The Soft Stuff

Roger Enrico, former chairman at PepsiCo, famously said, “The soft stuff is always harder than the hard stuff.”  As one who has worked in hospitality leadership roles for over thirty-five years, I would say that truer words were never spoken.  In the detail- and people-rich environment of the hospitality industry, it is the absence of well-developed “soft” skills at all levels of organizations that create our greatest challenges.

What are we really talking about when we speak of the soft stuff?  In short, it’s the people skills – those aptitudes and abilities that allow us to get the best from our human assets.  It encompasses all of those things we talk about when discussing leadership – the highly nuanced interactions with a diverse workforce that result in motivation, morale, enthusiasm, focus, commitment, initiative, productivity, teamwork, organizational cohesiveness, and group success.

What makes it all so hard is the complexity of human psychology.  People are complex and struggle with the unique and sometimes overwhelming challenges of their lives.  Put together in a group dynamic with any number of other people coping with their own daily difficulties, both real and imagined, and it’s a mind-boggling challenge for any leader.

So, what are some real things that you can do to improve the soft stuff at your enterprise?  Here are three basics:

Leadership training for all managers to ensure they understand the absolute importance of leadership and the ultimate value of people in all they do.  My own experience points to a service-based style of leadership and the importance of building a unified and consistent approach to leadership on the part of all managers and supervisors within an organization.  The ongoing example and performance of your leadership team is THE most important driver of your club’s success.

Well-defined organizational values and constantly reinforced service culture are an absolute must.  Don’t expect that all your managers and employees will understand your vision, values, or even how to go about providing service to members.  Without clearly articulated values and club culture, your efforts to provide high levels of service to your membership will certainly fail.

Training, ongoing training, and constant reminders is a bedrock requirement in the club business.  There’s just too much that needs to be done right every day by everyone on your staff to leave the details to chance.  Without training for managers and line staff, it’s a hit or miss proposition and you spend too much of your time responding to complaints, dealing with staff issues, and struggling with high levels of employee turnover.  Given the cost and effort of thorough, ongoing training, you must commit to the development and discipline of “on the go” training for all areas of your operation so you can take advantage of the spare moments in every shift.

The “hard stuff” – the buildings, golf course, and other amenities are certainly important to a successful club experience.  But without the soft stuff they are just expensive shells and monuments, lacking in the reassuring warmth and human touch that is the heart of hospitality and service. 

LAST TWO DAYS OF END OF LINE SALE

Ed Rehkopf's Entire Portfolio of PCPM Marketplace Store private club resources is offered in a LAST OPPORTUNITY SALE at a 50% discount.  The sale will end on October 7, 2024, after which the Marketplace Store will be shut down.  Those purchasing the Entire Portfolio will receive the materials digitally through a file sharing service within a week.

All materials are described in detail with links to samples of the materials on the Professional Development, Operational Resources, and Training Resources category pages of the PCPM Marketplace Store.

Those desiring more targeted resources can purchase items of their choice on an a la carte basis with a 30% discount.  Simply select the desired products and add them to the shopping cart.  The 30% discount has already been applied to the prices of these items.