Dear Ritz-Carlton: How do managers at The Ritz-Carlton connect with employees? Answer from Jeff Hargett, Senior Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: There is a difference between Management and Leadership: "Things" (budgets, invoices, scheduling, reports) are managed behind a desk in an office. People are led. Therefore, in order for leaders to best connect with their staff, they need to be in the mix with their team. One of the characteristics of Emotional Intelligence is Social Skills. Leaders need to develop these skills by interacting with their direct reports so that there is a strong teamwork atmosphere. We call it "Lateral Service." The leaders from various departments at The Ritz-Carlton can be found in the Heart of the House helping to prep for a banquet or up on the floors stripping dirty linens when there is a "tight-turn." These opportunities build great connections and camaraderie among the staff. As for remote employees, leaders can’t limit their connections to just emails. A phone call out of the blue to "check in" can work wonders. Managers should make connecting with employees a priority. ∞ On Monday, April 13, 2015, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center presents "Your Journey to Service Excellence," The Ritz-Carlton approach to legendary service, employee engagement and a customer-centric culture. This special Symposium takes place at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. Learn more about the keynote speaker, the presentation speakers, and the members of The Ritz-Carlton Executive Panel. The Blog Post Dear Ritz-Carlton: Managers Connecting with Employees appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Dear Ritz-Carlton: How much of The Ritz-Carlton service excellence "traits" are taught versus already exist in the people you hire? The above question is from an attendee at "Symposium: Your Journey to Service Excellence" in April. Answer from Alexandra Valentin, Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center:   Service excellence traits set top performers apart from bottom performers. But are these traits innate? Are they part of a person’s DNA? According to experts, service excellence traits can be taught. Author Matthew Syed states in his book Bounce: The Myth of Talent and the Power of Practice that "The evidence shows that some kids start out better than others, whether at math, English, golf, whatever. But, the key point is that, as the number of hours devoted to practice escalates, so the relevance of these initial differences melts away. Why? Because, over time, and with the right kind of practice, we change so much." Practicing excellence begins early in life. Parents and mentors teach us principles, stress good character and help us mold and refine our values. Ideally, we each grow up with role models that enable us to practice excellence. When we measure talent at The Ritz-Carlton, we’re looking for those innate talents that have been practiced and honed throughout a lifetime, and then we build on those talents and continue to develop them. Part of our Employee Promise is "By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment, we nurture and maximize talent to the benefit of each individual and the company." The Ritz-Carlton believes in service excellence training and dedicates more than 250 hours to practice annually—including a daily practice every day. Practice doesn’t create perfection, but it certainly creates service excellence traits. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence." The day includes a keynote speaker, a Q&A session with The Ritz-Carlton executive panel, an optional networking reception and presentations about legendary service, employee engagement and a customer-centric culture. The Blog Post Dear Ritz-Carlton: Service Excellence Training or Hiring? appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

We are pleased to announce that on November 12, 2015, Herve Humler, President & Chief Operations Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. will be participating on The Ritz-Carlton Executive Panel at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center’s Symposium: Your Journey to Service Excellence at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. Other panelists include Leeny Oberg, Chief Financial Officer; Lisa Holladay, Vice President, Global Brand Marketing; Edward French, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer; and Sue Stephenson (@RitzCarltonCSR), Vice President of Community Footprints. This full-day event will offer various learning opportunities, including building and sustaining a corporate culture, understanding what drives passion in employees and a closer look at how The Ritz-Carlton turns each guest interaction into a memorable moment. Keynote speaker Steve Gutzler (@SteveGutzler), President of Leadership Quest, a Leadership Development Company, will speak on Emotional Intelligence for Extraordinary Leadership. Steve possesses an exceptional ability to communicate clear leadership and business/sales solutions with humor, clarity and insight. To learn more about the Symposium, watch the video and hear what our past attendees have to say about the event. We hope you will take advantage of the early-bird rate by registering and paying before September 1, 2015. The Symposium is limited to 200 attendees, allowing for intimate presentations and enhanced opportunities to network, including a breakfast, lunch and dedicated reception. ∞   The Blog Post Your Journey to Service Excellence appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

"Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him." - Booker T. Washington, American Educator, Author, Speaker, and Advisor The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: Leaders have many tools they can use to help the individuals on their teams succeed. However, empowering your employees is one of the most impactful ways to demonstrate that you trust them. When you empower employees to make decisions without asking for managerial approval, you’re trusting them to make the best choices for your organization. The Ritz-Carlton has built a culture of empowerment and gives our employees—known as our Ladies and Gentlemen—the resources to take care of our guests. After all, the customer experience is in the hands of our Ladies and Gentlemen. Empowering our Ladies and Gentlemen not only shows that they are trusted, but also enables them to spontaneously create memories for our guests that stay with them long after they leave. ∞ The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center offers advisory services, courses and presentations to organizations that wish to benchmark the award-winning business practices of The Ritz-Carlton.  The Blog Post Inspired Thinking: Empowerment and Trust appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Culture change expert Dr. John Kotter stated in an interview that "70% of all organizational change efforts fail, and one reason for this is executives simply don’t get enough buy-in, from enough people, for their initiatives and ideas." Securing buy-in from most of your employees will require extra effort. However, you increase the odds of your success if you take the time to engage employees in your change management plans. Convincing Your Employees If your organization decides to move forward with culture change or other change initiatives, you will have employees who will welcome the shift, but you also will have to win over these types of employees: the tenured employees who have seen change initiatives fail in the past the negative employees who tend to forecast doom and gloom even when the sun is shining the "I told you so" employees who feel they are smarter than the decision-makers the "I hate change" employees who are more comfortable sticking with the status quo the "does this mean more work?" employees who are already feeling overwhelmed the "last-minute" employees who don’t want to jump on the train until it’s leaving the station Embracing everyone in your organization won’t be easy, but here are seven strategies that can help your staff feel more secure throughout this time of transition. 1) Solicit Buy-In Prior to Launch At The Ritz-Carlton, one of our Service Values is: "I’m involved in the planning of the work that affects me." This means that major decisions should not be made in private, executive meetings and then simply announced to employees. As you begin making plans, consider holding focus groups or taking surveys and soliciting employee opinion. An organization had to make a decision that they knew many employees wouldn’t like. They decided to hold focus groups with key stakeholders—even though management felt this wouldn’t change the ultimate decision. The focus groups provided the opportunity for stakeholders to share concerns and for leaders to explain the reasons the change was needed. In the end, management made the unpopular choice. However, because they’d had a chance to give input prior to the decision, the key stakeholders were not only more receptive, but also helped minimize the concerns of their colleagues. In addition, management was able to address several of the concerns brought out in the focus groups, and this showed employees that leaders were listening. The decision—while still disappointing to many—was embraced without protest. 2) Communicate Consistently It’s likely there will be some confusion during a change process. Employees may feel disoriented as your organization lets go of old processes and embraces new procedures. In order to help your staff feel more comfortable, make sure to communicate with them often. Think of your organization as a sailboat, and you’re simply changing your course. When you turn your boat, the sails often luff or flap as they adjust to the shifting winds. As captain, you can keep your crew from panicking by reassuring them you’re headed in the right direction. Employees will feel safer knowing that someone is at the helm. 3) Lead by Example It is vital that your senior leaders model any change initiatives for your employees. If your senior leaders do not "walk their talk," employees will quickly stop trying as well. Your staff will think, "Why should I make these extra efforts if the people running the organization aren’t bothering?" Leaders who don’t back up their words with actions lose employee trust. A change initiative requires a team effort, and management should be fostering trust and leading their teams. Senior leaders can introduce a change process, but it’s their active participation that demonstrates the organization’s commitment to change. 