THE ART OF
I've learnt that people, will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
- MAYA ANGELOU
| WELCOME
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 1
Pacific
AUSTRALIA Here in this Great Island home of ours now known as Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lived and practiced their culture for many thousands of years. We pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of this land and acknowledge their enduring culture and connection to country. We extend respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
F IJI The culture of Fiji is a tapestry of Indigenous Fijians, (i-Taukei), Indo- Fijians, Asians, Europeans and other South Pacific Islanders who call our islands home. It is with this spirit of openness and ‘Bula’ (‘life’) that travellers are welcomed from far and wide.
NEW ZEALAND Accor acknowledge Maori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners of Aotearoa New Zealand. Ka whakamanawatia te iwi Maori hei tangata whenua, hei hoa taurite mo Te Tiriti o Waitangi puta noa i te motu whanui, puta noa i Aotearoa.
2 | PACIFIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
HAWAI I Aloha in Hawaiian has a number of meanings including love, peace, compassion, kindness and grace. Aloha is innate to the Hawaiian condition and seems to define us as a society. But aloha is also a call for reciprocity. Aloha aku – Aloha mai, (aloha given – aloha received) From the cultural umbrella of aloha, many other Hawaiian values flow as extensions of the spirit of aloha. It is a universal statement that transcends race, color, or creed.
FRENCH POLYNESIA We have inherited a rich, expressive and full of ‘joie de vivre’ Polynesian culture from our Ma’ohi ancestors. You can experience it in the 118 islands, in the centre of the Pacific. Each island has its specific language, landscape and culture, that we are always keen to share with travellers. One Island, one Mana. Welcoming tired navigators and now guests for centuries, sharing all that they have without any expectation, are the roots of their Ma’ohi spirit.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 3
THE BOOK OF HEARTIST. WHAT'S IN THIS BOOK?
Welcome to Heartist from Sarah Derry
6 0
06
Loyalty
Our Love of Loyalty
Generous of Spirit & Loyal of Heart
Heartist & Human Connection
112
08
10
118
My Story at Accor
Our Heartist World
The Art & Science of Human Connection
Welcome
12
122
Our Guest Stories
Introducing Our Heartist Principles
127
14
References
4 | CONT ENT
16 PRINCIPLE ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING.
40 PRINCIPLE TWO: PEOPLE WANT THE REAL DEAL.
3 C
70 PRINCIPLE THREE:
94 PRINCIPLE FOUR:
EVERY PERSON HAS A STORY.
PEOPLE HATE TO BE WRONG.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 5
Sarah Derry CEO, ACCOR PACIFIC
6 | WELCOME TO HEARTIST FROM SARAH DERRY
My purpose has long been to connect people with their potential. Which is one of the reasons I love HEARTIST. HEARTIST helps me, help our whole Accor team, connect with their potential. To find their why. WELCOME TO Heartist. HEARTIST HELPS US ALL REACH OUR HIGHEST POTENTIAL.
education, or life experiences, HEARTIST puts us all on a level playing field. It is the ultimate leveller – because being a brilliant HEARTIST is about who you are, how you make others feel, and where you’re going.
Heartist is who we are at Accor. It is how we live our purpose. Our purpose, the reason we exist, is our why. Our purpose sits above and beyond our day-to-day, or even our year-to-year goals. Our purpose is to create welcoming places and memorable experiences . This is our why. Having a why is hugely powerful for humans, for teams and for whole organisations. When we have a sense of purpose, of deep meaning, we feel more able to cope with all the challenges of our days. We feel more motivated, more focused and more centred around pursuing what really matters to us. A why makes our days, and our lives, meaningful. Perhaps the richest source of meaning in our lives, comes from memorable experiences - our memories. From our memories of family, of friends, of special moments, of difficulties overcome, of lessons learned, of joys shared, and of days brightened, often in the smallest of ways. These are what make our lives feel meaningful. My hope for HEARTIST is that it helps all of us create, and store away, more memories like these. Because HEARTIST is how, together, we will create welcoming places and memorable experiences. Succeeding at Accor is as simple, and as complex, as living our four principles. When you let the principles of HEARTIST guide your decisions, actions and behaviours, you set yourself up for the most extraordinary success. No matter your background, I believe we all have a responsibility to contribute our unique strengths and potential to the world.
Heartist is about all of us, as much as it is about our guests.
We create belonging for our team members, across teams, not just within teams. We never compete with other HEARTIST teams, or team members. We are collective, collaborative and compassionate with ourselves and others. As you explore this book, and experience our HEARTIST culture, take time to reflect on what is most powerful for you. Which of your strengths do you need to bring more alive? What is your purpose and what gives you a sense of meaning? At Accor we contribute to our teams, our guests, our owners, our communities, and ourselves. And it is HEARTIST that helps us do this – in both our professional, and personal lives. HEARTIST helps us step out of our comfort zones and into our courage zones. It helps us be real with ourselves, and others, while still being kind and building connection. Courage is one of my strongest values and across my whole life I can see that the best opportunities have come when I have understood my fears, but still moved forward. Because of course, so often, the fears are only our imaginations holding us back. So my ask of you, is to boldly step up and move forward into your courage zones. And I hope HEARTIST inspires even the quietest of voices to speak up, and the loudest of us, to listen, so together we can break down even more barriers. Thank you for all you do. HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 7
What is it all about?
