of training. They don't just hand you a pen and a bill fold and send you off into the dining room and say GOOD LUCK. You go through immense training and shadowing with others. But long before you do that, you have to study your menus. This means knowing every last bloody ingredient in each and every dish. This is for the guests benefits of course but whilst your in the moment, you question.....WHAT THE HECK DO I NEED TO KNOW THERE IS TARRAGON IN THIS DISH???  I'm not a chef? Why do I need to know that this Chardonnay goes with this filet?

IMPOSSIBLE. That is what I continued to tell myself. I studied night after night after night and continued to tell myself this is impossible. Right there, the lesson............I put the negative road blocks in front of myself and blocked myself from learning these important things.  Now, there I also had several brilliant leaders to lean on and get guidance from. One however, stood in my way. I felt that this guy was bullying me, picking on me if you will. He was CONSTANTLY questioning me,  quizzing me about sines and ingredients. I was SO angry with him, felt that I was being picked on, I ignored him and tried to stay clear from him if I was working the same shifts as he was.

After learning my menu FINALLY, after many weeks of constant struggle and hard ships, it was time to spiel to my managers. This is the time I get to feature the menu to all my managers, one by one and they hold my fate of being a full server in one of the most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World. I was so nervous I almost threw up. Seriously, it was a serving job, WHY WAS I SO NERVOUS. This was a big deal for me and it meant so much, it meant I was LIVING A DREAM.
So, one by one, I would lead my mangers through our current menu and would answer question after question and recommend this and that. I could tell you that the tomato stack is one generous helping of tomato goodness. (Funny after 5 yrs I STILL remember my spiel for the tomato stack )
When it came time to spiel to the last 2 people, my area leader Megan and the last, DON. I was terrified. Seriously I wanted to die. I almost quit. ( LESSON HERE- stick with it even if it makes you want to QUIT....you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to )
I managed to get through Megan and with flying colors may I add. And when I completed my time with her, I BEGGED her that she would pass me and not allow me to have to go to Don. They would often pass someone who would blow everyone else away. I was begging it was going to be me and I wouldn't have to go through the bully. Megan ruled NO and that I was going to finish what I started.







Bummed and totally down on myself, I continued to study and push myself to clean up anything I felt uncomfortable with and tried to calm myself as best as I could. I told Megan that if I was being forced to spiel with Don, I was going to be doing it with a colleague of mine so I wasn't alone. I was going to stack the deck in MY favor so I don't have to do it alone and he couldn't bully me again. The worst case, I had a witness to his nonsense.

I walked into the office at our allotted time with my friend and room mate Allison. I was terrified. The usual comfortable, confident gal was turned into a blithering idiot. Allison was STUNNED to witness me like this. I told Don when we got into the office that I would appreciate it very much if he would turn his chair around so I wouldn't have to look at him if he wanted me to spiel to him. He laughed, intimidating me further and obliged after much persistence on my part.

In the end, I made it, with flying colors may I add. I can also proudly report that I contacted Don many years after and apologized and thanked him. I sent so much gratitude to him I sounded like a little school girl with a crush. What Don did for me will stick with me for the rest of my life. Don found something in myself I couldn't see. He tormented me, in my mind of course, because he finally admitted, that I was someone that was extremely passionate about working for Disney and everything I touch. I not only put 110% in all I do but I ooze it to others. He was so excited to have a cast member like myself, that he pushed, challenged and quizzed me because he saw something that I couldn't see.






So, after being awarded the title of server, I was also given the prestigious title of Disney Trainer and after a few months, I also was awarded the EPCOT cast member guest service excellence award. Needless to say, I went above the turmoil I felt and pushed forward through all the dark times, only to emerge out the other end in a glorious spot. I have also become very great friends with Megan, with whom I wouldn't have lived my dream of working at Disney without her. She convinced me when I was questioning my time in a program that focused mostly on younger adults and there was me, 36 yrs old and already through the beginning of my adult life. I was about to quit and Megan brought me into her office and told me how it was. She didn't blow sunshine up my ass as she mentioned to me and told me what I needed to hear. She saw those same things that Don saw in me and I couldn't see myself. Megan was my mentor and continues to offer so much in my life and I suspect she doesn't even realize.








Those trying times have followed through with me through my career and have taught me so much and has also given me things to offer those I mentor and develop. My question to you is this, have you made a difference? Are those you have lead able to call you and sing your praises?

