Who's On Your Team?
How taking a broad approach turned a one-man-band into a conquering cadre
Who's on your team?
We ask this question in one of our "Ditch the Script" training modules.
Some think the answer is obvious.
"It's my colleagues in my department."
"It's my colleagues at work."
"It's everyone in our company."
The one-man-band team named Dean
One of the stories we tell in the module is about the man who organized our honeymoon in South Africa in 2002. He was a one-man band. A one-and-a-half-man band actually. He had a part-time assistant that helped answer emails.
His business plan was simple. He asked what you'd like to see, when you'd like to come, and what your budget was. If you had a large budget, you would experience luxurious lodges and if you had a small budget, he would take you camping.
Our budget was middle-of-the-road. We stayed in small guest houses, amazing safari lodges, remote resorts and a three-star hotel. For the first few days, a self-employed, freelance driver/guide drove us between destinations.
"I'm independent", he said. "But Dean is the best boss, colleague, and team member I've ever had, all rolled into one."
"Dean is like a family member.", the owners of a bed-and-breakfast told us. "He's like part of our team. We love it when he books clients with us because we know the people will be nice and the business end of things will go smoothly."
"We don't think of him as a tour agent.", said the manager of a safari lodge. "Agents are agents, he's much more like a team member."
When we met him at the end of our honeymoon, he gave us a tour of his "office". It was a shed in his backyard.
"Yeah, I feel like me and the people I hire as drivers and guides and the places I book are one team. Together, we're trying to give people the best possible experiences they can have in our country. It takes a team."
Growing a Team Without Hiring Anyone
We recently ran "Ditch the Script" workshops for frontline staff at Tourism Kelowna's Visitor Centre.
Our South Africa story served as inspiration before we asked the participants who was on their team.
They recognized that many of their team members weren't in the room.
Then they named specific campgrounds, orchards, wineries, and experiences that they talked with and about as if they were team members.
"And jet ski guy! Don't forget jet ski guy!", someone yelled.
Everyone agreed. Jet ski guy was one of their team members, too.
It dawned on them that they already subconsciously perceived businesses and people they had great relationships as team members.
They realized that they could grow their teams even more by counting the local artists who sell souvenirs on commission at the Visitor Centre as members of their team. The same was possible for the hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets that they promote to enquiring visitors and locals alike.
They also understood that the revelation that they actually played on a larger team than they had realized would be a win for them, a win for their new team members, a win for visitors to our tourist-focused city, and a win for the local community.
"Ditch the Script was eye-opening! It's all things we think about, but we don't talk about them or use them to make ourselves better. We will now!"
Homage to the one-man-band
Stay safe, Always Care
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Spin the Bottle Service makes jobs more and guest experiences more memorable by unleashing the power of the biggest business differentiator available - people!
Ditch the Script workshops make working in hospitality fun and rewarding for everyone.
Even the ones you might not have realized were on your team!
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