We asked
It’s the ability to connect with people wherever they are at, and wherever they are from. It’s finding their story.
Human connection is connecting with someone from the heart. From there you build a friendship, and from there you feel like family. It’s all about love.
It’s the ability to deeply relate to another human. To be able to understand someone fully – and to use that understanding to impact them positively.
The art of genuine human connection is the way we behave in a really thoughtful and genuine way. It’s at the core of who we are, and everything we do and I see it everywhere.
When we really care, when we really listen, we create human connection - and it makes a whole world of difference.
CHRIS
OSWALD
SCOTT
CLAIRE
SHONT EL
WHAT IS Human Connection?
It's the way a smile can turn two strangers into instant friends.
Human connection is what gives us joy everyday - it's what brings out the best in all of us.
Human connection is engaging with people - not by following a corporate line or process – but by being the real you.
Human connection is people looking after each other – that’s the business we’re in. The people business.
We can be on the same wavelength in an instant.
RIMAL
AMANDA
JENNY
CRAIG
8 | HEARTIST & HUMAN CONNECTION
It’s about empathy. It’s understanding that everyone has something to offer.
Heartist is human trust and human respect. For our team members, for our guests and for everyone in our lives. Heartist is our way of life. And it guides all our decisions.
some Heartists.
SHELLEY
A Heartist is someone who puts their heart and soul into everything they do for others. it's care and it's love.
PHIL
Heartist is about bringing moments of joy to other people. Heartist is Accor.
Heartist is our way of being. It’s who we are at Accor. ADRIAN
ST EF F IE
Heartist is our foundation. It's how we stand out and what we stand for - it's how we make a real difference.
Heartist is who we are. It’s everything we do and everything we deliver through respect,
EDEN
GILLIAN
understanding and generosity.
Heartist is genuine care for people. It’s about understanding people, and it’s about how we care for people – our guests and each other.
Heartist is the way we brighten people’s lives. It’s a feeling – a feeling that you have, and a feeling that you bring to others. It’s a sense of community, and it’s a language we all share. Heartist makes us one.
RENAE
WHAT IS Heartist, REALLY?
JOHN
SARAH
Heartist touches the heart. If the whole world learns about it, Heartist can change the world. VIKA
No other company in the world has Heartist. It sets us apart. Heartist is authentically Accor.
Heartist is our culture. It is our being. It is how we live and breathe. It is us. ST EVEN
Heartist is the DNA that links us all together. DAVID
LINDSAY
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 9
All our owners, partners and stakeholders benefit when we live our culture of Heartist. Thanks to our people, and the way they make our guests feel, Accor is one of the largest and fastest growing hotel companies in the world.
Everything we do, we do to create welcoming places and memorable experiences for our guests and our team members. This is our why. This is our purpose and what we strive for every day. It is why we set the goals we set. It is why we measure what we measure. SHOWCASING Our whole
OUR OWNERS
OUR GUESTS
When we live a culture of Heartist we bring more joy to our guests’ lives. Our places are welcoming and we create memories because we believe in human connection. And we know when we make our guests feel good about themselves, they feel good about us too.
When we live a culture of Heartist we create a culture of mutual loyalty. We feel loyalty, and we give loyalty. When we do this, we grow our whole organisation. And of course, we can’t do anything unless we continue to be a profitable efficient organisation that is set up to make things better for all.
OUR TEAM MEMBERS
Living Heartist is not just for guests. It’s how we are with each other. We help each other grow. We seek out opportunities to learn and find meaning in our work. We recognise and appreciate each other. And more than anything, Heartists value each other.
OUR COMMUNITIES
Our culture of Heartist means really noticing the impact we have on the worlds around us. We love to help our communities. We protect our environments. And we seek to support, wherever and whenever we can. Quite simply, being a Heartist makes things just a little better for everyone.
OUR WHOLE ORGANISATION
10 | OUR HEARTIST WORLD
HOSPITALITY FOR ALL.> Heartist world.
OUR AMBITION To expand Accor's position as the industry leader in the Pacific. OUR What
It is why we constantly ask, what more can we do. It is what gets us out of bed every morning, and it is how we know we have made a difference at the end of every day. To live our why, we are building a culture of Heartist to help every single one of our deeply interconnected audiences.
OUR H ow
3 C
& by living our values of Guest Passion, Innovation, Respect, Trust, Spirit of Conquest & Sustainable Performance.
Creating Welcoming Places & Memorable Experiences. OUR Why
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 11
THE Ar t OF HUMAN CONNECTION. Heartists are artists in human connection. In excellence of service and belonging. In conversation. In humanness. And they are artisans in their crafts of hospitality. Heartist has four interdependent principles, each based on fundamental human needs, which when delivered with heart and artistry, ensure we make each one of our guests and our colleagues not only feel welcome, but also able to create the most wonderful memorable experiences. art-i-san, noun: Practice of a craft. May through experience and skill reach excellence and achieve the expressive levels of an artist.
