A Force for the Good is the Dalai Lama’s vision for the world. That is more relevant now than ever before, not just in general but also as individuals. A parent, a brother, a sister, a partner, an employee in a medical spa, or an entrepreneur who owns their own medical aesthetic facility.
In this “Dori Talks” I am focusing on a force for good as an employee. Do you ever wonder how your employees treat your guests when no management or leadership is watching?
Start by asking… Are they going out of their way to help your guests? Are they going the extra mile to exceed expectations? Are they shining? Are they a force for good?
As I go about my life, and as a medical spa business advisor I am always looking to see what type of experiences businesses and teams are delivering. Most of the time I come across average experiences, but occasionally I am impressed with some employees who deliver great experiences and service even when the leaders are not watching.
You notice immediately a sense of pride, commitment, and dedication to doing good work, to being a force for good! I want to share with you a story about Dawa, the young lady I met during my recent trip to Napa. Dawa is a shining star, a force for the good! The kind of person you want on your team, I wish more employees were like her.
Two weeks ago, I met three of my girlfriends in Napa to relax, go to the spa, visit wineries to of course drink wine, and eat good food. We stayed at Le Meritage Resort and Spa. We arrived around 2 pm, we were hungry but did not want to eat a big meal because we had dinner reservations. So, we saw this great outdoor courtyard with a wine tasting area to sit and they had a small carry-out food shop. We walked into the shop to buy some snacks.
They had salads, different types of meat, cheeses, and bottles of wine. We started looking around trying to make our decisions. There were few employees behind the counter who were telling us “No” to what we were requesting. We wanted to buy a big container of beet salad and then we wanted four plates, they said no to the type of plates we wanted. Not a big request in our eyes but they said no.
1. It’s Not Black & White, There is Grey – Don’t Say No to Simple Requests.
Another employee heard the conversation, she came over with a big smile and said, “Hi ladies”, with enthusiasm, “I can help!” We told her what we wanted, and she started pointing things out. She said yes instead of no, and took us to the wine selection, guided us toward a $100 bottle of wine, gave us the beat salad, and a variety of meat and cheeses. Before she was done, I was paying her over a $150 for snacks.
Our plan was to go outside and eat, it was a beautiful day! Dawa gave us plates, napkins, the food in a paper bag, then she gave us four plastic cups for the wine. I looked at her and said “I can’t drink $100 bottle of wine from a plastic cup”. She said, “I am so sorry but that’s all I have”.
Needless to say, I was disappointed. Because our original plan was to buy the food and then go to the courtyard where they had several wine tasting places with real wine glasses. She talked us out of going there because she said we were getting a greater value doing it the way she suggested.
2. Going the Extra Mile
We took the brown bag filled with goodies and the four plastic cups and went to sit and eat.
And sure enough two minutes later, here comes Dawa holding 4 big glasses of wine. She said, “I saw how disappointed you looked so I went and got you 4 wine glasses”. We all looked at her with big smiles and thanked her for going the extra mile.
Dawa, is the kind of employee everyone wants. She was so happy, positive, and ready to help make her guests happy. We had a great time and went on with our day.
3. Consistency
The next morning, I went down to get my morning cappuccino at a different café on the property. The place was packed, a line out the door for coffee and breakfast. Guess who was there running the show? Yes, Dawa. She was addressing all the guests, saying things like, “thank you for your patience, we really appreciate it, we will be right with you”. She was helping her team, taking orders, delivering food, making sure everyone was happy. I was so impressed again. She handled the back-up with such grace and calmness. All while keeping her team focused and moving. She was a great leader! You can’t help but recognize people like that.
The next morning the same thing occurred. She was so consistent with her efforts. I wanted to recruit her! I went up to her and complemented on her leadership skills, her passion, and drive. I told Dawa, “If you ever want to move to Florida, let me know.”
4. A Force for Good Character
Good character is hard to teach. Dawa’s character is embedded in her. Three days in a row with the same great attitude and outstanding service even under pressure, in a hurry, in any department, she carried on. She thanked me for recognizing her efforts and then gave me a review card so I can leave a review for her.
Why aren’t more people being like Dawa?
- A force for good
- Committed
- Dedicated
- Passionate
- Helpful
- Positive
- Functions well under pressure
- Great communicator
We all need employees like that. Employees of this caliber are worth their weight in gold. They’re contributors to the bottom line, to guest retention, to great reviews, greater satisfaction, to success, and much more.
She is what I call a “player”. When you find a “player” you need to recognize them and keep moving them up the ladder. They will help you grow your medical spa business faster and stronger!
Congratulations to Dawa on being a force for good, a great leader, and an amazing employee. I will always remember her!
How do you know what your team is doing? From time to time, it’s good to send in a secret shopper and see how well your team does? If you haven’t, now is a good time to do it! So, you can enhance your experience and make sure that everyone on your team is a FORCE for the GOOD!
