BECAUSE I CAN: Reality, Fantasy and Sustainability, Part 1

“All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination.”

- Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)

In December as the weather gets colder (especially for us in the Northern Hemisphere) and the year winds down, there is the tendency to get somewhat introspective. Aside from the regular balancing act of getting into the “Holiday Spirit” whilst managing year-end business activities, this year many of us in the U.S. and abroad are faced with the harsh economic realities of the “noble experiment” of a U.S. democratic/capitalistic society gone out of control.

Despite efforts of the Obama Administration to curtail this crisis, the U.S. faces the highest unemployment rate in 26 years (over ten percent). This, in turn, is feeding into a major housing crisis with millions loosing their homes. Furthermore, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue and are even escalating. Of course we cannot forget the attempts to reform the multi-billion dollar medical industry, of which debate still continues in the Senate. And of course economic crisis isn’t just happening in the U.S., but the rest of the world – just take a look at recent events in Dubai, as well as changing climate conditions.

So who, in the long term, will be paying for all of this? Taxpayers like you and me and our children, their children, their children…that is, provided we have jobs and homes.

With all of this in mind, it’s hard not to turn inward and/or introspective when those around us wish us “HAPPY HOLIDAYS!” or “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” when many of us are just hoping we don’t give our loved ones the gift of debt this year.

I, myself, wonder at what point do we take a serious look at what aspects of our plans for economic recovery are real and which ones are not? I believe, wholeheartedly, that for the sake of posterity, we must have a serious discussion about reality and fantasy and their impact upon global sustainability.

Why?

Because I can…in fact, I will attempt in this article and in my next to prove two seemingly paradoxical ideas that are key to sustainability:

1. Learning to distinguish between elements of reality and fantasy (this month), and
2. Blurring the lines between the two (next month).

The Distasteful Notion of “Fantasy” in an Adult-oriented World

As adults who deal in important things like running businesses, paying bills and taxes, dealing with contracts, understanding international trade, quantifying risk, overcoming objections, finding alternative sources of energy, swaying public opinion, managing projects, curing contagions, driving through traffic, assessing damages, valuating stocks and financing enterprises we don’t have time for such trifling things like fantasy. Fantasy is usually relegated to either children (where it rightfully belongs), the crunchy granola-types who gather in drum circles around a campfire and sing “Kumba-ya”, “geeks” who read comic books, Walter Mitty-esque folks who don’t have a clue, artists or the red light district world of sex, “marital aids”, fetishes, latex, lace and leather. In short, fantasy is looked down upon and has no basis in real world of business.

In fact, in one of my more recent articles: A World Without Money, Part II, I had the audacity to engage you, our reader in a “flight of fantasy” (I thought I had cleverly disguised it as a hypothetical line of reasoning) and would have gotten away with it if not for a comment from Allan Elder, Instructor at University of California, Irvine and Owner, No Limits Leadership, Inc.:

“This idea is so full of impossibilities it's not worth considering even if we can.”

Thank you, Mr. Elder for setting me straight and proving my point as only the Owner of No Limits Leadership, Inc can.

The Importance of Imagination

For kids, on the other hand, it is perfectly legal (and more importantly, accepted) to discuss such issues as which princess is the prettiest, whether Superman or the Hulk would win in a fight, how many pieces of pizza one can consume at a meal, how much of a jerk the Gym teacher is, which Transformer one wants to be when they grow up and what color should one paint the sky today; green or purple? Kids are even encouraged to use their imagination.

So if we really want to prepare our kids for the real world, shouldn’t we be dissuading such abhorrent behavior?

Not according to WholeFamily.com. According to early childhood specialists and child psychologists, children who are encouraged to use their imagination more are:

1. Better at solving problems
2. Better at dealing with difficult feelings
3. Better at handling stress
4. More creative on average, and
5. More intelligent on average.
   

One of the best examples of this are when, in movies, TV shows or books, when the heroes of the story are struggling to come up with a way out of their toughest dilemma ever and the innocent child archetype comes up with a “so-simple-only-a-child-could-think-of-it” solution.

But what if a child talks about real world issues or offers a real world opinion? Do we write it off as simply “cute”? Do we discount it? Do we consider them too young to have any say?

When Does Childhood End?

At what point, however, does a child graduate into being an adult?

According to some traditions, it’s thirteen. By law in the U.S., it’s eighteen, although gambling and consumption of alcoholic beverages isn’t allowed until twenty-one and renting a car at twenty-five.

Never at any point in my life do I remember any graduation ceremony in which I was told that I could now:

• Be seen and heard
• Talk to strangers
• Bite off more than I can chew
• Stop using my imagination and face reality.