Customers & you

Guests, customers.......whatever title you provide for them is fine but what is most important is exactly how you TREAT them. Are you giving them 100% of yourself to them?
Often times, the day to day routines get in the way of great customer service. Tending to the check lists, ensuring your getting everything accomplished for your Supervisor/Manager but are you truly focused on your guests?

Remember, they pay the bills, THEY are the reason you even HAVE that job. It's NOT the company that provides you with work it's those guests. As soon as they step FOOT on your soil, they MUST be attended to. I don't mean SMOTHER THEM EITHER.

I want you to remember a fantastic experience you have had recently or even in the past for that matter. Recall how you felt, how the attendant dealt with you, what made it special?
For some, creating a fabulous guest experience is essential, is well....in their DNA.
When we think about places like Disney, what comes to mind? Does guest service fit into that thought?


Yes, we that are former cast members, continue to speak about our incredible experiences working for Disney because we had experiences, much like you the guests did. It could have been a fellow cast member assisting us or us ourselves creating magic for a guest. Whatever the reason, those experiences carry over into our other careers. Doesn't matter if I am NOT working in F&B any longer, what matters is how I treat my guests.

Sure, I have had incredible training, mostly from Disney but I have to admit, the companies I have worked for SINCE Disney are the ones that have truly benefited from my time there. I have offered their guests the incredible treatment that is expected from having Disney on my resume.



Having leaders who nurtured my passion for guest service excellence was obviously key and more than I could have ever imagined I would receive and yet, there are still those cast members currently working for the Mouse who have leaders that, shall we say haven't provided such a magical experience for them and for that, I am truly sorry to hear. My experiences were incredible to say the very least. I was always provided with communication and encouragement and support. I have to admit, my time with the Mouse was something others dream about and something I don't ever take for granted. I have tried my very best to pass along to others the keys to my success with Disney and to share in the magic so to speak.
Of course, there are those that are willing to accept the times and experiences I had and are ignorant to it but that is obviously their loss and I can't help but wonder why anyone would deny assistance when it comes to bettering your business but there are those that think they know it all, those that scuff at the Disney magic and say it is for strange people such as myself.

Well, to them I say, YOUR LOSS. I will continue to pass along my talents that I honed at Disney and for my guests that I get to WOW on a daily basis now, your really in for a treat. You get 100% magic and you may compare me to others but merely remember something, magic happens and if your guests are the ones that benefit from it, then life is good.

Walt would be proud that the magic continues throughout the world, spread to hundreds of millions of people throughout and alittle of it goes a very long way.

So, ask yourself, are your guests/customers getting the magic they so deserve?

Is your team BORED WITH THE BASICS?

Strange title for a blog entry I'm sure your thinking, correct?
Look, if you have been in the industry for some time now, your probably working on auto-pilot. Your day to day tasks happen automatically....or ARE they?

The Greek word for "hospitality" is philoxenia........to literally translate that by a Greek is "the love of strangers". People in the hospitality industry love to create an environment of warmth a feeling of home to all friends, family and guests alike. They often possess a gift of courtesy, even having an incredible sensitivity to others.
For better or worse, we love what we do, but are we constantly updating the basics? Do we recognize the basic needs of our guests? Are we excelling in that? Does your hotel offer the cleanest rooms? Does your restaurant have a clean dining room? Are your colleagues wearing pressed uniforms and look the part? Ready to go?

Look, this all sounds simpleton obviously but this is why it's written. When we shift our thinking back to the fundamentals of service, we can better serve our guests. Ensuring we are excelling in the basics means we can then start to focus on the extras. But I digress, we are starting from the beginning, which......if you ask anyone, they will agree it is fine place to start.

From simply put policies and procedures to clear communications, referring back to the very basics of business will ensure that your guests are provided with the fundamentals.
When you provide them the love of strangers as those Greeks put it so perfectly, your setting yourself up for great success.

What is new for 2013?

The year is off to a brilliant start for most and I often wonder, what will this new year bring?
The Hospitality industry has provided so much for us in the industry to be proud of and so much to learn from. Hotel properties around the globe are currently closing up 2012 and hoping that their figures represent growth. Speaking from the standpoint of a lonely by standard from the East Coast of Canada, the property I am currently with is reaping the rewards of a successful year. I wonder however, how can we make 2013 better?

A loaded question I realize. What are the experts saying? Of course they are saying that 2013 is expected to be a banner year. What can you do then to set yourself apart from the crowd?  What standards do you currently have in place to allow your colleagues to shine?