4) Reinforce and Remind It’s natural to want to see immediate results, but it may take time for employees to catch-on to new methods. William Bridges notes in his seminal book, Managing Transitions, that employees will need to go through a psychological transition. He asserts that "when a change happens without people going through a transition, it is just a rearrangement of the chairs. It’s what people mean when they say, ‘Just because everything has changed, don’t think that anything is different around here.’" Your organization needs to give employees time to psychologically adjust and absorb the new processes—while also ensuring that employees don’t hold on to old methods too long. Meetings, training sessions and written standard operating procedures (SOPs) can help reinforce changes. At The Ritz-Carlton, our culture is reinforced through a daily meeting called "Line-Up." These meetings take place at the beginning of every shift at every Ritz-Carlton hotel around the world. Each day this line-up meeting focuses on one aspect of our Gold Standards and gives employees a chance to share how they have enlivened the culture. 5) Establish Accountability If you do not enforce following new methods and procedures, your employees might be tempted to slip into old patterns. Accountability often can be established through metrics and reports, but leadership may also need to check in with employees more frequently when launching new initiatives. This can be handled through one-on-one meetings or through smaller team meetings. The advantage of team meetings is that there’s an element of collaboration—the idea that we are in this together. But there’s also an element of peer pressure—if everyone else is committed to change, then even your change resisters will feel pressure to conform to the crowd. You have to be careful when establish accountability because you don’t want to create an environment where employees are being asked to police each other or where your staff feels like Big Brother is watching over them. On the other hand, remember that people are creatures of habit—habits make up 40% of our daily activities—and some monitoring may be necessary. 6) Invite Employee Feedback As you’re going through your change process, make sure there’s a channel for employees to offer feedback. There are several ways this can be accomplished: an employee suggestion box employee surveys at key checkpoints town meetings where employee feedback is encouraged, responded to and recorded an open-door policy by senior leadership When you give employees an outlet for their concerns, they have a proactive way to express themselves—rather than complaining, venting and grumbling behind closed doors. They’ll also feel that they have a voice and are a valued part of the change initiative. 7) Measure & Celebrate Progress When you have a big goal ahead of you, it’s easy to feel like you’re not making enough progress or that you may never make it to the finish line. To prevent feelings of defeat, it’s important to measure your progress. Establish key metrics right from the start, and let your team know what the goals are. Consider creating signage or a digital dashboard that keeps your employees informed of progress. This kind of transparency will allow staff to see that their efforts toward change are making a difference. In addition, this focus on metrics will create a feeling of teamwork and will squelch rumors and speculation on your organization’s chances for success. It’s also important to celebrate incremental successes along the way. Small celebrations will renew your staff and reward them for their efforts. For example, if part of your goal is to raise your HCAHP (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) or Net Promoter Score, why not have mini-celebrations as your score begins to improve? Think of these smaller celebrations as a cup of cold water along your marathon route. Emphasize the Positive Tackling a change initiative can be daunting, but try to focus on the end results. You can even try to make the process fun by giving it a theme. At The Ritz-Carlton, when the sales team participates in an annual thank-a-thon, the event includes costumes, treats and motivational videos. Just because a project is hard work—doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable. Keeping your teams focused on the benefits and outcomes will help everyone think beyond the day-to-day challenges and remember the purpose of committing to change. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence." The day includes a keynote speaker, a Q&A session with The Ritz-Carlton executive panel, an optional networking reception and presentations about legendary service, employee engagement and developing a customer-centric culture. The Blog Post 7 Ways to Engage Employees in Change Management appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