According to popular psychological thought, we have three major elements of our personality that are developed at various stages in our journey through life: the child and the parent are two of them, and often times, at war with each other. The free-thinking, fun-loving “child” loves to explore, emote and imagine in true fantastic form whereas the “parent” is into rules, laws and regulation thrives in the seemingly-real world. The third personality is the “adult” which provides the more rational and logical means of settling the disputes between the other two and provides balance and a truer sense of realism than the parent.

The need for the human mind to sustain itself implies the delicate balance between these two “worlds”. What this implies is that since fantasy is infinite, it cannot be changed as it is limitless, but changing reality through the lens of our mind means changing our mind. This also implies that reality is mutable and perhaps not as real as we think.

One other crucial and applicable point: when “reality” is perceived to be constrained and immutable, the mind changes in ways that lead to introspection, depression, defiance, etc. When these conditions become extreme, the fight or flight response is triggered.

The Upside of Troubling Times

Question: What is the one thing you want to do when you are financially-pressured, stressed and/or depressed?

Answer: Escape

If I had one prediction to make for 2010, it’s that more of the world’s citizens will be looking for ways to escape their current situation. Escapism will be on the rise.

Webster’s Dictionary defines escapism as “the avoidance of reality by absorption of the mind in entertainment or in an imaginative situation, activity, etc.”

Great news for industries specializing in inexpensive entertainment – think of the many ways we escape: sleep, reading, music, games, sports, walking, eating, drinking, hobbies, etc.

According to a study by Deloitte on the entertainment industry in 2009, “the last two times the economy experienced a downturn, movie ticket and DVD sales went up. It is likely that people will continue to indulge themselves in the small pleasures of DVD consumption, interactive game-playing, online entertainment, books, social networking and television while eschewing big-ticket items such as cars, refrigerators and computers.”

Furthermore, a quote found by JP Morgan beverage analyst John Faucher in a 2002 report on DUI.com: Alcohol Consumption and Recession stated that “People are drinking more, because people tend to drink more during tough times,”

My Conclusion

If we truly want to change our collective reality of a global economic crisis, we must ultimately be brave enough to change our collective minds. Ideally, a reset button would be wonderful but would be highly disruptive in ways that might be catastrophic. Of course choosing to do nothing would lead to such a conclusion anyway. One thing is for sure, our current solutions of debt-financing are just ways of prolonging the inevitable.

At what point do we recognize the fantastical elements of our grand designs through diminishing returns, continue to defend them and call them “reality”?

My suggestion is to measure the increase in time (not dollars) spent in escapist activities amongst the population. Certainly, there will always be a “healthy” level as young adults and youthful adults live, but to establish a suitable threshold would be crucial. If more people look to escape as a means of dealing with/avoiding “reality”, then why continue to create it?

Collectively, we have the ability to create a healthy, sustainable reality for ourselves and generations to come. We owe it to ourselves.

Because we can, and more importantly, because we must.

Next month, I will be looking at the ways we have found healthy ways to marry reality and fantasy to achieve sustainability. “See” you then.

Adam J. Kovitz is the Chairman & Founder of The National Networker Group of Companies, which publish The National Networker, provide member services and consulting as well as branding and social media domination.

Hire Adam to speak at your next conference by emailing info@thenationalnetworker.com.

Follow Adam on Twitter!

The Emergence of the Relationship Economy

Relationship Capital is the cornerstone of the Relationship Economy, which RNIA defines as “a measurement assigned to individual and organizational entities based on the relationship interactions between them, and the interactions they have internally.” I am proud to have contributed discussion of the Ten Laws of Relationships Capital to The Emergence of the Relationship Economy, now out as an eBook and in hardcopy. With a forward written by Doc Searls (of Cluetrain Manifesto fame), it is being considered a “must read” for anyone responsible for the strategic direction of their business. If you would like to purchase your own copy of The Emergence of the Relationship Economy, please click here.

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BECAUSE I CAN: Reality, Fantasy and Sustainability, Part 1

NETWORKING SUCCESS: Business Networking Predictions for 2010

Networking Success with Ivan Misner, Ph.D.

