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Harry Nobles & Cheryl Thompson, June 2001
One dictionary defines aptitude as �natural tendency or talent; ability."
The same dictionary defines attitude as �a way of thinking, acting, or
feeling." I interpret this to mean that aptitude enables a
person to perform a task while attitude determines how well
the person performs that task. Which is more important? Is
one more important than the other?
What about the opposite? Can a positive attitude compensate for less aptitude? I think it can, at least partially. As a �professional guest," I am far more tolerant of a genuinely cordial and guest-oriented employee who may not be a technical wizard than I am of the super efficient desk clerk who does not smile, or even look at me during check in. Surveys indicate that many of your guests share my tolerance. A prospective employee�s aptitude is often tested as part of the recruitment and hiring process. What about attitude after the applicant is employed and dealing with your guests every day? How can you assess your employees� attitude? What can you do about poor attitude? In my opinion, assuring that communication channels are always open is an excellent way to evaluate your staff�s attitude. The communication must be two-way. If you keep your employees informed and make them feel comfortable in keeping you informed, you can more accurately assess their attitude. I do not suggest �gripe� sessions as I do not think they are productive. I suggest property-wide discussion or focus groups. The groups should be small enough to permit and encourage maximum participation. A suggestion program is another way to get feedback from your staff. You can tell a lot about attitude from suggestions and comments. I do recommend that all suggestions received be answered. An unanswered suggestion can send the message that management is not really serious and just going through the motions. I also think you should reward suggestions that are adopted, and explain why others cannot be implemented. Mystery shopping can also help you assess employee attitude. Experienced
and insightful shoppers can tell you a lot about how employees are interacting
with your guests, and what attitude they are projecting. Mystery
shopping can also
If you identify the existence of poor attitude at your property, there are some things you do to correct the problem. Some suggestions next time. Please contact us if you have comments or questions. |
Harry Nobles Hospitality Consulting
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