Training Magazine - June 2008 - (Page 10)

training today news, stats, & business intel by Margery Weinstein To submit news, research, or other tidbits, contact Margery Weinstein at 646.654.4484, or e-mail: mweinstein@trainingmag.com. >> Products & Services >> Who’s News >> Tech Talk p. 12 Luxe League job roles and the training challenges of managing a high-end hospitality workforce were examined. “The men and women on the frontline will either make or break you as a market leader,” Eric O. Long, GM at The Waldorf=Astoria & The Waldorf Towers, said of finding the right people to staff luxury hotels. There’s no substitute, he notes, for the presence of professionals on your staff. Having two mediocre employees do what one competent, efficient professional could do won’t cut it. A high-functioning staff, agreed Dominique Piquemal, managing director of The London NYC, is critical in an era that values personalized attention. Employees must be able to give guests “what they want, when, and how they DOORMEN, SKYLINE VIEWS, AND CUSTOM SERVICE make for a want it,” Piquemal noted. “That’s what luxury is all about now.” soothing vacation. But for general managers (GMs) of luxury With so much riding on the performance of customerhotels, the living isn’t so easy. In “Life in the Luxe League: facing workers, it’s no surprise that one of the most essential How Luxury GMs Successfully Strategize Their Professional parts of a GM’s day is devoted to inspiring employees. Paths,” a panel discussion presented by New York University Piquemal, who lives in his hotel, starts his day at 6 a.m. After Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and reviewing reports from the night before, and pending guest Sports Management at the Waldorf=Astoria in March, GM arrivals and other chores, he takes time to engage his workforce, “getting them motivated and [putting] a smile on their faces.” Mary Lou Pollack, GM of The Alex, says interacting with workers enables her to help them prioritize, “focusing employees on the events of the day.” At the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Managing Director Offer Nissenbaum makes a point of staying directly in touch with his workforce. In addition to making the usual rounds chatting and reviewing issues with them, he says he tries to eat in the employee cafeteria every day, and never scrimps on —Matt Paese, vice president of Executive Solutions attention to recruitment: “I interview every potential employee. This is our greatest for Development Dimensions International. asset, so, therefore, it’s what we spend the most time on.” “Many leaders don’t recognize their involvement in talent management initiatives could turn the tide for the organization. It’s a missed opportunity for those leadership teams.” BLOG ON Strategy, tips, and industry chat—latch onto the training grapevine at www.trainingdayblog.com. Click on any post to share your thoughts and questions with peers, create a network, and gossip a little, too! JUNE 2008 t r a i n i n g w w w. t r a i n i n g m a g . c o m 10 | http://www.trainingdayblog.com http://www.trainingmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Training Magazine - June 2008

Training Magazine - June 2008 Contents Online TOC Editor’s Note Live & Online Training Today Soapbox How-To World View Changes With Penguins Keeping Forced Ranking Out of Court Across the Board Certify Me Meetings CPR How Secure Is Your Data? Training Leadership Summit Wrap-Up Tools of the Trade Inprint Questions for Covey

Training Magazine - June 2008

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