Here in the United States, we’re heading into what will hopefully be a busy week for hospitality as we welcome vacationing guests into our hotels, resorts, restaurants, and stores.
A primary responsibility of hospitality leaders—often neglected during peak weeks such as this—is communication. I want to quickly walk you through how to effectively communicate with your team so nothing gets missed.
There is a lot of day-to-day variation in hospitality, but there is very little novelty. A good leader can predict what will happen on a given day, just not when, where or how. Great leaders anticipate events and communicate appropriately.
Planning Communication
I meet with my manager semi-weekly. Between meetings, as I come across things I want to talk with her about, I throw those notes and documents into a folder on my desk. When it’s time to meet, I already have a collection of everything in one place.
You can do the same for topics you’d like to communicate with your team. Or, make a list in your DayTimer, or perhaps record notes into your phone on the drive home.
The point is this: when you think of it, record it. When you’re drafting communication to your team, you won’t remember something you thought of last week.
What do I communicate?
This differs based on your role and business, but a few general ideas for hospitality operations:
- Priorities and expectations of upper management. Everyone needs to know what senior leaders in your organization are focused on, so they can focus too.
- Results and forecasts. Recap the previous week/month’s results, and identify areas of strength and opportunity. Provide perspective into projections for the upcoming week(s).
- Guest-centered updates. What do you want your team sharing with your guests? Might it relate to high-margin, revenue-driving opportunities (i.e. lobby bar entertainment) or special events? Are there events occurring nearby, outside your property, that guests would like to know about?
- Awards and recognition. Recognize team members who have done great things. Enough said.
How do I communicate?
- Notice boards
- Pre-shift meetings
- Just-in-time coaching
Be deliberate in your communication. Your team will thank you for it!
