BLACK AND WHITE TO YELLOW
Technicolor Teamwork
It’s funny how life mimics life—isn’t it? I mean, how many times recently have you seen a movie that was in black and white? There isn’t much in today’s world that is black and white! Yet 70 or 80 years ago, movies were in black and white—and so was much of what went on in the world! There simply was good or there was bad, or so it seemed anyway.
Since 1939 however, when a twister hit a certain farm in Kansas, everything began to change! Life turned from black and white to Technicolor! Instead, the world of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion all became complicated. Oh, and for Toto too!
Rather than having a simple farm life where cows had to be milked, eggs had to be gathered and hay had to be cut, the world changed to a complicated, dangerous, yet beautiful place where all the colors of the rainbow could be seen, and there wasn’t always easy decisions to be made. No, the dirt road that had been common had now been turned into a Yellow Brick Road, one that circled, twisted and turned, leading through to almost unimaginable adventure, conflict and challenges.
No longer were Dorothy, Hunk, Hickory and Zeke routinely going along each day doing their chores on the farm. Instead, they were thrown into a mix where if each were left to themselves, they would not have survived. But as they teamed together, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, they learned to overcome obstacles together and to succeed in whatever they had to achieve.
Using Your BRAIN
As was the case some 70, 80 or more years ago, when a traveler checked into a hotel, inn or sat down at a restaurant, service as well as life was simpler. The person at the front desk might not only check in the guest, they might also serve as the doorman, the valet, the waiter, the housekeeper as well as be the general manager! Like in OZ, the Guardian of the Gates and the Wizard, who also portrayed himself as a giant head, a beautiful woman, a ravenous beast and a ball of fire were all the same person. Therefore, teamwork wasn’t a concept to be reckoned with!
Today however, guest expectations are a little different. Clientele expect efficient service, and would like—while they are checking in, that their bags are being delivered to their room, that dinner reservations are being made, that packages and mail catch up with them immediately upon arrival, and that they obtain spa times that suit their schedule.
In short, guest expectations require teamwork, and in order
for teams to be effective, management has to give them a brain!
The old saying, “Two heads are better than one,” certainly applies here. No one can do everything, all the time, for everyone. In fact, when you really think about it, nothing gets done without teamwork. We know that work gets done through the organization. Efficient handoffs from one department to another require teamwork. So, having a team or teams of people working towards a goal is the only way to manage for success. Training and education become huge factors in whether or not your teams achieve their goals. It’s an ongoing process, it takes time, energy and money, but it also works! After all, when the Wicked Witch of the West had to have Dorothy and Toto in her clutches in order to steal the ruby slippers, she didn’t send but one flying monkey, she instead sent an entire army of winged menaces that worked together and met their challenge.
You Got To Have HEART
Teams can no longer be one dimensional. Having only “brains” will not allow teams to reach their peak performance, they must also have heart! And what is “heart” and where does it come from? It comes from the top, it comes from the Wizard! And it filters down from General Manager through management to staff. It’s empowerment, it’s attitude and it’s compassion for the job and for the guest.
Having heart means that teams finish what they start, no matter how long the shift, no matter how difficult the task. It may mean chopping through the dead wood to get to the heart of the problem. It may mean taking your turn in leading your group through a field filled with perils and pitfalls, it certainly means being able to overcome any situation for the good of the guest and for the good of the company.
Having heart (and soul) provides for passion and spirit—two elements which make up winning service cultures.
So, how do you go about making sure your departments, divisions or teams have heart? It’s not quite as easy as knocking on a Tin Man’s hollow chest and then giving him a heart-shaped watch. It does take some thought and some feeling. Leadership retreats, management workshops and customer service seminars on the subject can certainly bring out that which management needs to project and instill in their staff. Again, it’s not done overnight, but it should be done right!
Wishing For COURAGE
While receiving a medal of valor may be a reward for a courageous act, merely wishing for courage won’t get the job done. To reach your goal, you have to exhibit the courage of your convictions. You may have to “stick your head out” and take a chance or two, but courage can help teamwork in big ways. Every now and then you and your team may have to stand up for something, even if it means going against established practices. That takes courage.
Courage isn’t something that can be taught. Rather, it seems to be something that can creep up on you (if you’re not careful) or something that totally engulfs you (even if you are careful.) Management, however, can encourage courage by their reaction to situations where it has taken more than common sense, knowledge and skill to reach for a goal.
Again, in leadership retreats, management workshops and customer service seminars, standards can be analyzed, discussed, and up-dated regarding what needs to be promoted, and where the boundary lines are for staff to follow in their pursuit of achieving peak performance. Courage for your facility is in part based on your service culture. This is something that every employee should be aware of and something that should be openly discussed between staff and management. There does not seem to be only black and white here, it’s a bit more complex than that.
Reaching Your Destination
Whether you are looking for the “Emerald City” or looking to “get back to Kansas,” your destination is up to you. How you get there, however, should be a well thought out plan. Ference Leadership and Strategy can help you down that road to success. Whether it’s through Peak Performance Mindset or Center For Survey Research, or a combination of our two supporting divisions, Dr. Gene Ference and staff can help formulate a program and plan that will lead you towards your goals.
We have learned the absolute best routes to travel and learned how to “extinguish fires through the application of water,” and at the same time, help to eliminate the source of the problem. Just as when Dorothy threw a bucket of water on the Scarecrow when the Wicked Witch lit him on fire, the Scarecrow was saved and the Wicked Witch was eliminated as she melted due to being splashed with water.
And while most companies would be satisfied to stop here, this is where Ference Leadership and Strategy sees to it that the “rubber meets the road.” Or in this case, where the “ruby slippers meet the Yellow Brick Road.” Through the mediums of leadership retreats, management workshops, employee customer service seminars, staff opinion surveys or a myriad of other insightful surveys, we can help mold individuals into a formidable team that can easily traverse the Yellow Brick Road in Hi-Def Technicolor!
After all, it’s not as simple as “clicking your heels three times” to arrive at your destination. Usually, you have to go an extra step, while staying in step with your team!