I was scrolling through LinkedIn waiting for my flight to take off when I saw a posting from @TomBoyer.
Tom is one of those rare individuals you meet in your life that you never forget. His genuine and authentic leadership style is something I have tried to emulate and more importantly, is something I
use as an example of what good looks like when explaining the difference between good and great.
Some background…
I first met Tom when he was the General Manager of the Alpharetta Marriott in 2011. Back then, I would travel there at least once a month and usually stay for a week. Every morning, Tom would be in the lobby greeting guests and asking them about their stay, and every afternoon, after everyone would come back to the hotel, he’d be in the lobby and bar area interacting with the guests and again asking them how they were doing and if there was anything that he could do to make their stay more comfortable.
At first, I didn’t know what was going on to be quite honest. I didn’t understand how everyone who came into the hotel knew this man and what where they were talking to him about. He was asking about their families, their work, their health, anything and everything. In addition to the guests, you could also see how he interacted with his staff who simply adored him. Although he was their manager, it was very clear that he was the leader and they followed him because they believed in him.
Snowmaggedon 2014
And then there was January 24, 2014, or as they call it in the greater Atlanta area, “Snowmaggedon.” One of the worst ice and snow storms in the history of the city paralyzed everything for days. I, along with a few other hundred people, was stuck at the Alpharetta Marriott for several days and the job that Tom and his staff did was incredible. He turned a potential nightmare into something we all will remember for the rest of our lives. The staff figured out how to feed us all, keep our rooms in order, take care of the laundry, and how to support us in every way possible during an incredibly difficult situation.
Tom’s LinkedIn Message
I must have read Tom’s message 10 times to absorb the words and sentiments. I think I am allowed to share this since it’s in the public domain:
“Today is my last day at the Renaissance Nashville as I head back to Atlanta. For over 34 years I have been working with Marriott, and the goodbye is the hardest part. I will miss the community, phenomenal asset, business leaders, and the liveliness that is all things Music City! Most importantly I will miss my team of dedicated leaders and our Ambassadors. Our ambassadors, who amaze me every day, with their selfless commitment to providing outstanding experiences to our guests are the best of the best! I have coined a phrase over time that what we do is manage four walls and a roof, but ultimately it is the people inside that make a building special and bring it to life. For almost 6 years I have watched the people be resilient, passionate, loving, and at times desperate for help. We have been through so much together as one team and achieved more than I could have imagined together. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity. Lastly, to the late Mr. John Fleming, I hope I made you proud at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel may you forever rest in peace!”
The most amazing part of Tom’s post was all the comments from the people that he has touched.
5 Leadership Lessons
There is so much to unpack here, but I thought it would be great to point out 5 quick things I have learned from Tom Boyer:
- Authentic – Everything Tom does, and everything he stands for is authentic. He means every word and action he takes.
- Empathetic – Tom understands people and shows true, and absolute compassion.
- Caring – Tom has proven over and over again how much he cares for his guests and his colleagues.
- Strategic – There is a reason why Tom does what he does. In addition to being a great leader, he is a great business person. I am sure that wherever he goes and wherever he goes in the future, he will use his business savviness to achieve his goals and objectives.
- Human – And finally, the most important lesson is to just be a human. It doesn’t cost another penny of operating expenses to be a nice person and a great human being.