The following is a guest post by Steve Gutzler. Steve is a published author on leadership and Emotional Intelligence. He has also delivered over 2,500 presentations and will be the keynote speaker at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center’s symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence," in November. Great leaders inspire us. They ignite the best version of ourselves. Most importantly, they motivate us to accomplish our best work and they make us feel important. A leader who is capable of that inspiration and motivation has a high degree of Emotional Intelligence. Here are the basic competencies: Emotional Self-awareness - Leaders with high self-awareness are attuned to their inner signals, recognizing how their feelings and moods affect them and those they interact with daily. Self-confidence - Self-confident leaders take on challenging assignments. They possess a sense of presence, poise and self-assurance. Emotional Self-management - Leaders with emotional self-control find ways to manage their challenging emotions and impulses. Staying calm and clear-headed is a hallmark of a great leader. Transparency - Leaders who are transparent communicate their values and live them. They are open about their feelings, beliefs and choices. They are leaders who can admit fault, apologize… and move forward. Optimism - A leader with optimism can quickly shift from a problem and convert it into a challenge to be solved. They see life through the lens of possibility and positivity. They believe the future can and will be brighter. Developing Others - Leaders who are adept at cultivating abilities show a genuine interest in the success of others. They ask about their goals, strengths, what they enjoy. These leaders provide constructive feedback and lift the vision of those around them to see the next level of what’s possible. Working with leaders, I find the number one enemy to personal leadership effectiveness is their ability to manage their emotions. This is a challenge because of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is released in response to fear, anxiety and stress by the adrenal glands as part of the fight or flight mechanism. Once you feel threatened or "emotionally hijacked," the alarm to release cortisol has sounded and your body becomes mobilized and ready for action. Cortisol levels build up in the blood, which wrecks havoc on the rational mind and physical body, often leading to missteps and over-reactions. Leaders who fail to emotionally self-manage these moments can sabotage their best efforts and put at risk key relationships with team members and even their clients, affecting their bottom-line results. I’ve worked hard over the past several years to partner one-on-one with leaders and teams to ensure they play at their best and remain smart during stressful encounters and challenging relationships. To excel in your field and become an emotionally intelligent leader, practice these four tips: 1. Make a strong first impression Smile sincerely Have extraordinary eye-contact Take genuine interest in others immediately Greet others with warmth, charm and ease 2. Lead the conversation toward their world not yours Enter conversations by asking sincere questions Treat them like the VIP they are Ask follow up questions rather than "one-up" them with your opinions or stories 3. Affirm their stories and actions Affirm their ideas and working solutions Affirm their unique personal drive Affirm their progress… point it out Affirm what’s working, shine a light on it 4. Work daily to self-manage your emotions Learn the power of not responding immediately Understand that emotional hijacking can last 18-20 minutes, take time to breathe Learn to disengage so you can re-engage more powerfully Don’t treat yourself like a machine - take rest and recovery seriously The highest performing leaders work to improve their Emotional Intelligence skills daily. Which tip will you choose to boost and improve relationships and connections with others this week? ∞ Sign-up by September 1st and take advantage of the early-bird rate for The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center’s one-day symposium, "Your Journey to Service Excellence," on November 12th.  The Blog Post What Does it Take to be an Emotionally Intelligent Leader? appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Imagine if every person acted like a lady or gentleman…. Engagement Tip: Ladies and gentlemen are respectful when working as part of a team. Fostering a respectful work environment impacts your employee engagement as well as your customer/patient experience. At The Ritz-Carlton, our Employee Promise states that we will apply "the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment." These qualities are the foundation of our workplace and apply to all relationships—manager to employee, colleague to colleague and customer to employee. We show our respect by valuing each person’s background, ideas, time and privacy, and our Gold Standards enforce these habits. One of our Service Values charges us to "create a work environment of teamwork and lateral service so that the needs of our guests and each other are met." This service value ensures that we are open and willing to offer support to colleagues. In order to nurture an atmosphere of collaboration, every member of the team should feel appreciated for his or her contribution. For more ideas on building respectful teams, review our list of "DOs and DON’Ts for Excellent Teamwork." ∞ The motto of The Ritz-Carlton is "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen." This motto sets a tone of goodwill and grace for all. The Blog Post Etiquette & Engagement: Respectful Teamwork appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