HEARTIST IS both Art & Science.
68 SCIENTIFIC AUTHORS
36 COOL KEY T ERMS
25 TRUE FACTS
12 | THE ART & SCIENCE OF HUMAN CONNECTION
The science OF HUMAN CONNECTION.
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?
Heartist is our way of thinking about, learning about, understanding and
Drawing from the many scientific disciplines of psychology – especially positive psychology, neuroscience, cognitive development, social behaviour and organisational performance, Heartist is deeply researched and informed by academic study and global best - practice. Grounded in hundreds of peer reviewed academic studies from leading universities around the globe, from UC Berkeley to Harvard and from Melbourne to London, Heartist is inspired by new ideas from bright thinkers from both inside and outside the worlds of hospitality and travel – and also by the ancient wisdom of indigenous peoples across our Pacific region. Heartist is about life skills. As you read through the pages of this book and take time to learn, you’ll be immersing yourself in the most inspiring worlds of compassion, happiness and achievement and learning ways of thinking, doing and being that you can apply to all aspects of your life, not only at work. You’ll be embarking upon your own scientific discovery – the science of human connection and Heartist.
In its earliest forms, psychology was really only about mental ill health. In more recent years, psychological study has evolved to not only address problems, but to help people truly be their best. To help people be their best in workplaces, in their relationships, as parents and as friends, as leaders and as learners, and as achievers of success, architects of ideas and creators of connection. The schools of positive psychology, social psychology and organisational development converge in the learning of Heartist.
Connecting with people, that is at the foundation of our Accor culture, globally.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 13
WE HAVE FOUR DEEPLY CONNECTED HEARTIST PRINCIPLES. Introducing our Heartist Principles.
And as Heartists, we know that everything starts with truly knowing who we are and how we show up.
To do that we make people feel
Being a Heartist at Accor starts with our goal to create meaningful human connection.
like they belong and to feel good about themselves.
'
We know that we cant know others if we dont know ourselves. Heartists bring our best true selves to work because we know that more than anything else, it is our authentic and real self that makes our guests feel so welcome. '
At Accor we know that nothing helps us feel we belong more than others truly noticing us and genuinely seeking to understand us and value us. When we do this, we make people feel good about themselves.
14 | INTRODUCING OUR HEARTIST PRINCIPLES
And when we do all of this, we seek out and welcome feedback, because we want to make things better... …
Then when we know ourselves, we can bring empathy to making others feel special.
...and that helps us make everyone feel welcome, and all their experiences with us, even more memorable.
3 C
We love the complainers, the problem-raisers and the improvers. We are learners from missteps, misunderstandings, and all types of feedback because we are problem-solvers who make things better for our guests and our colleagues, every single time.
Heartists are heart listeners. We take the time to make others feel heard. We are fascinated by people, we are empathetic and curious story-spotters who get out of bed every day to make others feel special.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 15
PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING 1 C
HEARTIST BY ACCOR
16 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
You belong here. Everyone belongs here.
BELONGING HEALS FACT 01
Social connection is good for us physically, as well as emotionally. A study of people recovering from illness, found that the patient’s social network was a better predictor of their recovery, than exercise, nutrition or medication.
We may not look like it, but we just belong together.
- DR DOOLITTLE
To feel that we belong is to feel accepted, to feel seen for who we are, and to feel included. To believe that in all our uniqueness, we fit in. To trust that we will be cared for and protected by the people here. This is the feeling we create for our team members, our guests and everyone we welcome to Accor.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 17
belonging? WHAT creates
TERMS
PEOPLE CREATE BELONGING. Ever wondered why some people seem just that little bit more magnetic for you? That bit more appealing? Science tells us that these are people we see as having a ‘desirable personality’, in other words they have a personality with heart. KNOW THIS. Having similar interests, attitudes, values and social skills do help create connection, but they are far less important than a personality with heart.
WHAT IS BELONGING?
I belong here It is the feeling of being part of something where you are included and accepted. Somewhere you feel welcome.
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONALITY?
TRY IT NOW
My habits of being Your personality is not the whole you. It is simply the sum of your habits - your habits of thinking, doing and feeling that have evolved from your DNA and your environment and experiences.
And the great news is that your personality is not fixed from birth. Every day we can add more warmth and more kindness to our personalities and every day we can choose to show how much we like another person.
DO THIS
Lead with liking Be the first to show you like someone - try it with the next guest, the next team member, the next person you see. And guess what, science tells us they’ll like you straight back.
