Unleashing Hidden Talent
Another way to make jobs more meaningful in hospitality
“Our people are our greatest asset!”
It’s a common cliché in business and perhaps, especially in hospitality.
What if you made it more than a cliché?
Arthur Gillis, one of the founders of South Africa’s Protea Hotels spoke of “Acknowledge the greatness within me” in his book, “Juiced!”. It was part of his HEART communication:
Hear Me
Even if you disagree with me, don’t make me wrong
Acknowledge the greatness within me
Remember to look for my loving intentions
Tell me the truth with compassion
In my experience, acknowledging greatness within becomes even more powerful when companies have a culture of acknowledging the powers in all their people.
Within the word acknowledge, we find “knowledge”. That’s where it begins.
Who are your employees?
How well do you know them? How well do you know them beyond their names, their place on the organization chart, and the tasks they perform? How well do you know them as people?
What is the greatness within them? What dreams and aspirations do they have? What languages do they speak? What’s their story?
The beginning of this lesson for me took place back in the 1970s. We lived in a growing tourist town and the number of Japanese tourists arriving each summer was growing. Our city was home to quite a few Japanese-Canadian families, a reminder of the second world war when Japanese-Canadians were sent to internment camps in the interior. My father ran a downtown drugstore and hired high school students that spoke Japanese, not because they had a particular interest in selling cosmetics to tourists, but because they could speak the language the tourists spoke. Some days the long lineup at the cosmetic counters was of people that needed maps more than they needed makeup.
When I worked in a large hotel in Norway, we hosted an annual event for the Norwegian Federation of Business. One year, the theme of the lavish gala evening was globalization. There would be bulging buffets featuring cuisines from the far corners of the planet. It was a huge success, not least because a band featuring traditional West African music played, sang, and danced their way through the conference area that was full of dining VIPs. The leader of the band worked in stewarding at the hotel. By day a dishwasher, by night a musician. He was a hidden talent given an opportunity to shine. The music made the event a more memorable experience for participants, and our employee found new respect amongst colleagues.
Everyone has greatness within them.
Most people probably know what theirs is, but are they able, encouraged, and empowered to share it?
If not, their talents remain hidden.
But if they are able, encouraged, and empowered, they add to the qualities and capabilities of their workplaces, and when they feel recognized for the greatness within them, their jobs become more meaningful too.
How will you unleash the hidden talents where you work?
Postscript!
After publishing this, I reconnected with one of the members of Stuntbandet, Leif Digernes. Charly’s is long gone, but the band plays on! The beats of hidden talents never fade away.
Leif’s latest project is Days of Wine!
Stay safe, Always Care
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