In the United States, medical errors cost $17 billion to $29 billion per year. (source) Advice from Alexandra Valentin, Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: If there is one thing we all have in common, it is the fact that we are all patients at some point. As patients, we rely on the competency as well as the genuine care from healthcare providers. However, as physician Brian Goldman points out in his TedTalk, doctors make mistakes—just like everyone else in the world. We can now search the Internet and find out which healthcare professionals and organizations have the least amount of errors, and the accessibility of this information has created greater awareness of patient experience and safety. Dr. A. E. Joiner, a celebrated orthopaedic surgeon from Alabama, credits his success to having a second opinion from another doctor, limiting his case load, treating people really well and getting to know them before and after surgery. At The Ritz-Carlton, we believe that a strong culture of service excellence can lead to a reduction of errors, as well as a reduction of complications. One of our Service Values stresses our commitment to "creating a safe and accident-free environment," and like Dr. Joiner, we feel that genuine engagement with the people you are serving can greatly impact your outcomes. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium on November 12th. Take advantage of the early-bird rate and sign-up by September 1st. The day includes a Ritz-Carlton executive panel with Herve Humler, president & chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. The Blog Post Significant Stat: Medical Errors appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Connecting with customers or patients requires more than basic chitchat. Discussing the weather or the latest sporting event may be a good way to start a conversation, but these universal topics should serve as a gateway to more meaningful interaction. The art of true customer or patient engagement requires asking questions and taking time to learn about your customer or patient. In addition, you must also listen and respond appropriately. Your actions—even more than your words—will show genuine customer or patient care. In the following guest story, the Personal Assistant to the hotel General Manager makes an effort to not only engage with guests, but she listens and acts. Speaking Your Customer’s Language A Polish couple arrived at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, in Oman. They were surprised to find a welcome card written in Polish. The Personal Assistant to the hotel General Manager is the only Polish employee at the hotel, and whenever she identifies Polish guests, she creates a custom welcome card and encloses her business card. The couple was very excited to meet the Personal Assistant, and they called her immediately to have a conversation in their native tongue. During the conversation, the Personal Assistant found out that the purpose of the couple’s visit was to celebrate the wife’s birthday. The couple also mentioned how much they missed their children and grandchildren. The Personal Assistant wondered if she could find a way to remind the guests of their family. She discovered that the couple’s children had previously stayed at another Ritz-Carlton hotel, and she was able to reach out to the son. She asked the son if he would be willing to create a video of his family wishing his mother a happy birthday. The son loved the idea and quickly recorded the video and sent it to the Personal Assistant. Meeting Expressed and Unexpressed Wishes On the wife’s birthday, while the couple was at the beach, the Personal Assistant decorated the room with flowers. She also set out a cake with "Happy Birthday" written in Polish and a birthday card with well wishes in the native languages of the Ladies and Gentlemen (employees) of the hotel. Then, the Personal Assistant set up the video to play on the TV and put a small note next to the remote control that read, "Press play, please!" As soon as the guests entered the room they noticed the TV was on, and they watched the video. They were overwhelmed and immediately sought out the Personal Assistant to thank her. They told her how thrilled they were and wondered how she managed to pull off such a feat. When the couple returned home to Poland, they sent the Personal Assistant an email thanking her for the memorable birthday celebration. Listening and Customer Service When your organization creates a service excellence culture, then your employees will adopt a service excellence mentality. Employees will understand the importance of not only engaging with your customers or patients, but they will turn their active listening skills into effective actions. When this happens, your customers and patients will experience unique, memorable and personal moments, and those moments will lead to loyalty and positive word-of-mouth. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium on November 12th. Take advantage of the early-bird rate and sign-up by September 1st. The day includes a Ritz-Carlton executive panel with Herve Humler, president & chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. The Blog Post Guest Story: Listening and Customer Service appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Imagine if every person acted like a lady or gentleman…. Engagement Tip: Ladies and gentlemen are good-natured when expressing themselves. Your colleagues, customers and patients do not want to be growled at, snapped at, snarled at or spoken to in an off-putting manner. There may be times when you disagree with your colleagues, your customers are annoying you or your patients are not cooperating. There will probably be days when you’re facing personal challenges, or everything seems to be falling apart at once. No matter the circumstances—your attitude and words should remain gracious, and you should maintain a positive disposition. Infusing kindness into each customer interaction maximizes your ability to build genuine customer relationships. This applies if you are a doctor with patients, a banker with clients or a property manager with residents, and it applies to your interactions with your co-workers as well. Ensuring your words, expression and tone are genuinely warm and welcoming will make you a better colleague and will contribute toward memorable and positive customer experiences. ∞ The motto of The Ritz-Carlton is "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen." This motto sets a tone of goodwill and grace for all. The Blog Post Etiquette & Engagement: Positive Disposition appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