18 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
UNBROKEN BONDS OF BELONGING. Maori feel connected to the birth of the universe. Maori have a word for an unbreakable sense of belonging. They call it Whakapapa - an unbroken chain of descent that interlocks the arms of the earliest Maori to those of the present day and immerses them all in a sense of deep belonging. Whakapapa connects everyone to all other living things, and to the earth and the sky, tracing the universe back to the beginning of time. Warmth + Kindness + Liking others first = having a personality with heart Scientists have proven that emotional connection has a physical impact on the brain. Human connection through ‘listening with your eyes’ or a warm hug, increases our trust and bonding hormone, oxytocin. Oxytocin is the same hormone that floods the brains of parents seeing their newborn for the first time. But when we feel disconnected, our body produces cortisol, a stress hormone. Too much and we feel anxious, panicky and even aggressive – handy when we’re under attack by a bear, not so handy when creating wonderfulguest experiences. The chemistry of how connection feels.
SOCIAL PAIN IS PHYSICAL PAIN FACT 02
The pain someone feels from social rejection or isolation - the opposite of belongingness - hurts the same part of your brain as physical pain. An unmet need for human connection can quickly escalate into a chronic condition - fuelling our very human anxiety in a way that no chocolate can fix. In fact for some, even brief moments of unwanted isolation can undermine our ability to think clearly and the way we see ourselves. Human variation in the desire for connection is broad but as Heartists, being in tune to the different needs of our guests, is how we help all people feel welcome at Accor. (Eisenberger, Lieberman, Williams, Science 302. 2003) (Cacioppo, 2015).
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 19
E ye contact is No.1 FOR CONNECTION.
In those few seconds, we make micro-decisions. We decide what the other thinks, feels and stands for. We decide their credibility, their honesty, their character, their competence and attentiveness. Sometimes eye contact can feel uncomfortable, but the absence of contact is even more unnerving. Lack of eye contact is perfect for avoiding conversation, and avoiding human connection.
TERMS
3 MAGICAL SECONDS OF HUMAN CONNECTION.
WHAT IS A MICRO-DECISION?
Micro-decision Micro-decisions are those fast almost intuitive decisions we make in less than a second. Do I trust this person? Are they friend or foe? Do they like me? Do they know what they are talking about? Are they really listening? Snap Judgements In fact, we make snap, or super fast judgments which predict our micro - decisions and they are informed by our unconscious biases. Snap judgments mean that we can take more time to choose a toothpaste than a new friend at work.
There is a German expression, ‘wie luft behandeln’, which means to be looked through as air. Psychologists have discovered that when we don’t connect with others through eye contact, people are less likely to trust us and are more likely to think we’re insincere.
Emotional intelligence One very important way we can physically demonstrate our emotional intelligence is by holding a guest’s gaze.
Research tells us There is even research to tell us just how long is best to strike the perfect balance between too little and appearing avoidant and too much and seeming intense: three seconds at a time.
TRY IT NOW
How does avoiding eye contact impact our guests and our people?
20 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
Connection is everything. Yes, everything.
03
A guest trying to make eye contact with someone focused on entering data on their computer screen quickly feels deliberately ignored, or worse, intentionally devalued or even rejected. 04 But those seconds are our most information-rich and important non-verbal communication channels. three seconds. Eye contact is mutual gazing – and we spend about 30% of our time sharing a gaze, with each mutual gaze lasting less than a second. In a study of 400 people for the Vision Sciences Society, researchers from University College London found that when we are with one other person, we spend 61% of our time gazing at their eyes – with each gaze lasting about
THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS? RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS.
When Harvard scientists started tracking 268 Harvard students during the Great Depression, they hoped to discuss the secret to healthy, happy lives. They found it.
Nearly 80 years on, and now covering 1,300 people from all sorts of backgrounds, the study explores what affects health and aging. They found the one thing that has the most powerful influence on our health. It is over relationships and our happiness with them, that predict a happy life and protect us from mental and physical decline. More than money, fame, IQ or social class. In fact, someone’s level of satisfaction with their relationships at age 50, is a better predictor of physical health at 80 than their cholesterol levels. Loneliness is a killer. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcohol. But having strong social support and positive human connections protects our bodies, our brains and even our memory. Building strong connection skills helps us create better relationships. Honing your connection skills every day will not only make you an extraordinary Heartist, but it will set you up for a long and happy life.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 21
THE extraordinary POWER OF our shared Heartist language.
OUR WORDS CREATE BELONGING.
The ability to communicate and to express ourselves is a basic human need.
And language is one of the most powerful ways we can create belonging. When we don’t share the language, we feel left out, ignored or worst, ostracised. The words we choose speak volumes about what’s important to us. For it is through our words, our tone and our expressions that we create connection, shared understanding and belonging between each other and with our guests.
TRY IT NOW
Every day we need to ask ourselves, are the words we are choosing making our team members feel valued and all people feel welcome at Accor?
22 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
WORDS MATTER For all of us Heartists across Accor, our unique language binds us. It is through the words we choose that we
WORDS MATTER For all of us Heartists across Accor, our unique language binds us. It is through the words we choose that we
create connections, shared alignment and understanding between each other and with our guests.
create connections, shared alignment and understanding between each other and with our guests.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 23
How feeling loyal feels
When our words create belonging, we create a sense of us-ness. Togetherness. We feel loyal. So how does feeling loyal actually feel?