Have you perhaps asked yourself what can you do to create a better learning environment for your colleagues? What are your goals for 2013? Are you hoping to increase your numbers? OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE. That of course goes without saying, but HOW are you going to go about doing that?

The Hotel industry is a wondrous thing. So much prospects for improvement but yet, here in Canada anyways, Money isn't being spent to improve things, that money is being sent overseas where the money is. That leaves mostly everyone in the same boat, find creative ways to create something magical to bring guests in.



Are your colleagues creating magic? Are they stuck in the golden ages or are they moving forward? Are you updating their skill set, or are they merely getting by with what they have had from the past. I mean, most people in the East Coast have the mentality, if it ain't broke, DON"T YOU DARE FIX IT.
Change is good. No matter WHO says differently. Ensuring guests are taken care of to the best of your ability is just standard now. Guests are more likely to leave a property because they had crappy service then stay and "SUCK IT UP" as it were. Information is a life source for the hospitality industry and one bad remark on say Twitter or Facebook could mean sudden death for a tiny mom and pop property.

Have you reached out to local resources to see if upgrading is a possibility? Taking on-line classes, looking at different ways of bettering ourselves will seriously assist everybody in the long run but are you willing to put in the time?

I have been in this business for some time. I can honestly tell you that it thrills me to upgrade myself, take the staleness out of my career. I love the day to day practices. I enjoy nothing more than spending time with those guests. Remember one thing however, all the upgrading and training in the world will NEVER, NEVER take the place of good old fashion guest engagement and interactions. Get out there and speak to your guests. Find out what they are saying and I can assure you, 2013 will be a magic filled year.

Holidays and Hospitality

It's been some time since I last posted, I suppose I had lost some spark being in a tiny town and fighting to find some magic in the Hospitality Industry. With the hustle and the bustle of the Holidays, are you finding any magic in the hospitality industry?

Lunches with colleagues and guests brings us into the forefront of the industry but have you noticed anything has changed or has it gotten worse? Are you receiving exemplary service due to the influx of guests or are you noticing the slipping of the standards?

Sitting down at a table recently I noticed the busy location I was in was lacking in some much needed spirit. The server I was interacting with was, for a lack of a better term, bored and preoccupied. He lack of respect for me as her guest was evident but I totally always provide the benefit of the doubt and decided to be patient with her. I even extended some friendly banter to see if perhaps she would recognize her slip and come back to life. I even explained that I was in the industry of guest services and appreciated that she was extremely busy, overworked and totally understood. This apparently gave her the green light to unload on me and complain and bitch bitterly. OUCH!!  That left an extremely bad taste in my mouth and I can assure you, it will certainly take ALOT to have me return to this location.

Look, I realize that these weeks leading up to the Holidays have offered so much stress and tension. I realize that we ALL have things we need to accomplish in such a short time, I also appreciate that, unlike me....the planner, your not even REMOTELY ready for the Holidays. Keep in mind however that you are working, you do have an obligation not only to your guests but your EMPLOYER to be the very best you can be. 
I strongly believe that your attitude needs to be checked prior to walking in the door. I also strongly believe that your management team needs to be on their game more than EVER right now. Encouragement is key here. Showing your colleagues the way things SHOULD be and how things are EXPECTED to be done. Feeling like your part of a TEAM  SHOULD be taking this extremely seriously now. Stress is overwhelming for most and this time of the year, EVERYONE is facing it. Having a team leader who is supportive, fun and stress-free is really helpful whilst at work. Providing an atmosphere of calm, support and  understanding is essential. When your stressed, either working in a busy restaurant with bustling shoppers running in for a quick bite before heading back out into the race for more gift shopping, or at the front desk of the Hotel checking in coming off of an extremely long flight home.....we are all pushed beyond our limits. We have other things present in our minds.......notice I said presents?

Look- the Holidays shouldn't be all about gifts, however it seems as though nowadays, that is all anyone is interested in. This means money, the leading cause of stress in mostly every body's lives. Enter the Hospitality Industry person ( THAT'S YOU). Your suppose to be gleaming with  smiles and cool and calm as a cucumber and forget about YOU having a life. Your not allow, I'm trying to check in here. I know your snickering here but this is seriously what people are thinking. If your working with an excellent team, this shouldn't fizzle you. Your smiling, your having a great day, your making FABULOUS TIPS and your day is flying by. However, if your not in that atmosphere at work, your probably looking drawn, angry, tired and over worked and certainly underpaid. The joy of being at work, the great feeling of "WOW"ing your guests is a lifetime away.........I always look to the leaders for assistance, guidance. That is exactly what they are getting paid to do remember. Now, I don't blame them 100% but they are a major part of the problem. 