73% of consumers say friendly employees or customer service representatives can make them fall in love with a brand. (source) Advice from Jennifer Blackmon, Corporate Director, Culture Transformation at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center: Every person that works in your organization is a direct reflection of your organization. Customers do no delineate between them (the employee) and you (the employer). And when customers are deciding where and when to spend their money, there is no more significant time to be putting your best foot forward. Unfortunately for many of us, this "moment of truth" is lost as employees are mindlessly going through the motions, internally focused on their own problems or deliberately being rude to get back at somebody for something. Employees need a daily reminder of what their core responsibility is—and that is to serve others. Regardless of role or title, we are all working to serve someone and that needs to be at the forefront of everything we do. The Ritz-Carlton daily reminder is known as line-up and it focuses every employee in on our core responsibility, and the role we play in representing the brand. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium on November 12th. The day includes a Ritz-Carlton executive panel with Herve Humler, president & chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. The Blog Post Significant Stat: Friendly Employees appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Great leaders know how to effectively motivate their employees, but knowing how to motivate employees and finding the time to do it aren’t simple tasks. Organizations that have motivated and engaged employees are typically 21% more productive and 22% more profitable. Yet, while 90% of business leaders think an engagement strategy has an impact on business success, barely 25% of them have a strategy. Here are five ways that could help motivate your team, create a happier work environment and increase productivity. 1. Share the Organizational Vision When employees identify themselves solely by their job function and day-to-day tasks, they are looking at their role in your organization through a small lens. They may not see how their efforts impact the success of your organization as a whole, and consequently, they may not feel as motivated to give their very best. Barry Schwartz, a professor of psychology at Swarthmore College, points out in his article in The New York Times that "most of all, we want work that is meaningful — that makes a difference to other people and thus ennobles us in at least some small way." Leaders must show employees a bigger picture—a sense of purpose. At The Ritz-Carlton, our highest mission is to provide "genuine care and comfort of our guests." The employees of The Ritz-Carlton—known as our Ladies and Gentlemen—know that whether their job is to clean rooms, clean dishes or calculate payroll, their purpose is the same. This greater purpose is emphasized through our Gold Standards and enlivened through Daily Line-Up. 2. Make People Feel Appreciated One of the greatest needs we have is to be appreciated. Author Victor Lippman notes that feeling valued at work "can be a difference maker, at times allowing employees to accept lower compensation, or longer hours, or the inevitable frustrations that accompany difficult tasks." Valuing the contribution of our Ladies and Gentlemen is an important part of The Ritz-Carlton culture. Our Employee Promise recognizes that "our Ladies and Gentlemen are the most important resource in our service commitment to our guests." When Herve Humler, President and Chief Operations Officer at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., goes to the openings of new hotels, he says to the Ladies and Gentlemen, "I’m the president of the company, and I’m a very important person." Then he tells them, "But you are more important than I am. If I run the best hospitality company in the world, it’s only because of what you do." When leaders recognize the contributions of employees, they will feel more valued and appreciated. 3. Encourage Innovation and Improvement When you rally all of your employees to help your organization improve, then not only will your organization benefit, but your employees will be more engaged in your operation. They will no longer be passive spectators on the sidelines—instead they will be active participants and contributors. One of the Service Values at The Ritz-Carlton states "I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve The Ritz-Carlton experience." One way The Ritz-Carlton fosters a collaborative culture is through a platform referred to as Lions Share. Lions Share is the repository of ideas for improvement and innovation from all hotels around the world. 4. Offer Learning Opportunities Giving employees the chance to learn new things will prevent them from feeling stagnant. Along with providing stimulation, learning new skills has an additional benefit. It keeps your employees up-to-date and relevant. An article in The Washington Post points out, "With today’s more complex business environment, learning is not just a nice thing to do — it is essential for staying on top of things." The Ritz-Carlton culture promotes learning through an annual personal development plan. In addition, Ladies and Gentlemen can fulfill the Service Value "I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow" by receiving training through onboarding, mentoring, lateral service, cross training or online and in-person courses. 5. Celebrate Each Success Often we are so focused on an overall goal that we may forget to celebrate the milestones on the way to success. Even the smallest team achievements are worthy of celebration. It helps your employees and your teams to recognize progress. It gives them evidence that their work is making an impact, and by recognizing even small improvements you’re showing your team that their work is valued. Taking the time to applaud improvements can refresh and revitalize your staff. At The Ritz-Carlton, we celebrate the contributions of others through First Class cards. These 4" by 5" cards are handwritten "thank you" notes typically given from any employee to any other employee, group of employees or department for exemplary or outstanding actions that go above and beyond expectations and standards. Employees often display their First Class cards, and this serves as a visual reminder of The Ritz-Carlton culture of recognition. Motivate Your Team Through Organizational Culture Employee motivation is not something that can be easily remedied by adding a few perks. In an interview, David Ulrich, a business professor at University of Michigan and co-author of The Why of Work, noted that "A leader can let you bring your parrot to work or give you a gift certificate but, as isolated events, they don’t change much. Leaders need to recognize that offering meaningful work has to become an integral part of the culture of their organizations. Out of that will flow a deeper and longer commitment." By integrating motivational techniques into your organizational culture, you’re implementing a sustainable, engagement strategy that will have a lasting impact on your employees’ happiness and on the success of your organization. ∞ Join us for a one-day symposium on November 12th. Take advantage of the early-bird rate and sign-up by September 1st. The day includes a Ritz-Carlton executive panel with Herve Humler, president & chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. The Blog Post Five Effective Ways to Motivate Your Team appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Imagine if every person acted like a lady or gentleman…. Engagement Tip: Ladies and gentlemen are humble when in a leadership role. Becoming a leader is not an easy task. People who end up in leadership roles have often worked long hours and devoted extra attention and energy to their jobs. They have earned their positions at the top, and they should be proud of their accomplishments. However, this pride of achievement shouldn’t shut out an appreciation for the past support of others. Herve Humler, President & Chief Operations Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., noted in an interview that "You have to remember where you came from. Someone gave you this opportunity, and you have to give opportunities to others." The humble leader realizes that people have contributed to his or her success and recognizes the importance of all involved. In addition, leaders need to have an appreciation for the ideas and accomplishments of their employees. Bob Kharazmi, Global Officer, Worldwide Operations at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., listed humility as one of the most important qualities of leadership. He said, "You have to have humility and give credit where credit is due. People will respect and care for you more. You need to be in the heart of soul of your people rather than creating an environment where they are intimidated." Humble leaders earn respect and loyalty by celebrating and acknowledging the value of every employee. ∞ The motto of The Ritz-Carlton is "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen." This motto sets a tone of goodwill and grace for all. The Blog Post Etiquette & Engagement: Humble Leadership appeared first on The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

