BWCB on the Beach (April - May 2007)

BWCB on the Beach

- a learning journey to “Emotional Connections” and “My Style” -

Introduction:

April & May 2007 - Sheraton Pattaya Resort prides itself in promoting the Sheraton Service Culture Training program by launching a new style of learning scheme called “BWCB on the Beach” – a learning journey to “Emotional Connections” and “My Style”.

Lingering in our mind from “The Sheraton Brand” to “The Sheraton Experience” modules is our slogan “I make the difference, I am Sheraton!”. What difference can we make to create a unique and fun learning experience to our Sheraton Service Culture Training?

Aiming to make the difference to our associates’ learning curve, we want to go out of our way to connect them with the Sheraton Service Culture in a different, warm and comforting environment where their classroom turns into a beach and the lecture becomes a journey. Here starts the bright idea of “BWCB (Building World Class Brand) on the beach”.

BWCB Journey begins…

Our exciting BWCB journey starts at 8.20 am, from the beach in front of Sheraton Pattaya Resort, where Property Service Culture trainers, Department Heads and Associates gather and embark on a speedboat to one of Pattaya’s famous destinations; Koh Sak (Sak Island) and Koh Larn (Coral Island).

Amidst the bouncing journey over the blue sapphire ocean, key learning objectives of this trip are introduced to our associates. Namely, they will be able to understand “Emotional Connections” through the four components of Emotional Intelligence, so they will be able to identify how empathy can enhance workplace interactions, to understand what behavior increases or decreases emotional bank accounts and how to improve feedback skills.

At 9.00 am, our boat arrives at “Koh Sak” where the ice breaking activities are immediately brought in to the scene. The associates are informed of the rules and regulations and told to be ready to participate in various teambuilding activities – tasks that not come easily to the team, but ones that they must overcome to achieve the goals and at the end learn the key messages of their learning journey to “Emotional Connections” and “My Style”.

Hidden in those fun activities, associates will also discover their own and other’s Social Styles (Driving, Expressive, Analytical and Amiable). During the wrap up session, Property Service Culture trainers will help associates to identify key strengths, weaknesses and characteristics of each of the social styles and how to flex their styles to build relationships.

The learning journey continues…

Before departing “Koh Sak”, we divide associates into 2 teams considered to be a good mix of team members with different social styles. Each team is encouraged to brainstorm the name of their team and select the Team leader for the next activity.

At 10.00 am, associates leave “Koh Sak” to “Koh Larn” (Coral Island). The first assignment is “Treasure Hunts” – Each team has to seek for RC (Route Check) that contains questions from the “Brand Immersion” modules – “Loyalty beyond Reason” and “I am Sheraton”, as well as the first 2 modules from “The Sheraton Experience” – “Everything Communicates” and “Signature Sheraton Service”. Each team must complete the task by finding the correct answer from the “Connections – My guide” textbooks. Each team will earn scores from the number of RC found and the correct answers to BWCB questions within the time limit.

The second assignment is “Emotional Mountain” - associates have to climb more than 200 steps to the top of the mountain under the strong sun. At this stage, associates are encouraged to express their emotions while observing others through their expressions under pressure (from the tiresome walking and hot temperature under the sun). When everyone reaches the top of the mountain, a wrap up discussion from the activities will be held. Each associate shares their feelings from the tensions during the mountain climbing and their observations of expressions of others. The trip facilitators will then link their discussions to the content of the “Emotional Connections” module.

The lesson from the activities will illustrate their situations at work where pressures could come in at any time. At this point, associates will learn the four components of Emotional Intelligence; namely, Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness and Relationship Management. They will also understand how to control their behavior and how to carefully deal with others, so that they can create emotional connections with guests, colleagues and even their family members.

After these fun-filled learning activities, associates will be evaluated by a test and an open discussion. Thereafter a delicious lunch is served on the beach where rewarded leisure time awaits at the end of the “BWCB on the Beach” trip.

I make the difference, I am Sheraton!

(Posted by Jitsak Lim-Pakornkul)