LOYAL
LOVE
When you feel someone gets you.
When you want to be got.
LIKE
When you feel something says you all over it.
When you feel something was made for you. When you call it mine. My people. My place. Mine.
OUR EMOTIONAL PATH TO LOYALTY.
When your kind of people make you feel like the best you.
When you back something or someone, in the face of any obstacle or debate.
When you’d journey across town to be there, to get it,to be with them.
When all alternatives pale in comparison,
24 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
In all of us.
In our people, our guests and everyone we serve.
That’s what we strive for.
That’s what we give.
And that’s what we do.
That’s loyalty.
When you’re theirs for life.
Or choosing anywhere, or anyone, or anything else.
When you couldn’t imagine betraying it,
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 25
Decision making capabilities Diverse perspectives gives us access to a variety of problem-solving techniques and unexpected ideas so that we make better decisions faster. Well-being & Welcome Staying and working in environments where everyone feels valued and makes us feel at home, so we want to stay even longer. Better guest experiences When the diversity of our guests is matched by the diversity of our team members, we can provide an extraordinary level of empathy, service and care across diverse languages, cultures, experiences and stories. Diversity IS WHO WE ARE AS Heartists.
At Accor we create belonging. All of our team members can be themselves when they come to work. Through storytelling, education and bold actions, we will create an inclusive, safe and empowered environment for our Heartists, communities and guests. At Accor we believe in inclusion and diversity - not because it makes smart business sense, but because it’s who we are as Heartists. So our properties, our Heartists and our welcomes must be as inclusive as the diversity of those who stay, play and work with us. MAKES EVERYONE FEEL THEY BELONG. Our guests, like our team members come from all four corners of the globe, from every imaginable background and an infinite abundance of experiences. Valuing every single one of us.
The most gender-diverse companies outperform their peers financially by: 15%
The most ethnically-diverse companies outperform by
For every 10% increase in leadership-diversity earnings rise by up to: 3.5%
a whopping: 35%
-MCKINSEY, 2016
26 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
Why being equal, isn’t always fair.
HELP EVERYONE BELONG BY MAKING THINGS GREAT FOR ALL.
THIS IS WHAT EQUAL CAN LOOK LIKE Everyone is treated equally. But is it fair?
NOW EVERYONE IS GIVEN DIFFERENT SUPPORT So they have equal access to the view.
BUT IF WE RETHINK THE PROBLEM and notice the real obstacle, we can make things great for all.
Diversity is having a seat at the table. v
Inclusion is having a voice at the table. v
Belonging is having that voice heard. v
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 27
SO HOW DO YOU RESPOND IF YOU HEAR A MICRO-AGGRESSION?
Micro aggressions are everyday slights, indignities, put downs and insults which members of marginalised groups experience in their day to day interactions. They can range from something as overt as expecting a female team member to take notes in a meeting or get coffees, to subtly discriminatory comments that are cloaked as compliments: ‘You're so good with computers for someone your age.' Micro aggressions BY A THOUSAND CUTS. death
1
2
3
LET IT GO
RESPOND IMMEDIATELY
RESPOND LAT ER
( in a private settting )
To decide first consider how important the issue and the relationship is to you – if either is important, then don’t let it go.
EXPRESS YOURSELF AS A HEARTIST Bring strength and compassion to the conversation.
+
05
MICRO-AGGRESSIONS can lead to impacts which are anything but minor. They can affect mental health and trigger trauma.
ASK FOR CLARIFICATION A great start is to gently "ask" for clarification: "could you say more about what you mean by that" and then take a moment or two to help the person notice the impact of their often thoughtless, micro-aggression.
28 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF MICRO-AGGRESSIONS that we never want to hear from, or to, a Heartist.
That’s so gay
Oh you people
We check everyone’s bag
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 29
WHAT happens WHEN we get it wrong?
ALENA, A NEW ACCOR PLUS MEMBER, RECENTLY ARRIVED AT ONE OF OUR PROPERTIES.
with Alena, asking “what time would your friend like to check out – would 12 noon be suitable for her?”. Alena complained to the general manager saying that she felt insulted, disrespected and ignored. Alena explained that she is more than capable of managing her bookings and making her own decisions, all she needed was for Steve to guide her into the hotel.
She tried having a conversation with a team member at the front desk about checking in and arranging a late check-out for the next day. As a white cane user living with a vision impairment, Alena had come in with a friend, Steve, who was helping her with her travels that day. The team member was asking all the right questions, but directing the conversation to Steve rather than speaking
CREATING BELONGING
It can be helpful to view the interpreter as simply a messenger while you speak directly to the guest. WE SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE PERSON and not the interpreter
not to the person they are with. The same goes for someone using an Auslan sign language interpreter or taking a call through the National Relay Service on the phone. HEARTISTS SPEAK DIRECTLY to anyone with a disability,
30 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
At any point in time though, the real number is much higher because many of us experience disability temporarily, such as when we have a broken limb or an invisible temporary disability. ABOUT ONE IN FIVE OF US LIVE WITH A DISABILITY FACT 06
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 31
THE secret recipe FOR belongingness & helpfulness A T Accor.
