Author Archives: Genevieve Matthews
Your People are Your Most Important Asset
This tourism experience could be anywhere in the world, the people have made the difference. Your people are your most important asset. Are you training staff? Is your message getting across? The message being why the business exists and what’s so important and unique about it? Do you emphasise how the customer experience through language,…
5 Tips To Impress Customers and Attract Great Employees
As we all know Tourism here in Australia and globally is a highly competitive industry, with countless destinations and experiences to choose from. Whether that’s for a customer choosing or staff when looking for a place of employment. As a tourism operator, it’s important to provide a unique and memorable experience that sets you apart…
Are People Your Biggest Time-Wasters or Time-Users?
Where do your strengths lie when it comes to managing Self, Team, Business and Customer? Some will tell me they’re amazing at looking after their customers, all over it. And many say they’re pretty good on the business front, however often I hear the gap and challenges lie with the team. People say they have…
Doing and Being Better at Tourism Leadership
Warning – today’s conversation a bit of a rant – about “leadership doing better and being better” because it has an impact on people. Our people in tourism are our greatest asset. Are you having the difficult conversations? Making timely and effective five decisions? Are you providing constructive feedback and performance development? Are you training…
The Littlest Thing can Make the Biggest Difference
A tourism leader today said “leading is challenging”. And yes it certainly can be, for a variety of reasons. Here were just a few that I came across in the early days of being in tourism; To set the scene, I was barely 20, and the Cruise Director onboard Bounty the Tall Ship, playing pirate…
6 Essentials to Ensure Amazing Customer Experience
Ensuring an amazing customer experience is essential for the success of any tourism business. Here are 6 key essentials to consider, in fact, give yourself a rating… then perhaps ask your customers, guests, passengers, and participants what they think. Ultimately it’s not how well we think we’re doing, it’s what the customer thinks! Personalisation: Customers…
6 Strategies to Shift Your Mindset from Time-Poor to Focus-Rich
A key theme in a recent group coaching call was being Time Poor. We know there are never enough hours in the day to get it all done. However, I invited participants to change their mindset, thinking, and routines because otherwise if we keep saying “we’re time-poor”, guess what? We’ll remain time-poor. Please think about…
If not now, when?
This morning this very phrase was top of mind and frequently used when brainstorming with a client. “If not now, when?” It can be a powerful motivator for decision-making and taking action. In the face of business difficulties and issues that are impacting the tourism industry, it can be tempting to wait and see…
3 Reasons Why Leadership is about Looking Inwardly
Today in conversation with a leader, she mentioned how everyone else was to blame – different team members, partners to the business – she took no responsibility for the part that she plays in it all. I called it out pretty quickly and we had a VERY good heart to heart. Self–awareness is beyond critical…
What’s more important, mindset or marketing?
When it comes to tourism leadership and growing tourism business, what’s more important, mindset or marketing? The reason I ask…. I frequently have this conversation. What matters more? Or what matters most? And what do they both mean?! Many tourism business leaders aren’t doing well at marketing – think attracting tourists to their business because…
Workshopping the 3P’s
How often do you get your tourism team together? Are the meetings always operational or do you get a chance to be strategic? Do you focus on your tourism product (or service), process, or spend time talking about your people? I love using the 3P’s technique. Product, Process and People Often many businesses get caught…
Taking Power Breaks
Lots of people are anxious, stressed, stressed out, and some at complete burnout phase; running on empty with the extremely intense experiences we’ve been living through personally and professionally these last few years; especially in tourism. We often think we need a break, time out, and we might try to grab a few minutes during…
Action Taker or Avoider?
Whilst contemplating today’s blog topic, Frank arrived… literally in person. My awesome landlord for the office. We’ve had some flood damage issues upstairs, causing a few problems in my space. I let him know Friday, he saw it Saturday, then popped in today with the repair guy to discuss fixing it next Monday. Wow. Impressive.…
All Conversations Count
When it comes to people’s problems, are you nipping things in the bud? Sitting and contemplating, or sweeping them under the carpet? Ignoring them and praying either the situation will sort itself out, they’ll sort themselves out, or people will grow up and get over it, move on, and forget about it? I’ve heard all…
Speed of Recovery
There are many reasons teams are slow at recovering from challenges, and yet SPEED of RECOVERY is one of the most important factors for high-performance teams. At no point, can we ever say it’ll be smooth sailing and clear skies? Every business has its challenges, as every team does, and so it’s not about wishing…
The Top 10 Tendencies Obstructing Human High Performance
Recently delivered several workshops on this topic, and we discussed specifically the Top 10 Tendencies that are obstructing human high performance. Particularly impacting workplace culture, routines and habits, communication, competitiveness, adherence to process/rules and so much more. Each team that participated was fortunate enough to be in the ‘Pro-Team’ category (a 7-8/10), already a professional…
Decisive Action key for Tourism Business Leaders
This morning this very phrase was top of mind and used frequently when brainstorming with a client. “If not now, when?” It can be a powerful motivator when it comes to decision-making and taking action. In the face of business difficulties and issues that are impacting the tourism industry, it can be tempting to wait…
3 Steps to Turn Chaos into Clarity
Too much on your mind? Being pulled from pillar to post? It can look and feel like chaos. When you’re leading a team, growing tourism business, and looking after customers and clients, it can be very busy being all things to all people. Except for the one person that matters the most. YOU. Maybe you’re…
Got Your Tourism Business Blueprint Ready for 2023?
When we work with tourism business leaders, we break the blueprint down into 4 chunks. Immediate, short, medium, and long-term goals. We know many people have a love/hate relationship with goal setting, because they often either become unrealistic numbers on a page or unachievable objectives without quality staff to make it all happen. We also…
Build a Stronger Tourism Team and Grow Their Capabilities
Do you frequently find yourself climbing or falling into the problem box? Suddenly you’re the one in there solving everyone’s problems. Or do you love being the ‘go-to’, the guru answering all the questions? If you’re wanting to build a stronger tourism team and grow capability within others, it’s really important to stay out of…
Case Study:
The training was engaging and we had a great group to work with throughout the program. I feel better equipped to manage my stress at work. I am now more focused and better at setting priorities.
Wildlife Coast Cruises
Jess Patman
and Brett Lacco
Case Study:
I learnt a lot about communication and adaptability. Particularly how to find middle ground with people. I learnt a lot about how to deal with challenging behaviours with external stakeholder relationships.