First Time Leader Podcast

Episode 30 outlines steps to take to save on energy costs in every department and how to communicate the responsibility to every dept. leader.  

In this episode I discuss how to complete an incident report after someone has been injured or the occurrence of another type of loss.  A generic version of the Incident Reporting Procedures can be obtained by writing to me at firsttimeleader@gmail.com.  All of my podcast episodes can be found at https://firsttimeleader.libsyn.com  

In this episode I talk about Profit Ratios covers Departmental Profit, Gross Operating Profit or GOP, EBITDA, A profit is earned when enough revenue is earned to cover ALL expenses. This is done by managing your productivity ratios and expenses mentioned earlier. All of the episodes can be found at https://firsttimeleader.libsyn.com

In this episode I talk about productivity ratios and how using this method of analyzing your financial statement will in driving success in your business. In the hotel business – your resources are your ROOMS and your PEOPLE to drive success All of my episodes can be found at http://firsttimeleader.libsyn.com 

In this episode I give a quick overview of the Financial Statement, also known as you Profit and Loss statement or Income Statement. I review the Summary page and detail pages down the GOP line.   Most General Manager are responsible for topline revenues all the way down to the GOP line. Rarely do you have any responsibility below that line. You may see these numbers on the P&L but the majority are fixed costs that never change except for FFE Reserve and Management Fees IT WILL HELP IF YOU HAVE A P&L IN FRONT OF YOU TO HELP YOU GET A VISUAL OF WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. DEPENDING ON YOUR COMPANIES P&L FORMAT IT MAY SEEM DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I AM EXPLAINING.    A P&L OVERVIEW On the summery page of the P&L, you may see MTD and YTD totals column presented as a dollar amount, as a percent of gross sales or gross revenues Sometimes it will also have a per occupied cost as well. On the detail pages that are broken down by department, the ratio most commonly used is CPOR or…… Cost Per Occupied Room                 You can benchmark your current P&L against the approved budget to see how well you did with revenues and expenses to GOP but I’m not going to talk about BENCHMARKING today but that will be explained in another episode.

In this episode I discuss how to prepare and conduct an interview and the need for a Competency Profile for each position.  Conducting an Interview The first thing to consider is your LONG TERM STRATEGY What will this do and how will they help you reach your long term strategies Sales and marketing Front desk Department management   PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW   Understanding the topics you can’t ask a candidate – Race, Color, or National Origin.   Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual Orientation. Pregnancy status.   Age or Genetic Information.   Marital Status or Number of Children.   Create a POSITION COMPETENCIE profile  -  What do you want from this position Leadership/Individual Effectiveness Personal Commitment Leadership Control Flexibility Interpersonal Effectiveness Decision making Satisfaction Orientation Teamwork Guest Focus Quality Focus People Management Developing Others Directing Work Functional Knowledge Job knowledge Industry Knowledge     Make a list of questions you want to ask each candidate so you are consistent to use as a guide to follow   Ask open ended questions to get the candidate talking and HAVE at least two follow-up questions Drill down on focus areas that pertain to the position you are interviewing for like problem resolution and guest interactions, groups or corporate sales I always made it a point to watch the candidate from a distance to see how they interacted with staff. Also, I talked to the person that greeted them first to get their opinion on first interactions, personality and conversation. Also my first impression as I greeted the candidate was very important based on handshake, pleasant greetings, tone of voice and smile. Always use an ice breaker to put the candidate at ease. This will let their ability to have a conversation come out. As you progress through your list of questions, watch out for the candidates demeanor to see if it diminishes as time passes to stays consistent. This will be a tell tell sign the candidate doesn’t have a consistent personality. At the end of the interview, make time for the candidate to ask questions about the company, position, pay, benefits etc. I always told them to email me if they had any additional questions after they left. A good habit to get into is – have multiple people interview the final candidates, this will – Allow a different perspective Help you make the critical decision for who to hire Will let you compare notes about a certain candidate AS a GM, if all interviewers didn’t agree on a candidate, they didn’t get hired. It had to be unanimous.  Please follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and send us any questions or comments you my have to Firsttimeleader@gmail.com.  

This episode gives a detailed explanation on how to conduct a hotel room inspection, everything a new hotel leader must be able to do to ensure quality and consistent cleanliness in their hotel. 

In this episode I discuss the importance of conducting a new hire orientation in our department as a new leader. This checklist will inform new employees of the policies in their new work place and hopefully avoid embarrassing situations.  Below are a few examples I talk about that should be included in you checklist.  Department policies Employee dress codes Employee code of conduct Attendance, day off request and vacation policy Training activities Co-worker introductions 1st day and 1st week follow-up Department Goals Please send me any questions to firsttimeleader@gmail.com and please subscribe to the First Time Leader podcast so you know when new episodes are released.    

In this episode I talk about how to have a successful meeting and the steps to take in creating the information you need to be successful. 

In this episode I talk about the steps to counseling employees on performance issues and getting the ideas and asking for their help in developing action steps that will lead to a successful resolution. 