“I can see a path to achieve my goals.” 1. Hope
Feeling energised and determined to persevere towards goals via plans and pathways. I have willpower and waypower.
BE MORE HOPEFUL, CONFIDENT, RESILIENT & OPTIMISTIC.
Research in the International Journal of Hospitality Management (2021) has found that something called ‘psychological capital’ (PsyCap) or HERO, motivates us to be more altruistic and more high performing in our work. PsyCap is our positive psychological state of development and is measured by our level of the four HERO elements. And altruism is our desire to do good for others. The research found that when we are high in HERO, hospitality team members are more likely to do things like helping others, creating positive vibes in our teams, mentoring new colleagues, striving to achieve shared goals, and simply striving to do more good.
h
e r
The great news is that all the HERO elements can be learnt, developed and strengthened. But it is together that these elements are the most powerful. Be a HERO
32 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
“I am capable of doing well.” 2. Efficacy
A positive way of coping even when obstacles and adversity seem determined to derail us. I learn from setbacks so I can bounce back better. “I can overcome obstacles.” 3. Resilience
“Good things will happen.” 4. Optimism
HOW TO LOVE YOUR WORK FACT 07
A confidence or belief in your ability to take on challenging tasks, produce positive results and achieve your goals. I know my strengths and how to use them.
Positive about the likelihood of success - now and in the future.
In a study of 288 frontline team members in five-star hotels, it was found that team members higher in HERO were more likely to report a high quality of work life and less likely to want to leave their jobs. Creating a healthy happy work environment where HERO attributes are coached and encouraged, contributes to team member HERO development. Kim, T. T., Karatepe, O. M., Lee, G., Lee, S., Hur, K., & Xijing, C. (2017). Does hotel employees’ quality of work life mediate the effect of psychological capital on job outcomes?. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
o
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 33
When we are high in HERO we are more satisfied with our job, our career, and our lives and we feel able to tackle all sorts of challenges and stressors because we believe in the hope of good outcomes. HERO predicts lower body mass index (BMI) and cholesterol levels and even greater satisfaction with our relationships. And when team members are more altruistic, the outcomes can be good for all as PsyCap predicts a powerful competitive edge. Organisational performance and productivity improves, guests feel more cared for, team members feel less stressed but achieve more, and there is a much much lower risk of burnout, absenteeism and turnover, when HERO is high. Believe in hope.
NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. We are most successful when we are happy.
34 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
Togetherness is what give us humans our shot at survival. And it’s the same at Accor. Alone we can do very little, but together we can do amazing things. Relying on each other, working in teams and living in groups is the way humans make things happen – it’s hardwired in our brains. So feeling isolated or rejected can be terrifying – and directly linked to chronic loneliness and poor mental and physical health. That’s why we do everything we can to make every single person feel that they belong. It is only together that humans are extraordinary.
Loneliness and social isolation is one of the top predictors of poor physical and mental health, predicting up to a 32% increase in the odds of someone being diagnosed with heart disease, obesity, hypertension, weakened immune systems, anxiety, depression, dementia and death. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. LONELINESS PREDICTS PREMATURE DEATH AS MUCH AS SMOKING & OBESITY DOES FACT 08
START A
Being alone together At Accor we create belonging. But with so many people travelling alone, how can we make them feel part of our community? What does it mean to be alone together? How do we create a community of oneness where you never feel alone? What do you think?
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 35
Love turns me into us.
FEELING LOVED PREDICTS WELLBEING FACT 09
Small moments of shared positivity in everyday moments are the building blocks of love and belonging, but also of health and wellbeing. Romantic love often gets the headlines, but it is sharing the warm yet fleeting moments of everyday connection that can make the biggest difference to our lives. A laugh with someone in the lift, chatting to the barista who knows your coffee order, a caring check-in from a colleague or the chance corridor conversation with a valet who remembers your daughter’s name and purple suitcase from your last visit, three months ago. These are the little moments of togetherness that draw you out of yourself and help you attune to others. To really notice them. Because love allows you to really see another person. And the feeling is mutual – you notice that they also see you. And together you have created belongingness.
People who experience and reflect on their brief moments of love and connection in everyday life, report significantly higher psychological wellbeing, including greater feelings of purpose and optimism, and are more likely to have higher extraversion scores. Everyday love is micro-moments like a colleague checking in on you or a friend remembering a special day. Penn State University (2019). Science Daily. Feeling loved in everyday life linked with improved wellbeing.
Love is the most supreme emotion. It makes us feel the most fully alive and the most fully human. It is essential to our thriving and our health.
- FREDRICKSON, 2020
36 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
THE LITTLE GESTURES THAT SHOW WE CARE Research has found love is shown in four simple cues:
-FREDERICKSON, 2020
The second is your frequency of using open and friendly hand gestures as you chat with them. Pointing or finger wagging doesn’t count. 2. Open Hands
The third cue is how often you lean towards the other person. 3. Lean
The fourth cue is nodding to show you value and accept them. 4. Nod
1. Smile
The first cue is how often you smile at the other person. No fake smirks, but a genuine eye-crinkling smile.
