Tag Archives: service

Servant Leaders

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Lighthouse

Last week in the article “The Extra Mile”, the reference “servant leader” was used to describe the general manager of a historical hotel where I had one of the most memorable service encounters of my life. So that you can see I keep my promises, let’s explore together what a servant leader typifies.

What comes to your mind as we use the term “Servant Leader?” Do you have a positive reaction to the term or do you believe it describes someone with weak qualities? I have found some of the individuals in my life who are my heroes, own this time-honored and obtainable, guiding value. To be a Servant Leader you recognize those whom you serve are the most valuable asset to your organization. Your job is to enable those you oversee or lead to be able to do their job to the highest degree.

Servant Leaders have many attributes. Some of the most important attributes they have is the ability to inspire, lift and empower those they lead. I love the word inspire. This word means to give breath or life. Think back with me on those who have inspired you the most throughout your life. Hope this brings a smile to your face. These individuals are willing to put others ahead of themselves. They understand if we seek each other’s interest we all prosper rather than just the individual.

Perhaps you are trying to learn how to be a Servant Leader but are afraid you are giving up control. The highest form of control is self-control. When you exercise self-control, you have the ability to determine how you will react in any given situation. Let me share with you an experience by Frank Koch from The Naval Institute magazine, “Proceedings.”

Two battleships had been on training assignments at sea for several days in extreme weather conditions. Frank Koch was serving on the lead battleship and was standing watch on the bridge as nightfall came. Due to poor visibility and patchy fog the captain remained on the bridge overseeing all the activities.

Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, “Light, bearing on the starboard bow.” The captain asked, “Is it steady or moving astern?” Lookout replied, “Steady, captain,” which meant we were on a collision course with the other ship. The captain then ordered the signalman, “signal that ship: we are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.” Back came a signal, “advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.” The captain said, “I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.” “I’m a seaman second class,” came the reply. “You had better change course 20 degrees.” By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, “I’m a battleship. Change course 20 degrees.” Back came the flashing light, “I’m a lighthouse.” The battleship changed course.

Lighthouses don’t move. Guided by principles and laws. We have the privilege of developing qualities. By following guiding principles if developed from our conscience, will not run us to dry ground.

We can become the type of individuals who will inspire others to be the best they can be and provide exceptional service. The more you practice following your conscience the stronger it will become. The result will be one of pleasure and prosperity throughout all areas of your life. True joy comes from positive interactions with others. May you have the courage to listen and obey your conscience throughout your life and to be able to teach others to do the same.

The Extra Mile

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The Extra Mile

The Extra Mile

A colleague and I were meeting in my office and he made a comment about a plaque hanging on the wall. This plaque has a doorknob protruding out from it and he asked what the story was behind the doorknob. This question brought a smile to my face as I recounted to him why and how I was presented with this honor.

This doorknob is a relic from a historical hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. The beautiful hotel hosted several past United States presidents and Hollywood actors such as Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, The Beatles, and a multitude of others throughout the years. The reason they gave me this beautiful recognition plaque was because I was involved in bringing a new revenue stream to their already successful organization.

As I shared this story, my memory was reignited about the incredible service our group received while staying there. It all started when I entered my suite.

The General Manager would be labeled today as a “Servant Leader.” We will cover that term and what it all entails in next week’s issue. As I entered my suite after a long travel day, he was actually doing some last minute touch-up vacuuming and overseeing my arrival.

In all the travel that I have done throughout my years, this was a first! We soon came to understand that this was not a first for him or this organization. At every turn whenever we needed something they delivered, and if they could not deliver they would let us know and offer alternatives. He especially was very good at anticipating our needs. While discussing logistics on a daily basis he would hover closely and really listen to what we were saying to see if his organization could go the extra mile.

That week was one of the most enjoyable experiences in my professional life. The entire organization was courteous, respectful and discreet as they performed their individual roles. It made me contemplate how they made this a part of their culture and how they instilled in new employees this value of great service.

It obviously started at the top and was expected of everyone in his or her respective role. I asked this General Manager about how they handled those who did not comply. He told me they exercised discipline with their performance evaluation and feedback system. Individuals were warned and if the expectation was not met they were fired. I have often thought back on that conversation.

What can you take away from this experience? I learned that if I expect certain behaviors from those individuals in my life that I lead, whether it is professionally or personally, I must set the tone and the example. We can also take away that discipline is key to success. How often do we let things go or rationalize people’s behavior? Perhaps if we start expecting exceptional service we will start to see that happening time and time again in our lives.

Is it hard to go the extra mile? Not really, if you expend just a little more effort, the rewards could potentially be tripled, if not more. Others may or may not see your efforts, but deep inside you will know that you were true to your internal compass. That will breed happiness and peace throughout your life. May you have the courage to push yourself to go the extra mile and enjoy the results of your labors!

Service and Chopsticks

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What do chopsticks have to do with service? Chopsticks

Last week we explored elements of a positive service experience for both the giver and the receiver. Today I was pondering how you would teach good service to an employee or an individual that you are trying to mentor even if that person has never good experienced service before.

It would be hard for them to deliver exceptional service if they had not experienced exceptional service before. They would not know what to do when confronted with the different types of service scenarios that could occur, so there would be a disconnect or missing link for that individual.

One great way of teaching is leading by example. One way to get your students to learn is to get them to teach you. While eating lunch with chopsticks one day I was contemplating this learning by teaching and it reminded me of a personal experience when I thought I would never be able to learn, as I had instructor after instructor try to teach me.

The story goes like this – I was raised on an Idaho farm and ranch. I spent my summer competing in rodeo events, driving cattle and pulling weeds in the sugar beet fields. Eating out was a true luxury because the nearest town was a good distance away and I have five brothers and two sisters. When we did eat out, it was typically a hamburger stand.

On very special occasions my parents would go to a Chinese restaurant that was 50 miles away. A few of us kids got to attend a couple of those occasions and because I was naïve to the tastes of different ethic foods, I always opted for the one “American” dish on the menu. After one of those dinners, I remember my Mom serving some of the leftovers and I thought I would try a bite and you guessed it, I was hooked! Oriental food and all its varieties now happen to be one of my favorite foods. I love to cook them, smell them, and lastly eat them!

As I moved away from home and started my adult life I was traveling all over the country and when I would have oriental food the people I was with or the wait staff at the restaurant would try to teach me how to use chopsticks. This went on for twelve years. Every new person that I had oriental food with would try to teach me their way of using chopsticks.

One evening I was dining alone and sitting at a Sushi Bar and got into a conversation with a gentleman about chopsticks, he said: “Linda, just pick them up in your hand, don’t think about it, and practice picking up the larger pieces.” I tried, missed, tried several more times and finally as time went on, I was eating with chopsticks and today can even pick up a grain of rice.

What does this teach us? First off, when you have experienced something that someone is trying to teach you, and you try their way exactly you may not ever get it right. You may find that with applying your own unique style, your outcome is the same or perhaps better when a variation on the skill was implemented. Also, we learn that we each are given innate hardware.

Even if we have never experienced great service in our lives, the ability to give great service can be learned and can be delivered with our own style and signature. The best way to learn something is to teach it – so with those you lead or have stewardship over get them to teach you what great service is to them and they will deliver far above your expectations.

We are born with a birthright to succeed that applies to giving great service and even learning how to use chopsticks!