‘Championing the behaviours we want to see and hiring for those behaviours is crucial now more than ever.’
Danny Meyers, Founder & CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group
In 1995, psychologist Daniel Goleman published the bestseller ‘Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ’ and redefined our understanding of the architecture of the human brain for good. In this groundbreaking book, he argued that the emotional quotient or ‘EQ’ is equally as important a tool as the more widely recognized IQ when on the road to success. Emotional intelligence can, in short, be defined as an ability to understand and manage your own emotions in ways that benefit your own life and the lives of those around you. It helps to reduce stress, to communicate effectively, to emphasize with others and defuse conflict. Whilst IQ can be used to determine traditional ‘academic’ abilities, a high EQ is a great indicator of those who will be successful in a workplace setting and in what way. In a hospitality setting, this depository of core personal skills is invaluable. In ‘The Customer Journey- How to understand your guests and tailor their experience’ , we discussed the need to ‘forge a real human connection beyond the simple act of ferrying delicious food to the table’. The ability to naturally forge this connection shows high emotional intelligence, something that’s needed to ensure successful delivery of spectacular service- to connect, to understand, to anticipate the desires of the guest without them even needing to speak. To have the guests leave happier than when they arrived. This is the final frontier of the guest experience that we should all be aiming for. According to Danny Meyer, CEO and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, ‘’you can design the most amazing hotel rooms, bars, and restaurants but that is the hardware. The software is the people. We call it HQ - Hospitality Quotient. If IQ is a way to describe our ability to learn things, and EQ is our ability to sense others’ emotions, then HQ takes it a step further. HQ is the emotional wiring that some people possess more than others – it’s when one is happier with themselves when their actions make someone else feel better…’’
He continues ‘‘I used to believe that we could succeed as a business by outperforming our competition. I now believe that performance is table stakes – the real winners are the ones who out-behave their competition. Championing the behaviors we want to see and hiring for those behaviors is crucial now more than ever.’’
He may work in hospitality but Meyer has made people his business in every way, right from the opening of his first restaurant in 1985 to the building of his culinary empire spanning Shake Shack, Gramercy Tavern and a whole legion of other beloved dining spots.
When hiring, his group employ a 49/51 method. Put simply, every single person brought on board must be made up of the 49% technical skills required to do their job properly but the other 51% should be their HQ or Hospitality Quotient skills- this not only promotes a positive company culture but provides a first-rate experience to guests. Everyone’s a winner!
If you’re interested in hiring the next generation using the Meyer method, what should you be looking for? Meyer believes the HQ is made up of the following six soft skills…
Self-awareness
In this symphony of emotional intelligence, this is the base note-it allows the individual to look inside and assess the reasons for their emotions. Self-aware people are less likely to let a personal bad day impact the mood of the people around them which, as we all know from experience, is needed during a busy service. Imagine if everybody on the floor was like that?
In the interview- ask reflective questions that require them to do a bit of self-evaluation.
Empathy
Playing a dual role in the context of hospitality, empathy is the key soft skill for successful teamwork and a memorable guest experience enabling the employee to see how others are affected by their actions and behave accordingly. An empathic manager is central to a harmonious team.
In the interview- ask about a situation in a previous role with a difficult guest or coworker and how they dealt with it.
Work ethic
HQ work ethic is not about an employee’s willingness to work themselves to the bone or cover shifts on their day off. It is the care taken when they are working and their passion for the industry, whether experienced or not. If it’s more than just a job, they’ll put their heart and not just their time into it.
In the interview- Find out where their passions lie and what their plans for their future career are.
Integrity
Of the six, this is the hardest to gauge at interview stage. People lacking integrity can talk the talk in the interview but it’s really in the job that you’ll get to see what they are made of. Simply put, having integrity in the workplace means always doing the right thing no matter what. Conceptual maybe but important in a healthy team.
In the interview- Questions could be straight to the point- ‘what does integrity mean to you?’ or a more situationally-based ‘what would you do if you saw your co-worker break the rules?’
Intellectual Curiosity
You don’t want somebody who knows everything, you want somebody who wants to learn everything. This creates a culture of constant progression and evolution, striving for the best at all times. Somebody who is willing to find out why that native breed beef is so special or from where you source your garnishes has the ability to raise the guest experience to new levels, going above and beyond to make it memorable.
In the interview- Get straight down to it and ask them about the last thing they learnt. You’ll see quickly if they hold that intellectual curiosity you’re looking for.
Kindness & Optimism
We end the six soft skills of emotional intelligence with qualities that we would hope for in any person working in this business. For the team dynamics and for the guests, as a GM, supervisor, server, mixologist, chef or host, people who are upbeat, warm-hearted and positive will always be a welcome addition to the F&B family.
In the interview- Ask them about a difficult time at work and the thought process behind how they navigated it.
Remember that, whilst you can get a fair idea in an interview of the employee’s HQ and potential suitability, it is on the job that these skills will start to come into their own. Keep an open mind.
When working in the business of service and hospitality, we are really working in the business of hope, happiness and human connection. By building the right team, with a high emotional intelligence between them, you are laying the foundations for a happy family, a smooth work-life and an unparalleled guest experience- the holy grail of any successful F&B business.
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