Command Presence

Andrew
Feb 12, 2018
2 min read

Who is in charge here?

One of the worst things a good leader (on any level) wants to hear from a guest is , "I want to speak to someone higher than you!"

On the other hand weak supervisors love to hear that because it gets them off the hook, they don't have to deal with a guest complaint.

The other day i took a walk around the Waterpark and i saw my supervisor at a distance with a guest. I then saw him point towards me and the guest started walking to me. I introduced myself and asked how I could help. The guest complaint was that there wasn't enough umbrellas as they were all taken. I apologized, realized quickly and informed her that we didn't have any extra. I offered a couple of options and asked where she was going to be in case I came across an umbrella not being used. She wasn't completely satisfied but she was content with my answer.

Afterwards I asked the supervisor what happened and what he said. He told me that he explained that we didn't have any extra umbrellas and the guest then wanted to speak to his manager. He was sending her to my office when he saw me walk around the corner.

When I told him that I said the same words as he did (except in a different way) I had to ask him " If I gave the guest the same answer as you, how come she didn't ask to speak to my manager?". I felt a little bad asking such a point blank question but it was one of those statements that was good old fashioned straight talk. He couldn't answer.

I believe the difference was 'command presence'. I believe this is a presence of authority, confidence and respect. If you look at the picture above you can see who is 'in charge'

Dont's

Don't send the guest to your leaders office blindly without notification. They may not be there or they won't appreciate being caught off guard.
Don't pass the buck
Don't use negative body language
Don't be afraid to use initiative
Don't make promises you don't intend to keep just to keep the guest appeased

Do's

Do say "I can help you".
Do say, 'I'm not sure but i'll find out'
Do use positive body language.
Do offer alternatives and explain the consequences
Do ask you boss what you can and can't decide in regard to refunds or 'complimentary giveaways".