5 Star Leadership - What Does it Take to Be a 5 Star Leader?

Five-star leaders share many of the same qualities.expect to see (no exceptions!).o They always believe
One such quality is to believe that their team CAN bethat each person on their team knows that they are
great. If they are not great, they ask themselves ifa critical part of delivering the service experience.o
the employees are incapable of being great; or if theThey never allow a team member to give less than
leaders' low expectations are inhibiting the employees'100% effort. 5-star leaders know that one
potential to be great. Yes, low expectations promoteunder-performing team member can jeopardize the
average and low performance, while highentire team's momentum.o They talk about
expectations promote high performance. I've heard"excellence" everyday. (Newsletters are commonly
many managers of low-performing teams blame theirused to share "standard of the day", company
staff for the teams' low performance. "Oh, we can'tmission statement, story of service excellence, and
find good people", "we don't pay high wages, etc." Allbusiness results like occupancy %. Five-star leaders
of those excuses are surmountable. I've seenknow that engaged employees are well-informed
businesses in the same city or even on the sameemployees.)o They reward excellent performance on
street, providing the same product, hire from thea regular basis (usually daily).o They are always an
same labor pool, and yet have vastly differentintegral part of the on-boarding process (hiring,
service experiences. Most times, the only differenceinterviewing, orientation). The general manager from
is the caliber of leadership in the building. I've eventhe Marquis Los Cabos personally meets and/or
witnessed a 5-star hotel go from exceptionally highinterviews every employee from the dishwashers to
service ratings to mediocre ratings. The staff wasthe front office manager. Many of the world's finest
the same, the labor pool was the same, the toolsproperties don't allow new employee orientation to
were the same...the only difference was the changeoccur without the general manager present to meet
in senior leadership. The hotel initially had a generaland greet the new recruits.o They ensure that the
manager who believed in the infinite potential of thepurpose of the role is communicated during the
teams' service ability and subsequently treated theinterview and on-boarding process (ex: your job is
team like world-class professionals. The subsequentnot too open doors, it is to welcome guests and
general managers didn't believe in the team, and themake each one feel individually cared for).o They
hotel has not been the same ever since.continuously invest in employee development (this
There are many employees who want to work for adoes not have to be a training class, it can be a book
leader who has high expectations and believes inclub, one-on-one meetings, mentoring, or
them. I recently had the opportunity to stay at thecross-training in another department.) Note: Five-star
Marquis Los Cabos resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. Theleaders know that employee development is not
entire experience was among the best I've everdependent on short-term financial woes.o Mandate
received. During my 3-day stay, I never walked bythat everyone on the team serve each other with
any employee without them extending a warmthe same sense of urgency, excellence, and attention
greeting. Everyone was always eager to serve. Oneto hold as they would for an external customer.o
day I asked the hotel's general manager to tell meMake sure that everyone is fully aware of their
one thing that keeps the service levels so incrediblybenefits (Distributing the benefits brochure during
high at the resort. Without hesitation she emphaticallynew employee orientation is not enough. Use lunch
said, "keep the employees very happy". That's it. As& learn sessions, along with other ad-hoc
business leaders, you may have repeatedly heard theopportunities.o Work along side team members when
mantra before: happy employees lead to happyneeded. One of my fondest memories of a 5-star
customers. But there was something different aboutgeneral manager took place early in my career. My
what she said and how she said it. I got therestaurant co-workers and I were behind schedule in
impression that "keep the employees very happy"getting a room set for a large banquet function. Out
was not just a public relations or HR jargon. Theof nowhere, the general manager arrived with every
emphasis in her voice and the intensity in her eyesmanager in the hotel to help us get the room set.
made very clear that employee engagement is a topI heard once that if you must say that you are a
priority at her hotel. The Marquis Los Cabos generalgentleman, then you really are not one. Your actions
manager is convinced that there is a direct linkshould speak for themselves. The same is true of a
between high employee engagement and exceptional5-star caliber leader. Be a walking, talking embodiment
service delivery. Engaged employees lead to engagedof service excellence. Inspire your team with actions
guests.and words. 5-star leaders know that the delivery of
One of the great things about benchmarking is thatexceptional customer service is only about 20% of
there are many examples of how highly successfulthe formula. The other 80% (employee engagement
leaders are able to keep employee engagement high.processes) are what truly builds a sustainable culture
Five-star leaders who are able to build and maintain aof service excellence.
world-class service culture do so by keeping theirKnow that your team can be great, and never stop
team engaged.believing in everyone's potential. That is the true
These leaders do the following:o They alwaysmindset of a 5-star leader.
maintain high expectations of the service they