Words of Widsom

Bryan's Blog

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Leaders Serve and Servers Lead

The most effective leaders deeply care about who they lead. Plain and simple. Their caring is not contrived or manipulative. They care. For real.❤️ As I reflect on my career, it’s clear those leaders who were MOST influential on my morale and productivity were the ones who served. Wait. What? Yes, you

Value Others and Expect to Be Valued

Sometimes you’ll meet people who treat you in such a way that makes you question your own worth. Do everything you can stay away from those people. When it comes to relationships (personal or professional), try your hardest to only be with those who SEE your value, UNDERSTAND your value and

The Best or The Rest?

Here is a quintessential question for you to consider. Are the people you love the most getting the BEST of you? Or are they getting the REST of you?⭐️ Look, when I asked myself that question a few years ago, I literally stopped breathing for a few seconds. As much

Inspiring Service

“This is the BEST dining experience I ever had.” That’s what our newly minted 10-year old son said after his birthday dinner. Our family was dining at the posh Rockefeller Room, which is located at the Forbes 5-Star Williamsburg Inn. To celebrate his decade of life, we decided that this

What do you stand for?

Years ago, I was a bellman at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas. I loved being a bellman. I was one of the first people to give a warm welcome when guests arrived, and I was one of the last to offer a fond farewell when they left. Most of my time

Are You An Owner?

One of my all-time favorite keynote topics to deliver is “Work Like You Own It.” I love that topic, largely because one of my first managers said those words to me when I was very young in my career. Although the message is largely from a service excellence and professional

Caring Works Both Ways

Someone recently asked me: “How do you lead an employee who doesn’t want to do an inch more than is required? He’s not necessarily a bad employee, but he’s generally not interested in anything other than his primary job duties.” My answer: Some people genuinely only want to come to

Let HOPE Pull You

The longer I live, the more I realize the importance of hope. It’s tied to everything. If someone wants to discourage you, all they have to do is remove your “hope”.  Without hope, you don’t EXPECT anything to be better.  Without hope, you won’t believe that “someone like you” can

What Is Your Best?

“Always give your best!” That is what my manager told me when I was a 17-year old restaurant busboy. I loved my job, and every detail that I was expected to flawlessly deliver. Delivering bread and water to the table was a full-on production. Clearing plates from the table had

MY Part Makes a Difference

Each one of us already has the gifts, drive and experience to contribute in a meaningful way. But I know to many amazing people who consistently wait to be prodded by someone else to move…and do…and be productive. No perceived limitation or condition can stop you, unless you allow it

Keep Going

There are some things that only come to those who refuse to quit. Literally, “not stopping” is the only ingredient that many of us miss. Whenever I have a burning vision to accomplish something I promise myself that I will not stop…until I succeed. And I make that promise before

How High?

How high are your standards? I’ve learned that the true benchmark of success is not who I can surpass, but how consistently I am reaching and exceeding my own high standards. Standards are not easily tossed aside or broken. They ought to be non-negotiable. In fact, a standard that can