2009 is almost over (and many are glad about that!), and it's time to look ahead. I have before me my crystal ball. I am looking into the future, and this is what I see for 2010:

1. First, the economy IS going to improve. OK, this isn't a"networking" issue, but it IS important. Have faith. Look for opportunities. Focus on what you do best. You will have a better year next year, but you need to focus on solutions and get out of the quagmire of problems.
2. Online social networks will continue to grow in prominence. OK, I didn't need the crystal ball for that one. However, consider this . . . digital schmoozing may continue to grow, but so will the frustration over how to convert that technology into viable business opportunities. This is an emerging field, and much of it will be established over the next few years.
3. Companies, small and large, need to create a social media strategy. What's your plan? Oh . . . you don't have one? Big mistake in 2010. You need to start working on one now. Don't know where to start? Do a little research. There are some really good experts out there who can help you in this area. I've been working with Social Media Expert Mirna Bard this year, and she has really helped my organization create a strong, cutting-edge social media strategy that we are now pursuing globally
4. Victims of downsizing will become active in networking groups (both face-to-face and online). Many people have been laid off. My experience in running BNI, the world's largest networking organization, is that within a few months of an increase in unemployment rates, there is almost always an influx of new members into networking organizations. I am confident that there will be such an influx in 2010.
5. We will begin to see more of an integration between face-to-face and online networking opportunities. Online networks will do things to promote face-to-face opportunities, and face-to-face networks will begin to integrate online networking more effectively into their programs.
6. We will see the slow death of the "one-way" website. More and more, companies will create websites that operate in two directions. They will not only provide information to their customers but will also seek feedback from their customers. Blogs, interactive newsletters, social network sites, consumer feedback groups . . . all of these will continue to grow in importance for companies.
7. Face-to-face networks will continue to grow, IF they stay true to a fundamental mission of helping people grow their businesses. Nothing beats networking in person (see my blog on this subject from earlier this year).
8. Companies that succeed in 2010 will remain agile and will focus on relationships. Technology is a tool. Relationships are king when it comes to networking. Companies who are creative in using tools to enhance the relationship building process will be the leaders in a company networking program.

Well, there it is. Those are my predictions for 2010. What do you think of these ideas AND what, if anything, would you add to these business networking predictions?

Called the “father of modern networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is the Founder and Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world’s largest business networking organization. His newest book, Networking Like a Pro can be viewed at www.IvanMisner.com. Dr. Misner is also the Sr. Partner for the Referral Institute, an international referral training company (www.referralinstitute.com).

For more information, please visit Ivan's TNNW Bio.





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NETWORKING SUCCESS: Business Networking Predictions for 2010

MASTERING THE MEMBERSHIP MAZE: What to do Right Now To Win in 2010!

Mastering the Membership Maze with Glen Gould

Soon we'll bid 2009 farewell and before you know it, 2010 will be in full swing. What can you do right now that will make all the difference next year? Here's a simple action plan to budget your time and money for success in the coming year.

First, review your networking efforts during the past year. Take out your calendar and see where you spent your time. Were you committed to one or two groups or were you all over the place? Where did you get your best results? Where did you spend too much time socializing and not enough time strategically networking? What did you enjoy the most?

Second, determine which networking efforts yielded the least. You should be able to determine where you spent time but received nothing for your efforts. If you can't, this exercise will solve that problem for you in the future but for now you'll need to go by feel. Be brutally honest here. You know in your gut what is fluff.

Third, commit to eliminating at least one of your current formal networking groups or efforts. If you are in your chamber of commerce, an outside leads group, and a social or community club or two, you're likely spread too thin. Eliminate one at least. Choose carefully. You'll need to examine what you've experienced in the past as well as the potential you could receive by more strategic engagement.

Fourth, recommit the time you've just gained to follow up. That's right, don't add another networking group, spend the time you wasted last year by committing to better follow up this year. Put a plan in place that allows you to better focus on each person you meet. Send cards (www.SendoutCards.com/64618) or make personal phone calls to really connect with people. In 2010 the people who win will be the people who show they really care.

Finally, develop a system to track your results. Budget time in you day to recap each networking meeting, schedule follow up calls, and have one on one meetings. Remember, it's about people and people do business with people they know, like, and trust. You need to get to really know more people and they need to really know you.

If you recommit your efforts this year by following this simple plan, you can easily determine what is working and what isn't as the year progresses. That means that you'll spend more time making effective connections and less time will be wasted.

Glen Gould

glen@inspirationagents.com

770-435-0781

www.InspirationAgents.com
Inspiring Positive Change

www.IsYourNetworkingWorking.com
Powerful Networking Tools

www.AtlantaCommunityBreakfast.com

Bringing business people together to discuss faith and values in the workplace

For more information, please visit Glen's TNNW Bio.






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MASTERING THE MEMBERSHIP MAZE: What to do Right Now To Win in 2010!

BEYOND NETWORKING: He's Right, Too!

