Picture this… The month is March. The temperature…78 degrees with a slight breeze off the Atlantic which rests just a few hundred yards away. Following a recommendation to visit what Vogue calls "America's Coolest Hotel," you step onto the first white-marble stair of the Delano.

You've reached 1685 Collins Avenue, where everything is pristine white: the building, the plush outdoor couch, the 40 to 50-foot white-linen columns blowing in the wind. Understated…

…until you enter. Then fascination hits. No words come to mind. To your right is a gallery-type setting where a couple sits in a gigantic loveseat. The back of the seat stands at least 10-feet tall a la Dr. Seuss meets the Ritz. Curtains hanging from the 50-foot ceiling serve as partitions blowing from the ocean wind.

It's easy to forget this is a hotel. You see no elevators. Awestruck by the architectural design, you missed the front desk on your left as you entered. People hang out like they're in a retreat. A sushi bar artistically juts out into the "lobby." Well-dressed men and women play pool just down the walkway. You feel lured to the table and chairs that are partially submersed in the pool! Nirvana.

You want more of the experience. You stay a while.
(Take a peek for real at http://www.morganshotelgroup.com/delano/delano_hotel.html )

How does the Delano surprise and impress the way it does? How can you make your firm's deliverables stand out in the crowd in the same fashion? The first step to shaking off the "me-too" blues is to make sure that management is exploring the endless ways to attract and maintain customers. Then ACT.

Act by coming up with a plan. The plan comes not through a single creative-thinking session, but through the development of an ongoing pursuit to meet and/or exceed the dreams and desires of actual and potential buyers. This takes time to germinate.

Once you've got the plan, there are two strategies you can take. The first is to manage building the structural skeleton of the business yourself, and afterwards, hire others to fill in as "operational management" making sure the structure works. The second option is to bring in the best "strategic management" to help you design the experience, then build together the system that will make your goals a reality.

Strategic management may be from other firms brought in as a vendor. In the case of the Delano, owner Ian Schrager commissioned French designer Philippe Starck to produce a vital component of the structure, the visual design of the hotel.

If Schrager's name sounds familiar, you may remember him as the mastermind behind New York's famed Studio 54. Now as owner of the Morgans Hotel Group, (including the Delano,) he strikes the right balance between structure and talent.…which is more than just hiring the best talent! How did he do it?

He focused on both the systems and the people and not just the people. You can spend millions on hiring employees and motivating them, but if poor systems are installed, nothing will work.

Whether you realize it or not, you've probably experienced this yourself. Have you ever frequented a family-run restaurant that appeared to operate seamlessly for decades until Junior took over, changed everything from the menu to establishing franchise goals, and forced the place into ruins? When labor, in this case, management, and structure are out of synch, everything falls apart.

Another smart Schrager-esque move: recruiting restaurateur extraordinaire Joseph Wakim to run his catering division. Why?

Wakim has a stellar track record. He's managed in some of the most successful hotels in the US. The 5'8" Lebanese immigrant personifies perfection…from the way he wears $2000 Zegna suits to the way his waiters deliver a meal.

Self taught, charismatic, and energetic, Wakim flourishes professionally, because he's the right match for the right company. Here are 6 attributes of his powerful management style and why they work.

The moment you meet him you know he means business. His eyes constantly dart over your shoulder to make sure everything is perfect and yet you still feel as if he is talking only to you. The structure is set in such a way that Wakim can instantly see when something is out of place or not running as smoothly as it should.

He demands perfection. Always. And it shows. When asked what he looks to achieve in his organization, he gestures with his fingers like a chef creating a masterpiece. In a high-end hotel restaurant, patrons' expectations run high for good food AND a special dining experience. Wakim wouldn't be happy at a roadside "greasy spoon" restaurant, and most likely, customers and co-workers in such an environment wouldn't connect with him, either.

He pays attention and instantly remembers all hotel clients' names. What a classy way to say, "You're important to us." Have you ever been followed (or should we say "stalked") by a bored retail-store clerk? Have you ever been ignored at a customer service desk while the rep finishes up a personal phone call? In both instances, the employees are saying, "You are NOT important to us." Try plugging them into the Delano's structure.

Even though Wakim's not performing the work, he's working: greeting guests, serving wine. He even has a knack of remembering every meal and every bottle of $200 wine served throughout the entire restaurant so that no profits are lost due to mis-billing. He demands the same of his waiters, who are all meticulously dressed in white. In an industry where little mistakes can add up to big losses, Wakim is an asset to his employer on the financial side, as well.

He's always creating value for the customer through his staff. Comfortable surroundings, ease of ordering, elegance in the selection of foods and wines and memories built around an experience of feeling pampered. Several times, he catered for the management team of an upscale lingerie boutique. To show their appreciation for his meticulous service, they gave to him a goody bag of pricey favors, including lady's undergarments for his wife that easily run $200 a pair. Within the Delano structure, relationships can mean the difference between making it and breaking it.

His teaching style is focused on the how-to-do-it-the-Delano way. Early in his career, Wakim often knew the solution to building even when others could not see the vision. He realized that not everyone can see a vision or the bigger picture. He did not frustrate himself by trying to teach the world what his vision was. Instead, he committed to learning the concepts himself, and then taught everyone else what components of the process they must know in order for the whole unit to succeed. Like Schrager, Wakim built the environment and system, plugged the right people into it, and taught them how to be successful instead of letting them learn it themselves. The former did this on the grander scale of the entire hotel: the latter within the restaurant and catering division.

Be sure to address strategy and structure before hiring. Be sure you don't underestimate the importance of strategy in the equation, because hiring alone is not enough. Your role, just like Schrager and Wakim's, is to be active, create direction, build the structure, and guide everyone else through this process. Then, finally, you can break free from any cookie-cutter image and make a unique impression in the marketplace.


David and Lorrie Goldsmith are managing partners of MetaMatrix Consulting Group, LLC. Their firm offers consulting and speaking services, as well as conducts seminars for senior level management. They can be reached at (315) 682-3157 / 888-777-8857 or email to Offering a "30,000 feet view of business management with hand-to-hand combat." MetaMatrix Consulting Group, LLC. specializes in business management offering consulting, seminars and speaking services internationally. Managing partners, David A. Goldsmith and Lorrie Goldsmith can be reached at (315) 682-3157 / 888-777-8857 or email to david@davidgoldsmith.com

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