I this episode I talk about the power of coaching your employees. Whether they are great employees looking for growth and development or poor performing employee that need direction and training. 

A Good Communicator Written, verbal and body language No matter what method, it must be clear and concise You must be able to communicate to be an effective leader Your words and tone of voice can motivate people, to the point of doing great things. A strong work ethic (Integrity) Your team will look for you to support and lead them at all times. When you employees see you jump in and help them during busy times, you gain respect and commitment from them. If your employee sense you are not fully committed, they will not follow you. Your actions will INSPIRE others to work even harder Empathy and Humility Great leaders have an EMPATHETEC management style They care about their employees more than themselves and are not afraid to show it Talking to them about their problems (work or personal), understanding their pain or frustration. BE AN EAR TO LISTEN TO YOUR EMPLOYEES Allow them to have additional time off without penalty Delegation and Empowerment Every good leader know they cannot be successful alone They must focus on the bigger picture, and let others do the rest A good leader will delegate work to subordinates to develop them Provide them with support and gives positive, constructive feedback Allow them to make mistakes Holds Their Team Accountable It creates a stronger team from many individuals Employees must know where you stand on standards and performance Provides for better contribution Team will understand any consequences for poor work quality

I talk about leaving the US Navy and deciding on a new career path which led me to the hotel industry and my first leadership job in management. 

This episode talks about how leaders must step up and lead our teams into a new era of cleaning and disinfecting our workplaces to make guests and customers feel sage to shop and travel again. We're all in this together, and together, we will succeed!

In this episode I answer questions from listeners about employees enating to move up and not taking ownership of their development, not adhering to the company dress code and should leaders admit to making mistakes. Follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter at First Time Leader or email me at firsttimeleaader@gmail.com  

This is episode talks about involving others in the decision making process to create a more engaged team. How to be an Inclusive Leader and the approach you take to get a diverse set of ideas from everyone involved. 

On today's podcast we talk Leadership and question we all ask ourselves "Can I be a Leader?"  

In this episode I talk about the top 3 leadership books I've read this year and how I've applied the strategies to my teams. In no particular order - Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin These are great books for any new leader or seasoned leader who needs to think differently about their management style.  

In this episode I talk about showing empathy as a leader and understanding how your team members feel and the signs to look for when someone is in distress. 

In today's episode I rant about employee uninforms and how we've gotten so far away from being professional in the service industry. 

In this podcast I talk about training and why it needs to be done consistently, have written standard operating procedures to guide and for reference.    

On today's First Time Leader podcast I answer questions from our listeners on taking Ownership, Service Recovery and Mandatory Meetings. 

In this Leadership Brief I talk about working with Underperforming employees. We need to retrain them, find another position that better fits their abilities or move them on.  

In this episode I talk about the primary function of a Servant Leader and why it is so important to serve others first. A Servant Leader supports and cares for their teams before their own needs, they make an investment in the future of their employees.    

In this episode we discuss how we can be Highly Effective Leaders by: 1. Creating results with everything we do  2. Developing Team Members to be Effective 3. Create Mirrors of Ourselves 4. Highly Effective Leaders Transforms Teams   Don't forget to subscribe to be notified of future episodes and share the First Time Leader podcast with your friends. You can send questions to firsttimeleader@gmail.com or on Twitter and LinkedIn. 

This Leadership Brief talks about Doing the Right Thing in every aspect of your daily leadership life. Every Effective Leader will weigh the decisions they make against any adverse effect it could possibly cause and ensure it doesn't hurt the team, business or owners. 

In this episode I take the Basics of Leadership a little deeper than in Episode #2. Today I discuss -   Know Yourself and what you bring to the organization Understand your skill level If you work with highly skilled leaders, learn from them Don’t be afraid to ask questions from them Work together on your development, improve you limitations Seasoned leaders must be led differently than new leaders. The more you know you yourself, the better you can evaluate yourself realistically No one knows you better than you Don’t hesitate to admit your weaknesses and ask for assistance Create a development plan to improve on those weaknesses We all have very distinct leadership styles – know what your is Every organization is very different, adjust your style to fit the culture and team Make slow changes that reflect who you are  New Leaders Accept Criticism Well Understand, as a new leader your direct supervisor or mentor will give constructive criticism On the flip side, you as a new leader must “give” constructive criticism to your teams as well. Be ready for defensiveness, challenges and anger.   Check your EGO – don’t get defensive Listen to understand, what the feedback is Ask questions to clarify To be better understand Keep an open mind  Create a Vision A vision helps everyone understand what “we could be on the future” Something to strive toward, a lofty goal Get your team to help develop it. Ask for their input and buy-in Communicate this vision often, give periodic updates on the progress  Day to Day Management of your team and the business Set goals to achieve Coach your team – as a group or One on Ones   Episode 5 Future planning Delegating – can help development future leaders / reduce your workload Employment engagement and motivation    

In this Leadership brief I talk about using Decentralized Management and how to train your subordinates to make decisions at the lower levels.  You cannot be expected to make every decision that has to be made and using decentralization can be used a development tool to help others find solutions for themselves.  Setup guidelines and parameters on what decisions they can make for quicker and happier customers.  Don't forget to subscribe to be notified of future podcasts. You can also follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. I'm working on a Q&A podcast so please send in ay questions you may have and we'll try to answer them in future podcasts.     