Beyond Networking: Being with Ron Sukenick

There's an old Jewish folk tale about two men, Jacob and Joseph, who were having a dispute. Each was absolutely sure he was right! They asked their Rabbi to settle the argument once and for all. Jacob went first, telling his side of the story with great vehemence. The Rabbi stroked his beard and, saying a number of "Hmm" s, finally concluded, "You know, Jacob, "I think you're right." Then Joseph had his turn, angrily correcting Jacob's version of the story. "Well," concluded the Rabbi, "Joseph, it appears you're right, too!"

By this time a small crowd had gathered, and one of the bystanders, unable to contain himself, cried out, "But, Rabbi! They can't both be right!" A brief silence, punctuated by more "hmn's" ensued. Finally, the Rabbi said to the bystander, "You know, you're right, too!"

In an earlier Beyond Networking article, I explained that the Model of Human Behavior I use in my work as a Certified Human Behavior Consultant™ reveals that there are four main personality styles. What's more, just like the men consulting their Rabbi, all four of these styles are "right". How can this be?

Each of us has a style of relating to events and to other people. That's why I always tell my coaching clients that they can't change other people. What they can do, though, is adapt the way they relate to those other people and learn to better meet the needs of others.

Being able to make this kind of adaptation is the key to going from leads to referrals, from networking to NetBeing. Ultimately, it can mean going from "so-so" to success!

Ron Sukenick
Business Advisor / Relationship Strategist / Author / Connector
rs@ronsukenick.com
www.ronsukenick.com
317-216-8210
Check out my Radio Podcast’s
http://www.smallbizamerica.com/beyond

Let's get connected on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ron-sukenick/0/226/20a

“Certified Human Behavior Consultant”
Nominated 2009 "America's Most Influential Business Connector"

For more information, please visit Ron's TNNW Bio.





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BEYOND NETWORKING: He's Right, Too!

NIGHTMARES OF NETWORKING: Christmas

Nightmares of Networking
with "The Mad Genius"

Ahhhh, time for the Holidays, even if home is a drafty castle hidden in the mountains, a cross between Superman's Fortress of Solitude and Dr. Frankenstein's Castle. But with 55 inch plasma TV's and a genetic engineering lab that makes Stanford's look like a high school science experiment. A mascot should at least be able to move! What is a Cardinal going to do, fall on you!?

So you are looking very festive in that Grinch tie with the light up eyes. You must be kindred spirits, as your brain is two sizes too small. But I do appreciate the fruitcake, as it is more effective than lead in stopping radiation.

I assume that you are getting ready to go to your office soiree this evening? Good, it is an opportunity to interact with those that make you appear intelligent. Kingdom of the blind and all that.

A few pieces of advice before you start consuming the enhanced eggnog my young friend:

1. Have a snack before you go to the party. This will help ensure that you do not over consume those cute little cocktail weenies or the filo dough wrapped cholesterol bombs, thus saving your waist line somewhat. Let the others pig out having fifths and sixths, you can take the time to interact with the Powers that Be in your office and impress them with your restraint and modicum of intelligence.
2. Have a big glass of water before the party. This will help slake your thirst, thus slowing down your consumption of ethanol. Let the kids be sloppy and stupid, you need to keep your wits about you if you are to differentiate yourself from the rest of that herd. And alternate one Bacchus worshiping beverage with one totally plain, like soda with a stirrer, to give the illusion of consumption while minimizing intake. An open bar leads to open mouth, which generally allows entrance of an extremity.
3. Remember our Golden Ratio? 2 ears, 2 eyes, 1 mouth. Use that proportion.
4. Avoid controversy. Yes, it can be fun to throw firecrackers to see how people jump, but between the emotions of the season, the stress from end of year at the office, alcohol, and all the other things, it is probably better to be somewhat bland. The newer hires will provide enough entertainment.
5. Remember the rule of being a performer: always leave them wanting more. Spend only enough time with any one person of authority above you to make them appreciate your wit and your evolution over the past year, but extricate yourself from the situation before you embarrass yourself. Maintain some mystery, so that they want to seek you out.

These may seem like simple ideas, and they are so that you can follow them even in the distractions that will surround you this season. Enjoy, but not too much. Or else I will have some great Networking Nightmare stories for next Yule.....

For more secrets, you may visit the TNNW Bio of "The Mad Genius", if you dare.





