I’m asked daily what my vision is for the Lincoln Woodstock community, and my answer is generally very positive.  I see Lincoln Woodstock as the premier White Mountain Vacation destination with a sustainable, growing economy.   Now, that is obviously a 40,000 foot macroview of the region and an ambitious dream.  The challenge for me has been how to take steps in the direction of that goal today, knowing where I would like to be in 10-15 years.  I have studied the current mission of the chamber of commerce which simply reads…

To attract new and promote existing businesses to ensure the economic vitality of Lincoln-Woodstock in cooperation with, and providing a benefit for its members’ civic, educational, traditional, financial, and environmental needs.

After 6 weeks of assessing the ‘state of the chamber’, I’ve come to realize that we need to bring the organization back to basics.  I can recall when I was coaching hockey, and losing a game that we should have won, my very next practice session would be all skating drills and basic training.  I would always bring my team back to basics.  I tend to explain my thoughts using analogies, and here’s no exception.

I was hired by the board of directors to bring the chamber of commerce to the next level.  I’m not sure that I can accomplish that by continuing to put band-aids on our challenges.  Lets use the building of a home as our analogy.  In past years, each new “administration” has come into the house and repaired damaged walls, put on a fresh new coat of paint, and perhaps a new roof overhead.  Without throwing former executives under the bus (which I am not trying to do), I have to state my opinion.  Each of the past few Executive Directors have taken what was done by the previous director and continued what they started.  They added some great new programs and they brought a fresh new perspective to the chamber.  In my opinion, they effectively kept an old house in pretty darn good shape.

If we are to take the chamber of commerce to the next level, we cannot continue to focus on repairing the floors, the walls, and the roof.  We need to take a look at our foundation, the wiring, and the plumbing.  By this, I am referring to the infrastructure that makes the chamber what it is and what drives its mission.  In order for me to build a newer, bigger, better house, I need to focus on the infrastructure that will make the house last for 10, 15, 2o and more years.  I need to bring the chamber back to basics, lay the groundwork, and rebuild our systems, protocols, and priorities that will lead us in the direction of that vision.

I know this to be what is necessary and expected of me.  No problem.  My concern is that we do not bring noticeable change soon enough for members and community leaders to rally around the chamber.  Here’s another analogy.  When you buy a piece of land and tell everyone that you are going to build a great big fabulous house, everyone gets excited.  People drive by the lot once and a while to see the progress.  And, for many months, they drive by and see no change at all.  The trees are all still there, and there’s nobody on the lot working, building, or otherwise.  However, you are meeting with the architect, getting the financing established, having septic designs drawn, and hiring a contractor.  From your own perspective, you are making great progress…laying the groundwork.  The outsite perception though, is that nothing is happening.  My fear is that the casual observer may have high expectations of my new administration, and yet not realize any of the actual progress being made.

In a short 2 months at the chamber, we have made major strides in laying groundwork.  One of the best accomplishments, and an ongoing process, is the improvements in communication.  Even the best communication in the world is weak.  I’ve also been able to restructure how meetings are conducted to make them more effecient and effective.  The systems and processes of administration are looked at with a fine-toothed comb to determine whether they are necessary, or in need of quality improvement.  All of these examples are not necessarily visible to the external observer, yet they will have long term, positive consequences.

By bringing the organization back to basics, we are able to do the job right the first time.  We have put quality of work in front of quantity, with the expected result of improving the quantity of work we can deliver.  Its the infrastructure that is in the most need of repair.  The foundation walls are getting reinforcements that will allow us to build a big, miraculous chamber.  And, we are now on our way.

From 2002 through 2006, I was the General Manager for InnSeason Resorts Pollard Brook, a 5 star resort directly accross from Loon Mountain.  I was also an active board member for the chamber, chair of the marketing committee and its president during my tenure.  Now, after 18 months away from the area, I find myself getting back to the people, the businesses, and the environment that was so good to me for those 4 years.

The LWCC is an integral part of a community that is navigating its way through some stormy waters of change.  At the top of the list is the explosive development taking place on Loon Mountain and its expanded South Peak.  New businesses are cropping up and introducing new and exciting products and services to offer to the local base and the tourists that seek them.  And, the residents and employees of the towns are realizing that their small mill town, is looking more and more like a true destination.