In this episode I point out topics to use that can help you advance in your career by seeking out mentors and learning the needed skills to prepare for that next opportunity.  Topics I cover are -  1 – Embrace the company culture 2 – Find a Mentor(s) 3 – Get the attention of upper 4 – Avoid company gossip 5 – Keep your skills up to date 6 – Network  7- Career Advancement is your responsibility Make sure you subscribe to hear listen to future episodes that will make you a better leader. If you have any question or comments please email them to me at firsttimeleader@gmail.com. You find us on social Twitter (search for First Time leader) and Linkedin.           

This FTL Leadership Brief explains the reasons why we should all take an active role in managing our business and the focus of expense control to improve the profit line.

In this episode I talk about One on One conversations you should be having with your employees to gain insightful information to help you develop and grow your teams. Some of the things I discuss -  Have an agenda – a list of questions to ask.             Do your homework on current department performance             Be prepared so you don’t waste people’s time Keep to a 30-45 minute time limit – don’t make it a long drown out dialogue meeting There are two types of One on Ones Getting to know a new leader that will report to you Or touching base from a previous One on One  Theses conversations need to have a purpose – what are you looking to gain    Build relationships w/ people    Be open and ask questions    Be a good listener       Done frequently – every month or no more than every two months You can learn their interests – personal and work items  Discuss results and performance the since the last meeting, challenges from that dept.   Talk about results – applaud them for their win   Talk about challenges   Talk about manpower challenges – what is their team atmosphere    How is the team performing    What would make them perform better  Make sure you subscribe to hear listen to future episodes that will make you a better leader. If you have any question or comments please email them to me at firsttimeleader@gmail.com. You find us on social Twitter (search for First Time leader) and Linkedin  

We talk about in this FTL Leadership Brief how to stay calm during stressful moments at work with looming deadlines, short-turnarounds or heavy arrival / departure periods or whatever creates stress for you.  It is critical as a leader whether you're a First Time Leader or seasoned veteran to stay calm and don't let your team see you lose control.  Leaders need to be the calm in the storm that keeps a clear head to lead their teams through tough times. It takes practice and strategy but can be accomplished.  Make sure to subscribe to the First Time Leader podcast on iTunes and Spotify to be notified when new episodes are released. You can also find us LinkedIn and Twitter.     

This episode talks about what steps to take to get yourself and your subordinates ready for their next career step.  Determine what your desired career path is             Steps to take – how will you get there             What past experience do you have to help accomplish your desired career path             What experience will you need to gain   Who will you involve in your career development How will you gain experience in career development             Classes at a local college or Univ             A mentor             Cross-training or job shadowing             Involve your HR department in the process Do you have a written plan and timeline Take Ownership of your career path Don't foregt to subscribe so you are notified of future episode releases. You can find me on LinkedIn and Twitter and at firsttimeleader@gmail.com  

This Leadership Brief talks the reasons and methods for accountability of employees and why it is important to set the standard early and communicate your expectations clearly.  

Learn how to communicate to employees effectively to be a great leader.  Communicate in verbal and non-verbal ways without being disrespectful, critical or negative. Keep it Simple and Clear. How to listen effectively by taking notes, use eye contact without interrupting.    Subscribe to the podcast to be notified when new episodes become available.    If you have any question or comments please email them to me at firsttimeleader@gmail.com. You find us on social Twitter (search for First Time leader) and LinkedIn.      

This First Time Leader Leadership Brief explains why we should deal with issues within our area of responsibility quickly and effectively before they spiral out of control and become an HR nightmare. 

The Basics of Leadership episode talks about how a new leader should inspire their teams to make people want to come to work, be their best self every day, want to help others.   IT's about developing yourself and others to achieve more and grow your career and the careers of those around you. Leaders make impact by being doers and creating teams that are a reflection of your leadership style. They find balance in every situation from being a micro-manager and a hands-off leader.  A leaders learns to delegate and use decentralized management to succeed while developing their employees.    This episode will give you some valuable tools to enhance your leadership abilities.  If you have any question or comments please email them to me at firsttimeleader@gmail.com. You find us on social Twitter (search for First Time leader) and LinkedIn.     

This episode is an introduction to the First Time Leader podcast and what you can expect in future podcasts, who I am as your host and discussions and stories from my 30 years in the hotel industry. We discuss what I intend to accomplish from this podcast and who it is for and why you should listen to enhance you leadership skills. Make sure you subscribe to be notified when future episodes are available. You can also find us in Twitter and LinkedIn.