Tag: leaders

The Meaning of Leadership

Screen Shot 2018-06-21 at 12.03.29 PM When thinking about leadership, I see a leader as the person who’s always quoted and remembered. They’re always the star of old blockbuster movies where the underdog team beats the odds and wins the championship, whether it’s the coach, the star quarterback or even the unsung hero in the stands.

What are the qualities we seek in a leader? There is no specific formula, no specific answer to this question. Of course, we see a leader as someone who reaches for their goals and is victorious.

Some believe that leaders are born and not made, a matter of nature versus nurture. I believe that leaders need to possess a quality of charisma – specifically the ability to influence others positively – which I think you can either be born with or hone as a skill through your experiences. It is accomplished through leading by example, showing associates that even though it may not be easy, doing the right thing will always lead you to success. It will teach them how to handle new situations in the future.

Effective decision-making is another important quality in a leader. If you make decisions thoughtfully but efficiently, and stick with your decision no matter the outcome, your team will be able to understand how each decision has a consequence, good or bad. The important thing is that you all stick together and trust and rely on each other, your teammates. If a coach decides on a certain play during a game, the team needs to trust each other in order to successfully run the play. If unforeseen challenges pop up, the decision might need to change on a dime, and the team as a whole needs to embrace that.

At The Service Companies, we are surrounded by leaders, in all departments and at every level. Our leaders use numerous tactics to ensure our associates continue to grow, learn and become better every day, so that they can one day step into their own leadership role.

Our management teams across the country share mandated service and safety topics daily. They listen to and act upon feedback from both our associates and clients, which is then shared to ensure everyone is on the same page, on both a property and company level. We promScreen Shot 2018-06-21 at 12.04.43 PMote our SHINE campaign associate engagement culture by recognizing and sharing the successes and accomplishments of each associate and team. Open communication and being the first to welcome and shake associates’ hands from day one is important.

It is vital that our teams across the country work together with each other and their leaders, whether they be managers or fellow associates. It’s the hard work and dedication of all of them who make it possible for us to deliver on our promise to our clients of Service. Above all.

Leaders in Service: Jurond Brazile

male hotel houseman, housekeeper, cleaner, public area attendantAt The Service Companies, we understand that our people make our company great and enable us to provide our customers Service. Above All. No matter what level, property or department you look, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we will feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Our third feature of this series is Jurond Brazile, a Laundry Attendant/Public Area Attendant/Houseman at a hotel in Key West. We’ve asked him to answer some questions about working for The Service Companies:

How long have you been with The Service Companies?

I have been working for The Service Companies for six years.

What role(s) have you had here and what is your current position?

Since I joined, I have held Houseman, Public Area, Laundry, Carpet Cleaning and Housekeeping positions. Currently, I am a Laundry Attendant/Public Area Attendant/Houseman for a vacation ownership resort in Key West, Florida.

What does your job entail?

I do any job that is asked of me. Since my role with The Service Companies includes Hotel Houseman, Laundry and Public Area duties, I help out wherever I am needed within the hotel housekeeping department. I enjoy it.

That is a great attitude to have, and one that we value at The Service Companies. Our last question for you is what do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

When I’m not working, I like to read books and play sports, particularly soccer and basketball.

Read Other Blog Posts From Our Leaders in Service Series:

Leaders in Service: Griffin Long

Griffin Long, Manager, food and beverage services and staffingAt The Service Companies, we understand that our people are what makes our company great and enables us to provide our customers Service. Above All. No matter what level, property or department you look, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we will feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Our second feature of this series is Griffin Long, an Operations Manager for our Food and Beverage and Hospitality Staffing division, Acrobat Outsourcing. We’ve asked him to answer some questions about working for The Service Companies and the food and beverage services / staffing industry:

Tell us how long have you been with The Service Companies?

I have worked with Acrobat Outsourcing, which provides food and beverage services and hospitality staff, a little over two years.

What role(s) have you had here and what is your current position?

My first role with Acrobat was as a temporary worker doing catering for Sodexo. I then became a Staffing Assistant and began working out of Acrobat Outsourcing’s Houston office and became Operations Assistant Manager not long after. I was recently promoted to Operations Manager for Austin, a role I will be assuming this week.

Congratulations on your promotion! What does your new job entail?

What doesn’t my job entail is the real question. I do everything from staffing, recruiting, administrative tasks, check-in, client meetings, and more. That’s how I was trained, to cover everything. It’s always good to be well versed in what your entire team does.

So, how do you motivate your team?

I motivate my team by always asking if they need help. No matter how busy I am, I always find time to see what areas I can help them in. This builds teamwork and everyone knows their role, but at the end of the day they can wear all the hats in the office.

I know you were just promoted, but what was the best thing about being the Operations Assistant Manager in Austin?

The best thing about being Operations Assistant Manager was that I got to help upper management while also being able to focus on the team effort. Whether it’s speaking to clients or helping with admin work I did a little bit of everything for the greater good.

Tell us one thing about yourself that is not related to work or what you do for fun when you’re not working.

I enjoy fishing, camping, cooking, and hanging out with my family! I am a very family-oriented person. They will always come first in my life.

Leaders in Service: Ana Rodriguez

At The Service Companies, we understand that our people is Ana Rodriguez, Director EVS Cleaning and Housekeeping Operationswhat makes our company great and enables us to provide our customers Service. Above All. No matter at what level, property or department you look, you will find exceptional associates who live and breathe our brand and have helped create a strong corporate culture. In the spirit of honoring the people and leaders within our company, we will feature and interview our outstanding associates in our series, Leaders in Service.

Our first feature of this series is Ana Rodriguez, Director of EVS Cleaning and Housekeeping Operations. We’ve asked her to answer some questions about working for The Service Companies:

How long have you been with The Service Companies?
All together 2 years.

What role have you had here and what is your current position?
I was a Property Manager for The Service Companies in the Housekeeping department at a casino in Bossier City, Louisiana in 2009. I’m currently Director of Operations for EVS Cleaning and Housekeeping at a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

What does your job entail?
My team and I are responsible for the housekeeping operations of a 2200+ room casino hotel, the upkeep of a 20,000 square foot casino and 400+ associates. All this while integrating The Service Companies’ standard practices with our client’s culture and priorities.

How do you motivate your team?
By showing them the power to make a difference that they each have within themselves. We talk about what inspires us, about the amazing leadership that drives our company and why we do what we do. And in times of need, we are there for each other.

What do you like most about being the Director of EVS Cleaning & Housekeeping Operations?
The synergy we have created on this team and having the platform to lead so many people eager for growth. We have a achieved such a synergy that any time one of us is not at their best, the rest of the team reminds each other why we all love what we do.

We are always looking for dedicated and talented employees to join our team. If you’d like to join The Service Companies, apply here.

Read Other Blog Posts in Our Leaders in Service Series