not need to give an answer immediately) but just listen at
that moment to understand,” Acar says. “Active listening
creates trust and confidence and is a sign of care.”
When arguments arise at work, Acar stays neutral, giving
advice to both sides but empowering parties to resolve the
issue among themselves. “I do not try to solve it for them but
simply follow up on the issue,” he says.
When having difficulties influencing someone at work, his
solution is to first build trust. “I work on creating trust
between us, which can take a long time and requires so much
active listening and honesty in all actions and communications, including giving feedback,” he says. In fact, asking for
feedback is a leadership habit he tries to practice daily in order
to further develop his ability to create influence.
But a true test of influence is being able to inspire others
to assert their ability to motivate others to act. It is necessary
to create an entire environment of influence in which team
members are empowered to influence peers and those whom
they interact with on a daily basis, including guests.
Influencing Guests
When spa staff members are empowered to assert their power
of influence, they are likely to also inspire guests to take
action, especially when it comes to their health. “Spa industry
professionals should advocate a message of health and focus
on highlighting the role that spas may contribute to guests’
overall wellness,” says Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, president of
Absolute Spa Group based in Vancouver, British Columbia in
Canada. “We want our guests to leave knowing that the
Absolute Spa Group team cares about their heath, happiness
and well-being. It’s our number one priority.”
To do this, the spa empowers its staff to customize its guests’
spa experiences in order to meet individual needs and treat every
guest as a V.I.P. “In a competitive industry such as this, it is
imperative to create positive, lasting memories for guests, which
will ensure their desire to return,” Lisogar-Cocchia says.
“As consumers shift their focus to health and
well-being, the spa industry should position
itself as the center of integrated and holistic
approaches to wellness.”
— WENDY LISOGAR-COCCHIA • President of Absolute Spa Group • British Columbia, Canada
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November 2015