Last year I told you about the people that have made a silent impact on my life and now that we're getting closer to the holiday season, I figured there was no better time to re-share that story:
I’m a big believer in making the “Second Thank You.” What is a Second Thank You? It’s recognizing the impact that a particular person has had on your life, which could be weeks, months, or in many cases, years after your encounter.
My Second Thank You goes out to Jim Beard, the guy that gave me what was my dream job out of college as a Management Trainee in the employee cafeteria at the Hyatt hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. At the time, Jim was my Food and Beverage Manager, but he eventually went on to become General Manager of the hotel and then was a corporate executive for Regent Hotels & Resorts, ZipRealty, Inc. and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The guy is a legend in the hospitality industry.
All I wanted was to work at Hyatt. It was a great hotel chain and they had an excellent training program. When I arrived it wasn’t long before I felt Jim’ presence as an executive. He was someone I could look up to because he demanded a high quality of presentation and service. He always got the most out of this team. And, the guy knew how to dress the part. There were times where he might send me home after a staff meeting to get a haircut, or if the tie I was wearing didn’t match or look right, he would cut the bottom.
Jim showed me the difference between management and leadership. He also showed me the importance of a team; how all of us were better than some of us. And, under his direction, anyone on the team at Hyatt was involved in every area of the hotel; from making beds to running banquets. There was no area left uncovered when help was needed. Staff meetings were short and to the point. Management parties were long and crazy. We were a group that worked hard and played hard. We always showed up for each other regardless of the time of day.
I have tried to instill everything Jim taught me all those years ago into the way I run Steiner Sports today. We try our best to create an environment where our employees can learn and also have fun…kind of like a fraternity. I owe all that to Jim.
Who do you owe a "Second Thank You" to?
