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Writer's pictureAdele Gutman Milne, CHBA, CHDM

The Confetti Culture Playbook Author and Hotel General Manager, James Ferguson visits Adele Gutman

Updated: Apr 20, 2022

One of the best ways to cultivate enthusiastic 5-Star reviews is to create a culture of enthusiasm for hospitality and collaborative, creative problem-solving at your hotel.


I was excited to speak with Hotel General Manager, James Ferguson, who is the author of the new book, The Confetti Culture Playbook: How to Boost Your Team’s Contribution and Impact.


With the level of stress and frustration at hotels today, I truly believe that there is nothing more important right now for the future success of our industry than shifting to this people-centric mindset.


So do yourself a favor and check out The Confetti Culture Playbook for yourself and gift it to your team members.

Highlights inspired by our conversation:


It's time to get back to leadership

When leaders get focused on their own work rather than supporting the team, problems don’t get fixed, the problems get bigger, and issues fester.


Don't just work in the same place. Be a team.

No one should feel like they are out on an island. For example, if a team is short-handed, it can’t only be up to that department head to overcome the challenges. The entire team should rally around the needs of that department with the greatest need to see how they can help. This builds trust and helps employees feel cared for and appreciated.


Trust is Bilt on Relationships

Before you can expect team members to trust you, before you can expect them to support you, they need to come to know you and believe that you have their back and are there to support them. James has a series of questions he asks of people to get to know them and get the relationship off on the right foot.



Self Awareness is Important:

Does your team get scared or nervous when you enter a room? Are they willing to offer ideas or do they fear being mocked or ignored? When you ask what you can do to support them, and they tell you, do you follow up with them? Strive to be the kind of leader you wish you had.


Do you solve problems for your team or are they cleaning up our shortcomings? We can’t get into a habit of overpromising and underdelivering on service and expect guests not to express their disappointment or anger to the team. Take care of your team by communicating authentically to set expectations that you are ready to meet.



Be Generous with the Confetti!

Confetti is a tool to elevate the energy with appreciation. Change the conversation by focusing on the positive. Celebrate wins. Share what we feel grateful for. It is also an accountability tool and it helps shake off the tension of the day.


Let's Connect!

If your hotel could benefit from more five-star reviews (and honestly, couldn't we all?), please contact us at getgreatreviews@adelegutman.com, and let's see how we can put you on a reputation optimization plan to meet your needs and support your goals. Follow and connect with James Ferguson:


Other Authors and Books Mentioned:

Horst Schultze: Excellence Wins!


Follow and connect with Adele Gutman:


Website: Adele Gutman

LinkedIn: Adele Gutman

Twitter: Adele Gutman


Thank you for listening!


If you found value in this discussion, it would mean the world to us to have you as a subscriber and shared this with anyone you know who might benefit from this conversation!


Have a great week and reach for the stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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