      It’s Panelpicking time for SXSW Interactive, Film, and Music!  Houndstooth’s David Crumley will participate in a panel with Alamo Drafthouse on Interactive Screenings, Cinematic Parties, and events. But he’ll only get to if you vote. Community voting and comments for SXSW 2013 runs from August 13 through August 31, and programming will be announced 15 October. Check out the description of David’s panel and vote here. We’d love to see you there!

When we think about mobile learning, we often limit our design strategies to experiences delivered via smartphones and tablets. However the future of mobile is wearable technology, including glasses, watches, and more. What types of learning experiences could we create for wearable devices? On July 17, I’ll be presenting a webinar for the eLearning Guild about wearable technology. The devices that I’ll highlight in the session aren’t quite ready for prime time and, in most cases, we’ve only seen a first iteration of each form factor. However, in five to seven years, wearable tech will be common and mobile-learning solutions will be delivered on more than just phones and tablets. By imagining the wearable devices of the future, we can stay ahead of the curve as instructional designers and developers. So join me. Visit the event page to register. The post Mobile Learning’s Wearable Future appeared first on Enspire.

Enspire is pleased to announce that it has been named as a Top 20 Gamification Company by TrainingIndustry.com.  "We’re delighted to be chosen as one of Training Industry’s Top 20 Gamification Companies," said Enspire Director of Games and Simulations Robert Bell. "We know this acknowledges the pioneering learning game and sim experiences Enspire has developed over the past 13 years, and is a reflection of the great work that we continue to produce today." In developing its list Training Industry evaluated companies on: Features and capabilities of the gamification products/services Company size and growth potential Quality and number of clients/users Geographic reach Awards, recognition, and competitive differentiation A leading developer of globally-deployed learning solutions, Enspire was founded in 2001 by Bjorn Billhardt. While maintaining its strong presence in the leadership development space Enspire has diversified to develop online and blended programs for internal and consumer audiences, as well as solutions for non-profit organizations and museums. The post Enspire named Top 20 Gamification company appeared first on Enspire.

SXSW: Vote Enspire and Houndstooth! Storytelling has been the buzz phrase for the past few years, and it’s truly a valuable medium. But while we’ve crafted the idea of perfect storytelling, have we crafted for the best audience experience? In this session we’ll present contemporary, effective ways to create a unique audience experience. Whether it’s low-budget engagements for the boutique startup or a higher-budget full technology immersion, your audience wants to have a feel and sensation from your story that becomes an experience to them. Together we can move audiences from passive to participatory. But only if we get your vote! Cast yours at: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/56667#sthash.UlZb6L9G.dpuf The post SXSW: Vote Enspire! appeared first on Enspire.

In Crisis of Character, Peter Firestein asserts that building a strong corporate reputation that is rooted in core values and is cultivated throughout the organizational structure provides the key to long-term sustainability in today’s business world. Organizations which have clearly defined their core values, and have created practices which support those values, are less likely to fall prey to unethical and illegal practices which lead to scandal and even to business collapse. As a guide, Firestein provides strategies grounded in practical data from leaders and companies to guide leaders in creating organizational cultures which promote ethical and successful business practices. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here.

In the December issue of T+D, the article "Six Trends That Will Change Workplace Learning Forever" discusses the increased use of mobile devices in learning. The article cites an IBM study published in January 2010 that defines the two main reasons for mobile phone use as 1) in-field performance support and 2) access to just-in-time information that is specific to a project or task. However, the more important reason for adoption of mobile learning solutions is due to demand: The need to make social media and mobile learning a part of the workplace to attract, engage, and retain the younger generations is forcing learning professionals to explore new and innovative ways to deliver learning on these inexpensive devices, anytime and anywhere. The advertising battle between Apple, Android, and BlackBerry emphasizes the enormous growth and advancement of the mobile marketplace. Phones, netbooks, laptops, and tablets are all growing in popularity as consumers and the workforce desire greater mobility in their daily lives. While the Millennials are probably the greatest proponent of mobile technology, it has been adopted by everyone due to the format’s flexibility, timeliness, and utility. Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2015, more users will connect to the Internet via mobile devices than by desktop PC. This means learning organization will have to design learning solutions that will work for the new, constantly-moving learning environment of its users. The day is coming when on-demand, anytime, anywhere learning will be the norm, and that day is not far off.