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NIGHTMARES OF NETWORKING: Christmas

JETNETTING: The First Impression Factor XIX: The Quality of Vocal Variety/Part II

Jetnetting with Heshie Segal

Consciously utilizing and effectively integrating the voice elements of Volume, Pace, Pitch and Tonality gives you an advantage in making that positive first impression. Speaking with a voice that is too loud or too soft, too fast or too slow, too high or too low, and with a tonality that is incongruent with your emotions of the moment, will not serve you. Clearly, this is situational and depends to a large extent on the orientation of the listener. You control whether you project yourself as interesting, boring, energetic, professional, powerful, meek, classy, and the list goes. Can you imagine just how effective you can be when you have the ability to habitually control these elements?

Understandably, each individual element is a part of the whole. While there are many elements to take into consideration, for this segment, the ones I will focus on are: Volume, Pace, Pitch and Tonality. The next article will deal with the Power of Pauses.

Volume (loudness or softness) depends on the environment in which you find yourself: the setting, the number of people, the size of a room, and background noise for starters.

One-on-one and/or in a small room, use a voice loud enough for someone to hear with ease. Whether you are proving a point, or become passionate about something, it is appropriate to become a bit louder and speak at a faster pace. If want to appear secretive or more intimate, appropriately lower your voice. You are far more effective when you vary the volume to emphasize and reflect the exact impression you wish to create.

In a larger room, volume, without shouting, is generally a necessity. When on a stage, speak to the last row and project your voice over the entire group. If you allow your voice to fade at the end of a sentence, it suggests that you don’t think that information is important and tends to cause the audience to lose attention.

In any situation, if your volume is too low, it tends to irritate the listener since (s)he has to strain to hear. Appropriate volume, varied for emphasis, can liven up your speech; too loud, especially in one-on-one situations, may be perceived as anger, aggressiveness and boorish boldness.

Because the rate (also known as speed or pace) at which you speak will also affect the receptivity of your listener, be sure to keep it varied. The normal pace for a speech is around 140-160 words per minute. Some people speak at 80-100 words per minute and tend to put most listeners to sleep. Few people speak at rates of up to 200 words per minute. Interestingly, with practice, the human ear and brain can process over 400 spoken words per minute.

Clearly, the pace should be appropriate to the message and to the expectations of the audience. A serious message or conversation will require a slower pace while comic and high energy content commands a somewhat faster pace.

Speak more slowly to emphasize key words and concepts; more quickly, to stimulate energy and promote a sense of urgency. Of course, there will be advantages and disadvantages to a pace at either extreme. A slow rate of delivery can be relaxing and comforting; on the other hand, if it is too slow, it can come across as monotonous and potentially boring. The listener's mind will start to wander, attention span will begin to fade and the brain will stop paying attention, looking for other ways to keep stimulated. When you speak too quickly, you will actually tire the listener. Because the mind begins to wander when it cannot comprehend what you are communicating, it will give up. You also take risk appearing jittery and aggressive.

Practice is required of those who speak at extremes. If you are a slow-paced speaker, you have to learn to pick up speed. If you can become more comfortable with your subject, you will have the to accelerate. Spend time practicing in conversation with someone who knows you, knows your goal and is willing give If your tendency is to speak at a faster pace, you may need to practice speaking at a rate that is almost excruciatingly slow. Choose someone to listen to you and provide honest feedback. Persevere and the end result will be well worth it.

Pitch is the high (height) and low (depth) of the voice, the range of sounds. If compared to music, it would be the range of notes on a musical scale.. Your comfort level with pitch is called your “natural register”. A narrow range (3-4 notes), like too slow a pace, is boring and monotonous. Anyone listening to you will gradually stop paying attention. In fact, the ultimate experience of boredom is a combination of low pitch and slow rate!!

To convey mood, enthusiasm, energy and concern, allow your pitch to rise and fall. In music, a range of eight notes creates vocal variety.

When people are nervous, their voices tend to get higher. Use controlled, deep breathing to lower the pitch, although you don’t want it to be too low. By keeping your voice near the bottom of your range, you will appear more confident and be able to hide any anxiety you might feel. Hint: To find the lowest point in your range, purposely make you voice very deep, as deep as you can and then move it back up a notch so that you project comfortably.

Interestingly, by simply modulating your pitch you can affect the meaning of a word. For example: Repeat this simple four word sentence, shifting your modulation, “You will do this.” First, put emphasis on the word ‘will’, as though in a command, using a deep, low pitch. “You WILL do this.” Now repeat the same sentence as though asking a question. “You WILL do this (?).” Note that your pitch becomes higher and more tentative. What do you hear when you shift the emphasis to the word ‘this?’ A totally different meaning, right?

