It's hotelkeeping, but not as we know it…
Captain's log, star date 22.11.2001, my last diary entry…
First, there was Cape Grace in South Africa, where we gained international recognition and several awards. Next came the USA, and transforming a 1,300-acre estate in the north Georgia hills into a luxury resort.
All this over two-and-a-half years, and you have been with me every step of the way. Now, I must boldly go…
First, good news. International travel enquiries through travel agencies countrywide are increasing. Watch for US business to the UK picking back up slowly, and perhaps normalising by summer 2002.
Second, with little US news and this being my swan song, let me share some simple things I have learnt while writing of my experiences.
If you don't know something, ask the wise man/woman. He/she can be anyone, just someone who knows more about a subject than you do.
Tell the truth, even if it hurts. Being responsible sometimes means upsetting people.
Good management creates control-disciplined staff; great leadership creates self-disciplined staff.
How staff behave determines the culture of our business. As leaders, we have to create a culture which says: "This is a great place to work." Write a "foundation" document which clearly states the company mission.
Mediocre staff with poor personalities will produce mediocre results, no matter how well they are trained. Hire for dynamic personality and train the skills. Success requires passionate people.
Once you have a clear, shared mission among the team, empower them. Real empowerment is where apologies lead to action. It's a question of taking ownership.
Watch the bottom line. It's always about cash flow.
Recognition, awards and success come from your staff. Face the fact that most men and women in the workplace are more stale than they know and more bored than they would care to admit. What I create are workplaces where my staff genuinely care, carrying out their tasks with commitment and passion. Best of all, they have fun doing them. Work made fun gets done.
And through all this, what have my teams achieved? Awards, higher occupancies, higher ADRs, better bottom lines and a secure financial future for everyone involved.
Farewell. Beam me up, Scotty!
EUAN McGLASHAN is general manager of the Barnsley Inn &Golf Resort, north of Atlanta, Georgia, USA
