This Frenchman doesn't like our food

Category: Editorial

I recently attended a lunch addressed by P Y Gerbeau, CEO of X-Leisure.

'PY' is the Frenchman who had worked at Disneyland Europe and was called in to save the Millennium Dome. He has a team who work with him and have focused on turnaround situations. He spoke to us about leadership.

However, he was also very keen to establish himself as a rude and controversial Frenchman, with abuse for politicians and his lunch among other things. Mind you, he has just married an English wife, so we can't be all bad! Unfortunately, the anarchic presentation style rather got in the way of the substance. Here is my interpretation of what he was trying to say.

Talk to the customers, not about the customers – don't rely on market surveys, go out and meet them.

Trust people and make sure that they trust you.

Believe in your product – or do something else.

Walk the talk, lead by example, be open.

Believe in the brand.

Keep the staff happy to keep the customers happy.

He believes that a manager's job is like that of a conductor – to keep people in harmony. He described some of his personal management tactics:-

Send your accounting staff out to work on the shop floor once a month.

Change the offices around every three months, so that staff are sitting near different people.

Carry out 360° feedback – be fair, firm and consistent.

Don't allow managers to use business cards on site. You are who you are, no status

PY reminded his audience that one happy customer will tell five other people. Traditionally, one unhappy customer would tell 20 people – now they can tell 11 million people on the Internet. (British Telecom and Toucan are still not sorting out my telephone service after eight months – go tell your friends ;-).

He has transformed the number of complaints in his business. He gives customer facing staff access to un-audited cash to use for refunds for any customer who complains. As a result, the staff feel trusted and go out of their way to make customers happy. Very few refunds and very happy customers. Security secret: induction training includes "How to steal from the company". Makes sure that employees know that the company knows what their tricks might be!

All staff who leave get exit interviews and senior staff are retained on a consultancy basis in order to ensure that historical knowledge is not lost.

In summary, his core business principles are: -

People

Brand

Knowledge (history)

Relationships

Recently I reviewed Get Unstuck & Get Going, by Michael Bungay Stanier. Michael and I share a conclusion about management consulting. We are both process consultants and have recognised the value of coaching in the introduction of change. As a result of our contact he has contributed an article, which I feature in this week's Coaching Notes.

USEFUL LINKS

PY Gerbeau

X-Leisure

Get Unstuck & Get Going