The tone of your unaltered voice is a mirror image of your physical and emotional state, a reflection of your attitude - about yourself, about others and about life. It is the most important vocal element in conveying your emotions. It reflects your happiness, your misery, failure, hope, belief, confidence, fear, love, tenderness, etc. Like pitch, it affects the meaning of a word or even the entire message. Tone accounts for 38% of the message transmitted. (The remaining percentages are 7% words and a 55% physiology: - combination of posture, eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and breathing patterns.) During a phone conversation, when there is no visual contact, tonality takes on even more importance. Here, words convey 15% of the communication and tonality a full 85%.

The tone of a voice rarely masks the emotional truth that hides behind it. In order to have your tone of voice be congruent with the emotion you want to convey, think and visualize something that you equate with that feeling. If you want to reflect friendliness, you might think about the feeling you get when someone welcomes you into the circle. If you seek fear, think of when you did something you knew you were not supposed to do and were afraid someone would find out.

When you speak, position your body in the way that will convey congruency with the tone of voice you want to project. Use the entire vocal scale to create tones that are lively and colorful.

Properly integrating the voice elements of Volume, Pace, Pitch and Tonality will put you in a favorable position as you meet new people. However, just as you are breathing a sigh of relief for knowing and hopefully mastering this information, we have not yet dealt with it all. Yes, there is more!

When it comes to voice, there are other things to consider when making that positive first impression. One of the most important of these, though hard to believe, is silence…also known as the Power of the Pause (POP). The pause is an integral part of using your communication skills to create impact. This important skill will be the focus of next month’s article.

For more information, please visit Heshie's TNNW Bio.





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JETNETTING: The First Impression Factor XIX: The Quality of Vocal Variety/Part II

LESSONS FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: Where is your desk?

Lessons From the Hotel Industry with Dr. John Hogan

Storytelling is a marvelous way to communicate a message in a very personal way and I am introducing the message of managerial effectiveness via one of the best stories to date on the hospitality industry.

In 1965, author Arthur Hailey wrote one of his best-known novels, HOTEL . This story was deep in detail, background, theme and character development. It offers reasonably accurate insights over a 5-day period in the life of an early 1960s independent, upscale hotel in New Orleans that is facing many challenges. The book addresses a number of American civil rights issues of the period, as well as contradicting stories of staff loyalty on one hand and dishonesty on the other. It tackles a number of business issues that remain current today, as well the matter of brand expansion in today’s hotels versus operating as an independent. .

“The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done. Peter Drucker

Lessons for Hospitality Managers

Effective leaders today still deal with many of the scenarios in Hailey’s HOTEL, and many more in the way of amenities, technology, transportation and training. The constant balancing act of “high touch” and “high tech” often comes down to visibility, accessibility and the ability to listen.

In the book and movie version of HOTEL, the hotel manager (or at least the manager on duty) was stationed in the lobby at an oversized desk. The first one of these I personally viewed was at the Statler-Hilton in Boston and presumably, the location was to be able to deal with situations that might arise that required special attention. The “tradition” of availability continued through the days of large full service hotels, but took a turn to the “back office” with the introduction of rooms only and smaller properties in the 1960s-1990s.

As my first hotel experience was at an older resort with many traditions, I came to appreciate both the manager and the innkeeper as host and problem solver. I personally always wanted a general manager’s desk like the one in HOTEL – you may recall it was located on the mezzanine, with a large window overlooking a very busy lobby in a “grand old and distinguished” property. Well, I am still looking for that special location, but the more important notions of visibility and accessibility continue to interest me.

How do most hoteliers today deal with those issues of visibility and accessibility? Most of us do not have much of a choice in location of desk or office, but in observations and conversations with many professionals in a wide range of property types and brands, I have had the opportunity to identify a number of creative variations in manager visibility and accessibility that I wanted to share.

Mel Bettcher, a career Hyatt Manager, at one point was assigned to the Hyatt in Memphis. I recall trying to reach him one hot summer and the answer was always: “he’s not in his office, but he is on property.” When I finally reached him, in conversation he said that the air conditioning in his office was not working very well. When I asked why he did not get it repaired, he commented that while it would not cost much, he might have the temptation to spend too much time in his office if it was too comfortable and he intended to spend his time with his guests and staff.

Dave Lagarce opened the 1^st Embassy Suites in Tennessee. Dave had a desk in the lobby and I recall asking him how “he ever got any work done”, having so many potential interruptions. He smiled and said the lobby location forced him to be more focused. He had two staff managers with the title and responsibility of assistant general manager and each had certain paperwork assignments. Through this delegation of some important work that allowed them to learn the systems, he was now available to deal with other “people” matters.

These managers reached the conclusions that the important “work to be done” included some reports and paperwork, but that the arrangement allowed all of them to balance work loads and be attentive to the needs of both staff and guests/customers.

