I Love What I Do

Teaching, motivating and inspiring people who serve others is my passion. I recently had the opportunity to work with Kempinski Hotels. They gathered their trainers from around the world for a booster shot of inspiration. My mission was to re-inspire them, not simply in relation to what they do, but also to help them get in touch with the empathy they feel for those they teach—the staff members who navigate the sometimes-rocky road of providing direct service to others.

Serving others has many intrinsic rewards—the feeling of accomplishment we experience when lending a helping hand and the satisfaction of finding creative solutions to solve a problem, just to name a few. And of course, it also has its challenges. Maintaining patience with difficult customers is an obvious one. Overcoming the monotony of repetitive tasks is another. (Telling guests where to catch a cable car was a prime example, when I was a concierge in San Francisco!)

Today, my work often involves training and inspiring those on the frontlines of service; and as was the case with Kempinski Hotels, I’m also frequently enlisted to “train the trainers.” My goal was to re-invigorate their passion for what they do, so they can impart their enthusiasm to those they serve—the people who then pass it along it in the form of heart-felt hospitality to their guests.

I feel so fortunate to have cut my teeth in the hospitality industry, where concierge-style service took form. My mission is to share the secrets of this level of service with all industries—from automotive to banking to real estate. You name it. It’s no accident that so many different types of businesses have appropriated the concierge concept.

I often use the word “inspiration” to describe my work, because it is key to internalizing the spirit of service. It is so much more than parroting procedural guidelines and hiring a “cheerleader” now and again to boost morale. My sessions and workshops focus on service from the inside out—cultivating an inner awareness and tapping into our innate desire to help others. It’s all about spirited, so of course, the experience needs to be fun!

I love hearing feedback from my clients that the techniques I share have been implemented immediately and successfully. Even more exciting, I take joy in hearing that attendees have embarked on a path of self-discovery that continues to evolve over time.

When you think about it, we are all serving others, whether or not we identify it as such or not.  As I like to say, “If you’re not in the ‘thank you’ business, you’re probably not in business.” It gives me great pleasure to receive thanks from my clients and in turn, have such gratitude for the opportunities to exchange inspiration with them. Thank you all so very much!