What the community needs now is a chamber of commerce that can bring the cogs together to form a well oiled machine.  Piecing the needs of the individual membership together with the collective needs of the community in a manner that diminishes our weaknesses and exposes our strengths will be the true challenge.  From marketing and public relations to legislative affairs and community planning, the chamber of commerce is being asked to lead the community to the next level.

LWCC Mission: To attract new and promote existing businesses to ensure the economic vitality of Lincoln-Woodstock in cooperation with, and providing a benefit for, the civic, educational, traditional, and environmental needs of the Lincoln-Woodstock community.

My role with the LWCC will be one of a facilitator, marketer, communicator, organizer, and leader.  I am being asked to lead the Lincoln Woodstock community toward prosperity, for businesses and individuals alike.  It is no small task, but one that I greatly accept.  So I say to the people of Lincoln and Woodstock, New Hampshire “Here we go!  You ain’t seen nothin yet.”

All of you working at hotels and resorts will go from nearly empty beds leading up to Christmas week.  Then, you will be sold out for 10 days straight.  The highest demand for inventory, coupled with the highest expectations of your guests, will make for a week you either embrace and revel in, or fear for your life.  I wish you the best of luck.  Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Those of you in the restaurant industry are likely staring at a calendar filled with holiday parties and special buffet menus.  There’s no question in my mind that you will be pushed to the outer reaches of your sanity in the coming weeks.  As the saying goes, “Make hay when the sun shines.”  And this is the time of year for you to harvest your crop.  Take your vitamins, dig in, and try to have some fun!

Everyone in the hospitality industries deserve some recognition during the holidays.  While many families are planning their special vacation week, and office managers are guarding the secret santa list, hospitaliers are creating tomorrow’s memories.  This is not to say that other industries are not working hard during the holidays.  Folks in the retail, transportation, and social services business, just to name a few, are all busy servicing others.  Allright, yes, everyone makes sacrifices in the name of career and paycheck during the holidays.   Thank you all. 

If you are traveling this holiday season, please take a moment to think about the ladies and gentlemen that are making your dreams come true.  Thank your waitress; tip your housekeeper; and be good for goodness sake.  The very people you depend on for service, depend on you for making it worth their while.  Thank you!

Happy Holidays Friends.  Keep up the good work!

One of the trainers took a very clear approach:

1. Ask the class to read the material at their own pace.
2. Review the material verbally, with focussed questions geared toward comprehension.
3. Demonstrate the task as it is supposed to be performed.
4. Allow the class to practice the task with constructive feedback.
5. Test the class and review the answers.

I found this approach to be incredibly efficient, with a high degree of class competency.  This class was ahead of schedule on every agenda item.

Another trainer, covering the same material took a vastly different approach:

1. Read the material to the class as they follow along.
2. Ask the class if they had any questions about the material before they practice it.
3. Ask for volunteers to demonstrate the task that was reviewed orally.
4. Give constructive feedback during the demonstration.
5. Review the demonstration with the class and ask if anyone else needs some practice before moving on.
6. Test the class and review the answers.

Rarely do you get such an opportunity to see such diverse styles.   I caught myself comparing them to each other and to that of my own style.  I asked myself how I would have trained on this subject matter to this class of adults.  And, I am certain that I would have taken a style more like the former than the latter.

Adults learn much differently than do younger people.  Adults need to relate their learning to their real lives, where children need to have more memorization and repetition.  I thought that the process taken by the first trainer covered all bases.  Some people learn better visually (reading and watching demonstrations), some better orally (listening).  Almost everyone learns well from practicing and from timely and corrective feedback.  The second trainer did not take this into account, and combined these different processes. 

The point that I am trying to make is that “style” has more to do with training than we think.  It follows the “It’s not what you say…it’s how you say it” philosophy.  The same course material can be presented and taught many different ways.  You have to consider how the student(s) learn when determining the style you should present during the training.  Here are a few thoughts to consider when determining your own style:

1. What is the make-up of the class?  Are they younger learners or adult learners?  Are they mostly men or women?  Take into account the audience when making your presentation.
2. Is the subject matter foundational?  Can you build on lessons as the training progresses.  For example:  Assume that topics A, B, C, and D are different parts of the lesson.  Are you able to structure your training so that earlier topics are reviewed along with the more recent.  Here is a good structure to follow.  A, B, AB, C, ABC, D, BCD, ABCD.
3. Cover all learning types; Visual, Verbal, Memorization, Demonstration, Practice, Feedback, etc.  You are more likely to get through to each student if you vary your delivery and cover all types.
4. Become the student.  Ask the class to teach you something.  You will observe how they learn by watching how they teach.
5. Have fun.  Be personable.  The worst thing that can happen during training is to have your class fall asleep.  Your style should always be upbeat and positive.

