Building a Culture of Civility with Sheffield Hale of the Atlanta History Center
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I’m joined by Sheffield Hale, President and CEO of the Atlanta History Center.
In recent years it seems that public discourse has become more uncivil, especially after two very stressful years of a pandemic. Sheffield often has an uncomfortably close look at this incivility, as Atlanta itself is a city rich in complex and often divisive history. Placing that sensitive subject matter into a hospitality setting, where difficult guests can be routine, would seem to be a recipe for disaster. Sheffield, however, uses his position to create the opportunity to return to a more civil culture.
With strict rules for his guests about how to engage the staff and each other, buy-in from his team, and a robust support system for employees who are put in difficult situations, the Atlanta History Center is a place where the best parts of education and hospitality are allowed to shine. Sheffield makes himself available for constant feedback from his frontline workers, and has a zero-tolerance policy for guests who break the agreed-upon “Rules of Civility.” With such a well-constructed framework for dealing with difficult situations, Sheffield and his team are often able to stop incivility before it begins.
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