KEYS TO SUCCESS^TM

"A Bakers Dozen" of Strategies for Effective Team Work

  With staff that often has to share projects in today's downsized hotel management teams, it is especially important to have to have some agreed upon guidelines in order for these projects to be successful. These projects can range from safety committees to preparing for a major upcoming event to dealing with a crisis.

As an educator, trainer and consultant, I have worked with many organizations, people and teams on improving skills and working in achieving better results . The following 13 ideas are all important considerations for effective teams:

1. There must be an acknowledged team leader to keep things on track and on target

2. The entire team must understand the goal and purpose of the team

3. The work should be focused, appropriate and balanced. No one or two people should carry the load of the others.

4. There must be deadlines identified and met whenever possible.

5. All members of the team should have an attitude of helping each other.

6. The team leader hopefully knows the strengths and talents of everyone on the team; if this is not the case, there must a way for team members to contribute to the extent of their talents.

7. Each member of the team must be a full participant - this links to #3 - everyone must attend meetings, accept responsibility and help others.

8. All team members must keep current in assignments. This means knowing what changes have been passed along and responding openly to challenges that will come up.

9. If there is a problem with someone else on the team, resolve it ASAP. Be open with each other. There will be clashes of egos, but don't let egos ruin the team effort.

10. As in the Strategies for More Effective Meetings, there must a Priority for concrete outcomes. Debate and deliberation have their place, but clear direction is needed to move forward. Discussion should be driven by the facilitator towards addressing or answering key questions, documenting decisions and delegating action plans with time lines.

11. Avoid unnecessary debate. "Thinking out loud" or "playing the devil's advocate" are currently politically correct and inclusive, and they can have their place in teams while the approaches are being discussed. At some designated point, they must be dropped and the team plan put into cation. Look at the US Congress and the 2011 debate on raising the debt ceiling for a contrast in non-productive debates.

12. Publish and distribute ongoing updates regularly. Distribute the action plans and decisions reached from the meeting as soon as possible to promote momentum towards the next steps. This also shows the time spent was valued, appreciated and productive.

13. Remember this is a TEAM - the spotlight must be shared.

Hospitality Tip of the Week^TM: Focus on Teamwork
The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
John Wooden¹ (1910 - 2010)

Success does not come by accident or chance.

Contact us for assistance - John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375

HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel's revenue, market share and profitability.  With more than 800 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com is the number 1 website for independent hotel owners and managers.  This site can help you solve your problems now!      Read More 

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KEYS TO SUCCESS^TM is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year's writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my "HOW TO" articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS^TM, Lessons from the Field^TM, Hotel Common Sense^TM , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE^TM and Principles for Success.

Feel free to share an idea for a column at john.hogan@hospitalityeducators.com anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements ... And remember - we all need a regular dose of common sense.

John Hogan, Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA), Certified Master Hotel Supplier (CMHS)

John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events. He is Co-Founder of www.HospitalityEducators.com , which delivers focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.

Consulting Expertise and Research Interest

1. Making Cultural Diversity Real
2. Developing Academic Hospitality programs
3. Medical Lodging Consulting
4. Sales Management and training
5. Turn-around and revenue management
6. Customer Service
7. Professional Development for the Organization and the Individual

If you need assistance in any of these areas or simply an independent review or opinion on a hospitality challenge, contact me directly for a prompt response and very personalized attention.www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability.

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CONTACT           John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS
United States - Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375
www.hoganhospitality.com / Email: info@hoganhospitality.com

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1Wooden was one of the most successful American basketball coaches, who won ten national championships in a 12-year period ( 7 in a row) as head coach at UCLA. His teams won a record 88 consecutive games and he was named national coach of the year six times.