Used together these four cues are read by others as love. The more love we show, the more belonging we create.
Nod
Smile
Hs
Le
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 37
Have Empathy
While technology promises to connect us, it can also isolate; while faster travel means our loved ones are only a drive or flight away, we also move away from the communities where we grew up. While we increasingly have the opportunity to pursue our individual ambitions, we put our own goals ahead of our relationships and community. And despite all the progress we have made in mental health, we are still ashamed of feeling lonely. Loneliness is the great pretender. It masquerades as anger, sadness and a whole host of distressing emotions. It attaches to trauma and intensifies pain while preventing healing. There are two basic human yearnings. To feel at home in one’s own skin and to feel at home in our little patch of earth, in our community. We are created for community. Our sense of self is a communal experience and without belonging we struggle. The bottom line is we all long to connect. Loneliness & our longing for connection.
Becoming so focused on our to-do lists, processes and our busy-ness that we lose connection with people. Creating products and services that suit us, or feel good to us, but don’t address a true guest need. Accepting excuses or blaming circumstances as to why we can’t exceed our guests’ expectations. We need not to be... Recognising our guests, especially our most loyal guests, by creating an extraordinary first impression, every single time. Putting our guests at the heart of everything we do, every decision we make and service we create. Helping people feel great about themselves by using empathy to truly understand and deliver to their needs and wants. IN SUMMARY PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING MEANS. We need to be..
38 | ONE: PEOPLE CRAVE BELONGING
Heartist is a combination of Heart - being generous and coming from the heart. And Artist - because at Accor we are artisans in all the crafts of extraordinary service. HEART IST COOL KEY TERMS.
SNAP JUDGEMENTS
Your personality is not the whole of you. It is simply the sum of your habits - your habits of thinking, doing and feeling that have evolved from your DNA, your environments and your experiences. PERSONALITY Fast almost intuitive decisions we make in less than a second often informed by our snap judgements (see to the right). Do I trust this person? Are they friend or foe? Do they like me? Do they know what they are talking about? Are they really listening? MICRO-DECISION Subtle but discriminatory slights, indignities, put-downs and insults which members of all marginalised groups can experience every day. MICRO-AGGRESSION
Fast judgements about big things that inform our micro-decisions. From little judgements such as ‘they can’t be my friend as they are wearing a hat I don’t like’ to big judgements such as “they look like me, so I can trust them” based on unconscious biases about gender, ethnicity, orientation, and a range of visible and invisible traits.
HERO stands for Hope, Efficacy, Resilience and Optimism and is another name for ‘psychological capital’. When we consciously use HERO together, we have better workplaces and happier more fulfilling lives. HERO It is the feeling of being part of something where you are included and accepted. Somewhere you feel welcome. BELONGING
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 39
2 HEARTIST BY ACCOR PEOPLE WANT THE REAL DEAL 2 C 40 | TWO: PEOPLE WANT THE REAL DEAL4
AT THE HEART OF HUMAN CONNECTION IS AUTHENTICITY. A FEELING OF REALNESS. People want the real deal. Authenticity and vulnerability is the first thing I look for in you. And the last thing I’m willing to show you in myself. - BRENE BROWN Being the real deal is about having the courage to show up as yourself. Being the real deal is about letting your personal shade of magic dust shine through your job title. It’s about genuine warmth, and meaningful human connection. The real deal always starts with knowing ourselves – and that takes courage too. Knowing our values, our hopes, our strengths and what inspires us, and frightens us. Being the real deal is about knowing our shadows, but choosing to shine for our colleagues and guests. When we know ourselves, we can accept ourselves and there is nothing more inspiring than that. Because the guests notice. They notice when you’re being you. They notice a robotic smile, a jargonistic explanation or a superficial effort. Heartists strive to always be the real deal because we know more than anything else it is our unique and authentic people that our guests adore.
Every year I send over 300 Christmas cards to Accor team members at all the hotels I’ve stayed at in the last 12 months. I remember every smile, every welcome, every time someone helps me – I just love the moments of human connection with real people. And when I’m writing the cards I can mention the interaction, the chat we had – I love hearing their stories. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else. - David, Accor Plus Diamond Member.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 41
SELF IS A CONCEPT THAT HAS BEEN EXPLORED BY PHILOSOPHERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCHIATRISTS. How do we know who we are? What is the real deal?
To conquer self is first and noblest of all victories.
PLATO (C. 400BC)
Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what you are. SOREN KIERKEGAARD, EXISTENTIALIST DANISH PHILOSOPHER (1850)
The unexamined life is not worth living.
SOCRATES (C. 450BC)
Who am I really? How do I find myself, the one behind it all? How can I become myself?
The worst of all deceptions is self-deception.
PLATO (C. 400BC)
42 | TWO: PEOPLE WANT THE REAL DEAL
Don’t allow your wounds to transform you into someone you are not.