And guests, remember something- just because your in a rush, DOESN'T EVER MEAN RUDENESS SHOULD BE TOLERATED. Your human too. You have a cushy job but choosing a career in Hospitality is often out of necessity, TIPS, HOURS.........or a hundred other possible reasons so BE NICE. Take a breath. SMILE. That server has probably been working all day long too and has FEELINGS that don't need to be shaken with your hurried actions, and that tip you decided NOT to leave is certainly going to affect those gifts that they too have to buy. So, buy that coffee for the person behind you in that Starbucks line-up. It's not going to break you. Leave that extra $5 for that awesome sandwich you just had at the deli. That housekeeper that is about to clean your room wasn't going to happily wipe all that water off the floor and the towels that were strewn everywhere because you were late for your big shopping day so PICK THEM UP. Drop some change onto your table for them, they deserve it and really appreciate it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!  Together, we can survive the Holidays  we can enjoy them with our families and friends and be reminded that tis the season to appreciate and respect our fellow man.

The definition of service terms

Are you wondering what that term you heard really meant in the Hospitality world?
I mean when someone says they are Enthusiastic......what does it really mean?

The service industry, or Hospitality Industry as we like to call it has many different definitions and here is a breakdown of a few:

SPIRIT:
Everyone wans to connect with people and companies that make them FEEL GOOD. A positive spirit and attitude will only lead to POSITIVE RESULTS.

ENTHUSIASM: When people in an organization like what they do, it shows. Thier enthusiasm transfers to the guest and assists to create a positive connection.

RESPONSIBILITY: Giving your colleagues ownership of thier roles within the company assists to instill a sense of pride and commitment.

VISIBILITY: Besides servers, front desk agents, managers or sales people who are in front of the guests constantly, back of the house people also need to be recognized and acknowledged for their work.

INTEREST: TRy to eliminate the "ONE SIZE FITS ALL" attitude and customize your offerings to fit your guests needs instead.

COMMUNICATIONS: Whether to your colleagues or your guest, speak with a consistent voice that embraces your brand's essence.

EXCELLENCE: Each person in your organization is an ambassador for your brand. Strive for excellence and keep your guests and your colleagues engaged and happy.


When you freely use these examples of service with your colleagues and guests alike, your on your way to a profitable result.

how do you make your colleagues feel like SUPERSTARS?

Have you ever questioned how your colleagues feel when your leading them? Are they the correct fit for the role? Do they sparkle or leave a lack lustre trail behind them? I believe that I may have found something that you may find helpful as a leader



1. GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT ROLES:
Are you leading the team you need? Or are you leading the team you have?
Nothing is as important as a leader is to create a team that is so capable that you can focus on those higher-order problems. Many managers think the job is to make the best of the team they have. THAT IS NOT THEIR JOB.
Your job is to DEVELOP, and, if necessary, to change the people so you get those idividuals who are well suited for their roles, which means you will have a team that can do whatever it takes for both now, and in the future.

2. LET PEOPLE BE AMAZING:
When you have that team, you give them important work, you support them, take a moment to step back and allow them to be amazing.
Delegate work but also POWER.
Allow your team to make decisions, solve problems, allow them to have pride in their accomplishiments.
Of course, you will also ensure they are recognized. Allow them to see you trust them, respect them.
They will move mountains, so GET OUT OF THE WAY AND WATCH THEM SHINE!!

3. GET THE CRAP OUT OF THE WAY:
As part of your responsibilities, one of the key componants to your job is to create an enviroment that is great to work in.
When you have uncertainty, worry and doubt, it drains the energy out of the organization. If you want to create a space where people thrive, you really need to ensure that your watching the sand trickle into the gears.
Make, clarify and communicate decisions.
Do not EVER allow questions & rumors to fester.
Don't leave people wondering what is important or which direction they are to go, SPELL IT OUT.
REMOVE NEGATIVITY
Remove the bullies or those who block communications.
BE ACCOUNTABLE- address missed deadlines with consequences and action plans.
Face up to, and fix broken strategies.

4. FIND THE MAGIC:
When you recognize you have someone in the right role, you will see MAGIC HAPPEN. They THRIVE. THEY GROW. THEY WILL DO AMAZING THINGS. They aer proud of what they do.
Imagine what it would be like if you had an ENTIRE TEAM of people like this.

Your job as the leader is to create that team.