Tom Peters, author of many books and programs on change and improvement, maintains that effective managers in the work place must spend 70% of their time OUTSIDE of their offices. In his books, seminars and collateral material, he frequently offers examples of successful companies that do not build large corporate home office staffs that spend what seems like years creating manuals and policies, but rather spend their corporate officers’ time in the field. He quotes examples from Apple Computers to Wal-Mart that have jumped leap years ahead of their competitors by availability, visibility and responsiveness to staff and customers by active listening.

Examples in our industry include companies that have “in – touch management:

1. Annual job-switch days, where senior executives assume the job, uniform and assignments of hourly staff in operating hotels for a day. The hourly staff spends a day shadowing the executives on another day, with the requirement to explain all that they face and the potential solutions to issues. Respect on both sides increases.
2. Regular (weekly or monthly) staff “talks” with a senior manager and a group of hourly staff from different departments to discuss ideas and opportunities in their hotel.
3. Regular staff meetings of the entire hotel, to share information on successes, opportunities, challenges, and trends. Two way communication jumps after the 2^nd or 3^rd session.
4. Newsletters for staff and guests alike that feature “people”. Look at Southwest Airlines for examples of success in a challenging industry.
5. Department or hotel-wide mini-celebrations that show appreciation for completing a preventative maintenance project ahead of schedule, or a perfect sell-out or reaching a particular goal.
6. The now recognized MBWA (Management by Walking Around) practice of being where the people, problems and profit come from – in the actual business, and not in the office.
7. Using breakfast or social hours as more than a give-away, but as a real communication.
8. Calling at least 3 in house guests and 3 guests from last week daily to personally thank them for their patronage and to ask for ways to make their next visit more enjoyable. The good-will is unbelievable!
9. Semi-annual “state of the hotel” communications, which formally advise the staff how things are going. Executives share the information on each of the three shifts. The recognition and appreciation is incredible.
10. Ongoing recognition programs. Associate of the Month programs are well intentioned, but have come to mean less than previously. There are incentive and appreciation programs available for staff at all levels that pay dividends through commitment and loyalty.

Many smaller hotels have certain levels of “in touch management” because of their streamlined size and because they do not have large numbers of support staff. There are many more ideas that can be used in all sizes of hotels.

We must remember to regularly reinvent ourselves and avoid doing things the way we always have because that way is easy or it used to work. Technology continues to evolve and improve, and those improvements that remove some of the people contact make the need to retain the “high touch” of hospitality more important than ever.

For more information, please visit John's TNNW Bio.

Where is your desk?

What are you doing at your hotel today?

Feel free to share an idea for a column at johnjhogan@yahoo.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements ………….

And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.

Autographed copies of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD – a COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES are available from THE ROOMS CHRONICLE www.roomschronicle.com, www.smartbizzonline.com and other industry sources.

All rights reserved by John Hogan and this column may be included in an upcoming book on hotel management. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication

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LESSONS FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: Where is your desk?

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Holiday Social Networking, Part 4

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Receive Graciously

As much as the end of the year is about giving, it is about receiving -- reaping the fruits of your labor for the year. Always acknowledge and appreciate the gift, as well as the giver of the gift. Politeness is a quality we look for, even in virtual space with all of its short-hand and speed. Be specific in your praise and gratitude – these show sincerity. Receiving graciously also paves the way for greater gifts. How? Receiving graciously completes a cycle which opens the way for a new cycle to begin. Happy New Year!


Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

For more information, please visit Patricia's TNNW Bio.






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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Holiday Social Networking, Part 4

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Holiday Social Networking, Part 3

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Give the Gift of Generosity

Lending a helping hand on social networks creates new opportunities – for friends, for motivated leads, and for referrals, especially during this very busy holiday season. Solve the “easy” problems, not the complex ones that reveal your corporate secrets. Generosity indicates caring and these small successes pave the way for bigger requests that lead to contracts and larger and more complex projects. Generosity is a powerful catalyst in social networks.

Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

For more information, please visit Patricia's TNNW Bio.






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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Holiday Social Networking, Part 3

POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Holiday Social Networking, Part 2

Power Thought of the Week with Patricia Parham, Ph.D.

Power Networking is Heart to Heart

Do you shy away from sharing personal things on your social networks? Or are you more open on-line than when meeting people face-to-face? Powerful social networks are born of relationships. The trend is for people to want to do business with people that they know. Build friendships by sharing information about you and accepting and reinforcing what others share. Then, share a little more. Give and take has a different rhythm in virtual space; still the rhythm is there and from it, friendships are born.



