What motivates these athletes to be the best in their sports and how do they prepare for each increasingly competitive challenge? How can the hospitality world relate to their example and create "service athletes" within their own employee ranks? Athletes are needed in today's world of employee lay offs and belt tightening which lead to strained employee roles and job pressures. Guests feel the impact with harried staff. Employees feel frustrated because they cannot meet guest and management expectations. Employees need to know how to deal with these pressures and move beyond them to excel and enjoy their roles. Management needs to recognize these pressures as well and prepare their teams for old, new and even unrecognized challenges. Winning opportunities await those who rally around the sport of service, focused coaching and cross training.

When the going gets tough, the tough should get more service going! Last summer, while staying in a top line hotel in Los Angeles, California, service seemed to come to a standstill. As we stood in line, one very harried front desk clerk struggled with at least five guests, including us, waiting to check in. She was doing her best to accommodate everyone at once, as this ...