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your training style?  Consider how you are presenting the material as much as you consider what the material is.  Understand that everyone learns differently, and that your style should be representative of the entire class.  Create structure within your style that builds on foundations.  Demonstrate, practice, and give good, timely, constructive feedback.  And, lastly, have fun.

For more information on training and human resources, please contact me today.

I’d like to think that I am a great father to my 2 girls; caring for them, playing with them, nuturing them and loving them.  But, I have to admit, its my wife that helps me to be a successful daddy.  Without her, I would have forgotten to pack extra warm clothes in their backpacks, and to give them their vitamins with breakfast.  It’s not that I don’t have the memory for everything, its that I have help and I realize I need it.

When I think back on all of the successful experiences that I have had, I can think of at least 2 or 3 people that were right there with me.  In many cases, they worked for me or they had an active role in that success.  They were people I leaned on, who I asked to jump off cliffs with me.  The fact that they did is amazing in and of itself, but also likely a component of the success.

I’ve also realized that the people who I deemed closest to me, wanted me to be successful.  They were there for a reason.  Maybe they genuinely wanted to win, or they loved me, or they saw that I could help them to be successful in some way.  In any event, they were there because they wanted to be.   In every single part of my life that I see as being successful, there is another person or 2, on my right hand, and they deserve a ton of credit.

I’m guessing that as you read this, you are thinking of the people closest to you that have helped you to be successful.  You should.  If you are not, then you should.  If you want to be successful in your next endeavor, whatever that may be, then consider the people closest to you and whether or not they will be contributors to your success.  In business, consider your managers, your assistants, and your staff.  In life, consider your family and your friends; whoever believes in you and your cause.

There is only one reason though, why they want you to be successful.  Its because you want THEM to be successful.  You are on their right hand.  You are there for them in the same ways they are there for you.  You are their greatest supporter, and they yours.  You are as excited about their success as you are of your own.  And they know it.

This is what I’ve learned.  If I want to be more successful, then I should try to help the people closest to me be more successful.  This means thinking more about ways to help them, rather than ways they can help me.  It sounds cliche, but “the more you give, the more you get.”  This is precisely the reason why I have started my own VIP concierge service.  I know that I can help others with their ambitions.   If I genuinely strive for and believe in their success, it will be returned to me tenfold.  I’d be pleased to be your right hand man.

Virtual Assistants – A new way to work from home

A revolution is taking place in the world’s administrative offices, or should I say, in the homes of many new virtual assistants that have brought their workplace to a whole new level.  That’s right, we have embraced the technology that made our offices smarter, faster, cheaper and turned our living rooms into our virtual remote offices.

The obvious allure of the work-at-home job is work-life balance.  But lets look at this from the perspective of the client.  Why in the world would you want to hire someone to work at home when you can hire them to be in your office with you?  Not so obvious.

Generally speaking, virtual assistants save their clients money by accomplishing the assigned tasks with a high level of expertise and without the usual distractions of an office and their boss looking over their shoulder.  Sure there are distractions at home, but we all know that interruptions by our bosses, subordinates, or co-workers are the most time consuming and costly distractions.  And, because virtual assistants work as independent contractors, there are no payroll liabilities like benefits and insurance to be concerned with.  Small businesses that have a need for administrative services, but don’t necessarily need a full time employee, benefit greatly from this sort of arrangement.

Organizations employing virtual assistants often receive more professional, more experienced services than what they could employ directly in their offices.   Many talented executives, career administrators, office managers, paralegals, and the like become virtual assistants because of their family and home life priorities.  Leveraging their talents and their time, they achieve that coveted work life balance.  Virtual assistants typically have strong resumes and offer incredibly efficient, professional services.  Recruiting the same talent to commute an hour or more in heavy traffic to work in a corporate office is much more difficult, and results in relatively inferior performers.