Patricia A. Parham
Parham Enterprises
www.parhament.com

For more information, please visit Patricia's TNNW Bio.






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POWER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Holiday Social Networking, Part 2

GO WEST!!! To Be or Just a WANNABE ?

GO WEST!!! with Christine M. West

We’ve all been invited to numerous social events professionally, personally and online. We connect with someone we want to impress in our audience. We want our audience to be impressed with who we are and have the desire to be interested enough to advance the relationship into a sale. Without realizing it, as you try so hard to get attention that you become totally unaware of the words spuing from your mouth are fraudulent dribble that lacks integrity, honor or ethic and you’re wondering how do I live up to this creation?

Yet it gets worse, the other person believes you and is searching for exactly what you described as a service and you have no clue how to walk the talk you just articulated. Without risking appearing utterly stupid and confessing to the truth you continue to toot your own horn to an expertise that you do not have. Now impressed with yourself, you up the stakes in this relationship and make the other person a client and commit yourself to delivering an image or a service you cannot possibly deliver.

Now under fiduciary responsibility, the only thing you can do to maintain this self-imagined image is to use condescending language with your client to taint their abilities and to create insecurity. And of course to secure your new expertise and to drive your client’s lack of self-confidence in even deeper, you continue to reinforce their fears with sending them mixed signals about your progress and continue to draw them in further into your personal dysfunction.

Eventually, the client expects you to deliver results. The pressure is on and you feel awkward because the only thing you sold to the client is your WANNABE image.

Now your world is closing in because in your mind telling the truth would be detrimental to your newly created reputation as a legend in your WANNABE world. And worse yet as you self-criticize for losing the opportunity gain customer satisfaction, repeat business and you suspect the client can see right through you. And now you are baffled in your own self-created-nonsense and do not know what to do.

Let’s talk about what drives this behavior and what to do.

Quite a while ago, a wise woman told me when you become great at what you do; you won’t need to try so hard to convince others of your expertise because people will know who you are by being who you are.

Many years ago this statement was extremely difficult for me to digest because I did not know what it really meant because I did not know how to honor who I really was and it was so different than my social conditioning. Our social conditioning has guided our behavior to lack honor and integrity. We have been taught to model the role we want to be and eventually we will grow into that role. By playing the WANNABE role we end up creating an image that lacks any substance and is based on deception.

Our EGO’s have been conditioned to being fed things such as constant attention, the need to be needed, the need to be better than everyone else or the need to diminish other people in order to build ourselves up to feel like a winner. When we feed the dogma of our EGO, we stop listening to others and have the need to be the continual informant with our mouths oozing dribble to hear ourselves talk. The EGO’s ideology believes in being right at all times at all costs. The more egotistical the person, the more that individual has an exaggerated sense of self-importance. That person is more interested in acting like as person of authority in subjects where they have no authority. This person wants to advise everyone how to run their lives when their life is a mess.

The EGO is divided. The EGO lives in past and in the future and has no clue about what is happening right now in the moment. When you are living as the “Being” that you really are, you walk the talk in state of wholeness which is undamaged. People are attracted to a frequency that reflects honor and integrity.

When we act with integrity, we do as we say and our values are aligned with our behaviors. We have the courage to reflect upon who we really are and know who we are not. We end up accepting ourselves where we are at and communicate from that place. When you have honor, you have the strength and discipline to unlearn unneeded habits and learn what is needed to grow into being more self actual. We become a trusted resource to ourselves and those around us.

When we come from a place of honor and integrity our words have power and authority when we communicate verbally, non verbally and in writing. People can hear your passion, confidence, truth and courage. You learn to communicate more substance with fewer words to influence your audience for their greater good instead of for self-serving purposes.

The more you are moving toward being self actual; doors of opportunity have a tendency to open easier and quicker. The more you learn to shed the compulsive impulses of your EGO, the Wannabe crowd moves further and further away and REAL people begin showing up.

Tell me, are you here to BE or are you just a WANNABE ?

Genuinely,
Christine

Author: Christine M. West, TheBusinessMD, 2240 E. Tudor Rd. #976, Anchorage, Alaska, USA 99507. Phone 1-907-223-8403. Email: info@thebusinessmd.net, http://www.businessmd.net/ http://thebusinessmd.blogspot.com/ Christine West is an industrial organizational psychology practitioner and is in private practice as TheBusinessMD which helps organizations and individuals overcome fear and explore the power of change. Ms. West is also a Featured Columnist for the National Networker http://www.thenationalnetworker.com/

For more information, please visit Christine's TNNW Bio.





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GO WEST!!! To Be or Just a WANNABE ?