Let’s face it; if you’re a manager then you'll be very much aware that the level of guest service in your hotel is highly dependant on the people in your team.
If you've interviewed well and picked the right people for the job then you need to trust them to do that job. You need to constantly demonstrate to your staff that you trust and believe in them by what you say, your tone of voice and your body language.
They will very quickly sense if you don't trust them to carry out their job and they'll act accordingly.
The Pygmalion Effect: Bring Your Staff to Life
There's a term used in management called the Pygmalion Effect. It comes from a Greek legend about a sculptor named Pygmalion who created a statue of a beautiful woman.
He fell in love with his creation and the power of his feeling for the statue brought her to life.
The idea at the core of this legend is that an individual can affect how others behave through the power of his or her feelings about them; the idea is often called the “Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.”
In other words, people more or less behave as you expect them to. If you believe that your staff are not to be trusted with guests; that they will turn up late and go home early, then this is exactly what they'll do.
On the other hand, if you believe that your staff will treat your guests well, that they can be trusted to make decisions that are good for the business and that they’ll give you a fair day’s work, then it is more likely this is what you'll get.
As with all theories, there is no guarantee that it'll work every time. However the majority of people in this world are reasonable people and if you treat them as such then they're more likely to behave in a positive manner.
How to Demonstrate Belief In Your Staff
Positive Pygmalion employers and managers demonstrate their belief in their employee’s ability to take initiative and make decisions that they would normally handle by empowering them to do so.
It’s not often easy for some managers to relinquish power. They may feel that they are diminishing their own authority if they give it away and what if the employee makes a mistake.
DO IT, it's worth the risk. It motivates staff, it's good for guest service and it ultimately makes your life easier.
About the author
Article by Alan Fairweather, International Speaker and the author of, 'How to be a Motivational Manager, ‘How to Manage Difficult People' and ‘How to Make Sales When You Don't like Selling'. Visit: www.themotivationdoctor.com, for more information.
