How well do you know your staff? Are they just names in the reports for you? Or do you have a personal bond with every member of your team?
How many leaders know the names of every guest? Have you ever engaged your guest in a talent show for example? How do you create special memories for them?
People are not just numbers. They are also faces, stories, feelings, talents, and energy. They are your precious asset if you value each one of them as an individual.
Numbers and financial planning are the foundation of any business. But it is hard to be creative and energetic in your duties if your job is “just a job” for you. When establishing that special atmosphere where everyone cares about everyone at the workplace, the performance will naturally look good every month, and thereafter the balance sheet.
Encouraging people to share about themselves is a great practice to strengthen relations and sympathy in a team. Not gossiping, but telling life stories and learning from each other is the way to build trust and team spirit. Surprisingly or not, it works with guests in exactly the same way.
For sure you also were taught when you were young that you should separate work from personal relationships. Though the new trends dictate new standards, we need to find that golden middle between being too friendly and too dry when communicating to both our teammates and our clients. Here again, the themes of sustainability and diversity are coming to lead us the way like a lighthouse in the dark hour.
Keep it simple: think of others, be inclusive, involve people around you in processes, and show your appreciation whenever appropriate.