More and more corporate executives are also based out of their homes.  Many have demanding travel schedules and rarely make appearances at their corporate office.  Admins working from home are no more removed in these situations than their bosses are.  In fact, they are generally more accessible than their corporate counterparts because they are available outside of business hours.  Many work evenings, weekends, or during times that their clients need them…not just 9 to 5 as is the case with most administrative assistants. 

The “Virtual Assistant Industry” is professionalizing and growing as you read this.  There are a few industry organizations that have formed as a part of this revolution.  The International Virtual Assistants Association and The International Association of Virtual Office Assistants are two trade organizations that have formed to support the growing demands.  The revolution is underway.  For more information, please Contact Me, and if I can’t help you, I will point you in the right direction.

Virtually yours,  Mark.

 The funny thing is that everyone I talk to about this problem, is just as aggravated by it.  They have stories about times they had to chase somebody down for something seemingly simple.  So, how many of you out there also feel this is out of control?  Everyone?  Yup.

I don’t understand it, but I know that its a problem.  Communication in business (as with every other aspect of life) is paramount to success.  I also know that it does not have to be this way.  If you don’t have the answer, then have the common courtesy to acknowledge my question.  If you don’t have time…then you need to figure it out.  I always try to answer my phone and my emails right away.  That way I never get backed up.  But, if I miss a call or email, I GET BACK TO THEM.

I typically take the mass-production, assembly line approach.  I tend to make all of my return phone calls 1 right after the other, then move on to another task.  Or, I sit down and write out all of my email responses at one time.   And, the timing changes every day.  Some days, I am not interested in returning phone calls first thing in the morning.  And, other days I can’t wait to return the call.

Don’t be one of the people that aggravate you.  Return your calls within 24 hours.  ESPECIALLY, if you are working with external customers.  There is nothing worse for a customer than to have to wait.  

So, this goes out to everyone out there that has received my voicemail or email and has yet to return my call; I’m not going to chase you!

 I’ve been rewarded again this week as I learned of the appointment of my friend and ex-employee, Angie Carignan, who was just named Assistant General Manager of InnSeason Resorts Pollard Brook.  I left my role as General Manager of that property in September of last year to follow my entrepreneurial dreams.  Angie was the Front Office Manager during my term.

Here’s how the story goes.  Before working at Pollard Brook, I was the Rooms Division Director of the Margate Resort in Laconia, NH.  I was brought up to that property from a GM job at the Landmark Inn, the red-headed steph-child of the Margate.  I was only there a few days when hell week (February School Vacation) was upon us.  I had a brand new and totally unexperienced front desk staff at the time and was finding myself behind the front desk more than I should have been.  Angie had just started there and she had absolutely no FD experience, though she had done some customer service work for J Jill.

It was a full house and we had 141 checkouts that Sunday when I arrived for work.  Angie, was 3 days wet, and scheduled on the desk.  I can’t remember why, but that’s all I had on the desk that morning, so Angie and I had to make it happen.  I will never in my life forget the performance that day.  Not me.  Angie.  She stood there and dealt with some of the toughest guests possible and handled all of the checkouts with me like a true champion.  We even joked about the fact that we did 150 pounds of checkouts (hard keys in a bucket).

I knew that day that Angie had it.  The type of personality, drive, passion, leadership that you can only be born with.   She had that certain…something, that all successful people have.  And I have yet tried to describe what it is…only that some people “have it.”  I knew it enough to make her my front desk manager at Pollard Brook when I moved North.

Angie was a bit rough around the edges, had little hospitality experience, and needed to be reigned in on occassion.  But she “got it”.  I knew that she would go places and I couldn’t help but want her to go there.  She has continually met my expectations and learned to anticipate my needs.  She became a tremendous front desk manager and more importantly a leader in her resort.  Now after several years of refining her skill and gaining experience she has been promoted again…this time by someone else.  They also know that she “has it.”

I write this article for 2 reasons.  The first is to congratulate Angie on her promotion and to speak of how proud I am of her accomplishment.  The second, and more important reason, is to share with others how rewarding it can be to watch others succeed.  There is an infinite amount of success in the world.  It is not a pie that we all have to cut up in finite pieces and get as much as we can.  Everyone can have the whole pie.  And, when you can feel rewarded for the success of others, it makes management all worth it.

If there is anything that you take away from this article, it should be that your job as a manager is to develop your staff, help them reach their potential, and get them promoted.  When you do, you will reap the reward that you seek out of your pwn management career.

Congratulations Angie.  Bravo!