Self awareness is our capacity to stand apart from ourselves and examine our thinking, our motives, our history, our self-
PAULO COELHO, AUTHOR & PHILOSOPHER
talk, our actions, our habits and our tendencies. It comes from asking and answering the hard questions.
I think therefore, I am. DESCARTES, PHILOSOPHER (1637)
STEPHEN COVEY, AUTHOR
The key to happiness is discovering one’s true self.
SOCRATES (C. 450BC)
Get out of your head and get into your heart. Think less, feel more.
OSHE, BUDDHIST TEACHER AND AUTHOR (2009)
Be that self, which one truly is. SOREN KIERKEGAARD, EXISTENTIALIST DANISH PHILOSOPHER (1850)
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 43
Who am I, really?
NATURE AND NURTURE. Who we are is a unique combination of DNA and experience. Nature and nurture if you like. Our physical appearance (I’m tall, have brown eyes etc), our social and work roles ( I’m a mother, I’m a manager, etc), our personal traits (I’m talkative, I worry a lot), our culture (I'm Jewish, I'm Fijian) and our experiences (I grew up in the country, I left school very young, I was the youngest of five etc) all impact our sense of who we are.
A JOURNEY INTO YOURSELF.
Discovering who we are is one thing, and then consistently being our real deal is another. And neither is easy. Made harder by the fact that our self is ever changing. The self we were in our earliest memory is a very different person than the one reading this today. Certainly none of the cells are still there, they have all been replaced many times over. Yet the way we see ourselves has changed dramatically over the years. If you’ve ever gone back to read your old teenage diary, or a letter to a first love, you’ll wonder who the writer was, and the more years that have passed since the writing, the more distant the connection. i We grow up with our family's ways of being real. Our own unique ways of dealing with joy, fun, sadness, fear and conflict. And we find our own brand of quirkiness. m
OUR SENSE OF SELF. Our sense of self is deeply influenced by any mismatch between how we see ourselves, and how we would like to be (I wish I was taller, more outgoing, a faster runner, better at maths, more assertive and so on endlessly) and our impetus for attainment of those ideals. unique self. There’s no need to be anybody else. We chose you. So be you. Be your wonderful
44 | TWO: PEOPLE WANT THE REAL DEAL
OUR REAL DEAL IS FORGED IN CHILDHOOD BUT DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY OUR EXPERIENCES EVER SINCE. Me, myself & I.
THE JOURNAL OF SELF & IDENTITY FOUND THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE WE EXPERIENCE IS INFLUENCED BY:
1 How much our traits are punished or rewarded – “Sally is such a responsible child” and “Ali is so easily distracted” – are labels that we can wear with honor or dishonour way past our childhood real deal.
SO, WHO ARE YOU?
2
1
5
Our impetus to change is fuelled by 3 things: whether we have been rewarded or punished for being ‘me’ how much we compare ourselves to others how much we have been inspired to change by what we learn.
Who is ‘me’ - is it my body, my thoughts, my emotions, is it my job, my roles, my experiences, my soul? Staying true to our sense of self is influenced by any mismatch between our authentic self and our desired self.
How accepting I am of myself influences how much we change and how much we want to change. Discovering who we really are is hard, uncomfortable and ever changing. But nothing else works as well until we work this out.
2 How much we compare ourselves with others, both positively and negatively.
3
4
3 Are we learning new things that inspire us to change? Access to new ideas, people or information that helps us see ourselves and motivates us to rethink who we are, and what we stand for.
HEARTIST BY ACCOR | 45
TRY IT NOW
Be True to You, Always. You always always reap what you sow. There is no shortcut. In human behaviour, in our relationships, in our work, the best outcomes come from the persistent discipline of being true to our values, our ethics and our needs. No Fake Yous. In our workplaces, or back in school, we may have been able to get by if we learned to manipulate the rules, to ‘play the game’ and to create favourable impressions by pretending to be interested in other people. Quick techniques of learning a few phrases, throwing out a robotic smile, a witty comment or making someone laugh, can work in the short term. But eventually, if there isn’t deep integrity and character strength behind what you’re doing and saying, the challenges THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY CHOICES ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY. THE DISCIPLINE OF BEING honest with ourselves.
Being the real deal is about pursuit of primary greatness. It is about the hard work in building our character. Things like integrity, humility, compassion, courage, patience, truth and service. So we start with being deeply, uncomfortably honest with ourselves. Being the real deal means starting with our truths.
of your day, your week and your life, will always cause your true motives to surface. And when this happens it tends to be our human relationships, our connections, that suffer. Find Your Greatness. Dr. Stephen Covey (author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) talks about primary greatness (or our true character strengths) versus secondary greatness. Secondary greatness is the pursuit of recognition for ourselves – being seen to be something, rather than truly becoming it. It is an immensely attractive shortcut, but it is deeply flawed and paved with disconnection from ourselves and from others.
46 | TWO: PEOPLE WANT THE REAL DEAL
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134Made with FlippingBook Converter PDF to HTML5