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In a recent interview with Ken Coleman, Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, talked about the difference between service and hospitality.

“Service is the thing you do. It’s part of your product. Hospitality is how you make people feel when you’re doing that thing.” – Will Guidara

He went on to tell how a foodie group from Europe came to the U.S. to tour several restaurants. He happened to be helping his staff by waiting on their table when they came to his restaurant. Will overheard them talking about their experience and the fact that they would be going back home the next day. One person in the group said they just wish they had been able to try a New York hot dog.

After handing off their order to the cook, Will went outside to the hot dog vendor and purchased a New York hot dog. And when he brought their order, he also brought the hot dog, presented tastefully on a plate with their signature style added.

The guests were elated!

Of all the places they visited, and all the fine foods they tasted along the way, the one most memorable to them was a New York hot dog.

Excellent service was bringing what they ordered – quality food in a timely fashion.

But hospitality, in this case, was a hot dog.

What do people really need?

And in this way, Will illustrated how people just need to be seen and heard. This is the essence of hospitality.

As leaders, we can become very intent on creating products, delivering services, setting goals, and creating profit. All of these are important to a business.

But just as important, and perhaps more so, is hospitality. Listening to your customers and clients and finding ways to make them feel seen and heard in incredibly thoughtful ways will take your business to a whole new level. And it makes business more enjoyable for everyone.

How can you deliver hospitality?

As you go through your week, consider not only how you can deliver excellent service; but also, how you can practice genuine hospitality.

Beyond that, consider how you can empower your team to do so as well.

Learn the different communication styles and connect with people accordingly.

While you are doing WHAT you do, consider HOW you are doing it. It makes all the difference in the world!

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!