My Peninsula lessons

A year ago I received an invitation to submit a proposal for a “team building exercise” for senior managers of the Manila Peninsula. The five-star luxury hotel had just undergone a leadership change and their new GM Sonja Vodusek, an Australian hotel executive coming out of Europe, immediately recognized “what is, what can be and what should be.”

To fast-track matters the new GM called on British trainer Susy Roberts to lead the executive committee on a journey of change. To complete the project, Vodusek and Roberts needed a local counterpart who could cascade the process to about 60 senior and middle managers of the Manila Peninsula. After receiving several proposals, the group sought out something more radical and unconventional, which was the reason they invited me.

My initial reaction was thanks but no thanks. I am not a certified trainer, I had not ventured into team building and I was more comfortable with “crisis management,” media training, Leadership and motivational speaking. But after some convincing and prayer, I came to realize that it was an “honor” to be asked by such an institution and that I should honor them with a proposal. It would also be an expression of appreciation for the opportunities that God sends our way. Lesson 1: Honor and appreciate the challenges you are given.

After a five-minute meeting, I knew right off the bat that Sonja Vodusek was charming, but very much about business as well. Realizing her standards and expectations, I could not help experiencing self-doubts. But having shook hands on the project, one bites the bullet and lesson 2 was: Cast your doubts because that’s all they are, doubts.

In order to perform my role in the project, I was required to do two things: be an “understudy” to Susy Roberts and spend two days with the executive committee out of town as an “alalay” to learn the process. It would have been normal for me to think that my stature and experience in life was more than enough for me to do it on my own. But when I chose to apply lesson 3: “humble yourself,” I learned much and had more confidence to handle the cascade project.

I discovered with lesson 4 that by “praying and allowing God to lead you,” you will come up with ideas and strategies beyond your own. For example, how do you confront people with their mistakes, shortcomings, even failures without hurting them, turning them off especially when you are not a “certified” industry expert?

That’s when Lesson 5 kicked in: Ask others. The Lord led me to ask the VIPs I know to text or email me their thoughts or feedback about the hotel. Overnight I received 30 valuable inputs that gave an undeniable, accurate and market centered evaluation of the business.

Yes I had a gold mine and it was not just my opinion. But even that would not stop the “resistance” or the rebels in every company. Someone had warned me to expect opposition from a handful of managers. Knowing my equally aggressive character, I knew this would not go well without a plan. After a little more praying, Lesson 6 was: Your Enemy, Your Weapon.

I singled out the members of the resistance in front of the 60 managers then gave them specific instructions to be leader-motivators for their designated team. Their task was to draw out the talents, skills and input of their members and to motivate them not to dictate, criticize or direct. The strategy made people realize that deep down, most of the loudest, critical or negative people in a team are those who actually want to contribute, and believe in the team the most.

The “members of the resistance” then learned lesson 7 and 8 which are: “You’re not the only genius in the room” and “Let others emerge.” Many people feel threatened by competition, but ironically, the captains of industries are successful by recognizing and surrounding themselves with people of such potential.

A year after that team building project, I was invited back to speak to the managers again. I shared how “change can be sudden” and “change can take time” (#9-10). In one year a number of managers have retired or moved on unexpectedly, while so many new faces have been added to the team. On the other hand, major projects of the hotel in the coming year will have growing pains and require time, we need patience and we need to buy time to get it done.

I also shared # 11: “Experience is expandable” and #12: “Experience is profitable” as I told them how I used what I learned from the cascade project to venture into other team building opportunities and made a profit. I reminded them to build on relationships #13 especially in the service industry that is all about relationship. To this I added #14: “You know your sins; save us the embarrassment, meaning do your job right or fix the problems and don’t wait to be told, because it is embarrassing when people have to point it out to you.

More importantly, I taught them Lesson #15: Improve your stroke. I told them how I studied the competition and realized the added value they gave as hosts, trainers and speakers and how I applied the same to my “business.”

Looking back, it is clear that Change Creates Change. Because Sonja Vodusek and her managers were willing to recognize “what is, what can be and what should be” so many improvements have been taking place in terms of service, facilities, staffing and amenities. New team members are busy upgrading offerings from F&B, they have a new manager for the famous iconic “Pen Lobby,” their new Fitness Center will surely draw in serious health buffs, work is underway to get approval and completion of their helipad, while so much more is being done from curbside check-in, entertainment, and many more. With all these going on, “I’ll see you at the Pen.”