In The Mobile Learning Edge, author Gary Woodill defines mobile learning as a personalized form of learning that takes place on a mobile electronic device. It allows for speedy communication, it is portable and convenient, it creates active learning experiences, and it allows for learning connectivity at any time and in any location. The content taught in mobile learning is also more likely to be retained because it is learned when the student wants to learn; because the student is actively seeking to learn, the information taught is more likely to be relevant and useful to the learner. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Tailored Learning, Managing the Mobile Workforce, The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning

Many people believe that permanently changing their habits is difficult, if not impossible. However, through behavior change, it is possible to significantly improve results in many different areas of life. In Change Anything, Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler explain the science behind personal change, and define the steps that anyone can take to increase chances for success when attempting to transform their careers, health, financial situations, relationships, and more. To download three free summaries, please visit our site. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, The Personal Efficiency Program, Creating Your Own Destiny

In Implementing Strategic Change, authors Tom Bevington and Danny Samson investigate why the most thorough business strategies can be disastrous upon implementation. They focus their attention on the interfacing activities carried out by employees as an often overlooked aspect of the strategic change process. When business plans are created without a complete understanding of employee responsibilities and actions, they are destined to join the many other well thought out but poorly executed plans that have preceded them. The authors offer detailed solutions to this common problem, including encouraging staff and managers to create detailed documentation of the interfacing activities that they engage in to complete their daily work. To download three free summaries, please visit our site. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Beyond Change Management, The Change Cycle, Epic Change

A lack of leadership results in problematic work behaviors, such as poor performance and absenteeism. Unless supervisors take responsibility for good workplace relationships, their companies’ cultures will suffer. The problems start when employees are promoted to leadership positions without the necessary skills and training, which can lead to workplace drama. In No-Drama Leadership, Marlene Chism presents a new model where everyone is a leader-from frontline employees to CEOs. This encourages people at all levels to learn from one another and become more aligned, aware, and accountable. According to Chism: Supervisors and managers are often the cause of poor employee performance, absenteeism, and turnover. In many cases, they are promoted into positions of responsibility without any leadership training. Leaders must align their companies’ values with their own. Without alignment, they will lack awareness and accountability for the people they manage. Self-awareness is a start, but leaders must also be aware of other people and cultures. Responsible leaders take ownership of situations and are accountable for doing what is required. Decisions are frequently made by leaders without regard for how they may impact others. Good leaders see both the short- and long-term impacts of their decisions. Communication is important to any technical training a company may require. Without good communication skills, drama can result both inside and outside the company. When employees have some control over, or at least an understanding of, the changes happening within their work environments, they are less inclined to resist them. Enlightened leaders address issues immediately and correct course as needed, rather than hoping problems will simply go away. Leaders must put time and effort into understanding their employees to ensure engagement happens in a positive way. To learn more, please visit http://www.bizsum.com

Hi, all, and welcome to my professional blog. If you'd like to see my personal blog, you can click here. In this blog, I'll be discussing my musings and observations about the e-learning industry. I've been in this field since 1983 when through a series of circumstances I got to work on a now-ancient CBT system called TICCIT (Time Shared Interactive Computer-Controlled Information Television). It had a dedicated keyboard that would allow students to hit keys to see Rules, Examples, and Practice Problems. I created an Italian language course (I speak Italian, among other languages) over a 3-year period. I fell in love with the idea of using computers to teach and with the idea of my programming them to do it! I love teaching classes, I love writing, I love programming and here I could do it all at once in this medium. That was the beginning of my career!So here is my bio:Joe Ganci has been involved since 1983 in every aspect of multimedia and learning development with an emphasis in development. Mr. Ganci has taught classes and seminars at leading universities, in many government facilities, commercial firms, and educational institutions, and has spoken at industry conferences in North American and Europe. He is also a published author, having written several books and articles about e-Learning, and is widely considered a guru for his expertise in e-Learning development. He has consulted on a wide range of multimedia and learning applications worldwide for many organizations. Mr. Ganci holds a degree in Computer Science.Subscribe to my blog.