Notes for Interview with:   Frank J Schilagi, Ph. D.

Author of:                         REALITY CHECK FOR LEADERS    and

                              SCHILAGI INTERESTS AND SKILLS PROFILE

Why did you decide to write this book?

          This book has been a long time coming. When I was a twenty-nine year old Ph.D. attempting to teach leadership to operating managers, my primary concern was… Does this work?  I went into the business world to find out, and for twenty-plus years learned what would and would not work. Now that I have returned to education, the book is a natural outgrowth of my current mission, which is to help people become more effective leaders. This time I know what will make them great in their leadership roles.

What is your background?

      
          I left home when I was seventeen to discover what the world was about. Given that I already knew everything, I assumed life on the road would be easy. Wrong! After a number of years of wandering in a semi-academic setting, I discovered the joy of learning and the rest is history in the making: education—business—education. It has been a wonderful ride filled with tremendous happiness and some harsh lessons about human behavior. There were times when I felt that the more I learned, the less I knew. There were great challenges, along with a lot of fun.

What is Reality Check Leadership (RCL)?

          It is an approach to leadership that is used—and is very effective—when real behavior does not meet expectations. RCL leaders will focus on:

·         Interest and skill levels

·         Organization reward systems

·         Personal payoffs

        Having said that, I want to emphasize that the concept presented in the book is not a magic formula. It’s a realistic (sorry for that) approach to dealing with people who disappoint you. The reader will experience what leaders feel when people do not perform the way they were expected to in their job. I personally have led college professors, bank presidents, and managers at all levels in numerous industries and have often been surprised when behavior did not meet my expectations. Had I employed Reality Check Leadership from the beginning, my life would have been easier and I would have been more productive.

What makes RCL different from any other motivation theory?

          RCL has a number of important elements that differentiate it from other motivation theories; for example, RCL:

·       Focuses on the fact that perception is the only reality

·         Establishes markers that can be used to understand and improve performance behavior

·         Deals with problems and constraints of the real world rather than the “all other things being equal” world

·    Doesn’t create extra workload for the leader and doesn’t require numerous hours to produce results

Is this book just for General Managers of large hotels?

          No. Reality Check Leadership works for any manager at any level. The size of the organization does not matter. Anyone responsible for getting results from people can increase their effectiveness with this book.

When does the book come out? How do we get one? How much?

          The book was just published this month and can be purchased for $24.95 at www.realitycheckforleaders.com. It is currently available in hardback only and is 296 pages.

What is the Schilagi Interests and Skills Profile?

          It is a series of 88 questions designed to gauge the respondent’s level of interest and perceived skill in a variety of hospitality industry functions. The respondent’s answers are compared to those from operating managers at all levels of hotels and restaurants. The Profile provides curriculum direction for students and career development opportunities for people currently working in the industry.

          The above is what you are paying for. What you do not have to pay for is the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have put the right person in the right job. You will have the assurance that the individuals you are selecting have the interest and skill levels that match those of successful operating managers. I can recall times when I selected people for promotion that should have not been promoted because I did not know enough about their interest and perceived skill levels.   

            

Could SISP results compound the already high turnover rate in the hospitality industry?

    
          I hope so! We have too many people in the wrong jobs—people who hate the idea of going to work and doing their jobs every day. The industry needs productive turnover, and the SISP will help by providing direction for people who are in the wrong roles, as well as for those trying to decide which career path is right for them. We do not spend enough time thinking about what we would like to do and what we are able to do. The SISP is the instrument needed to provide the right framework for hospitality people because it helps them compare their interests and skills with others in the industry. The resulting combinations of interest and skill levels for each function will help respondents make more rational career decisions:

        Capitalize           Strengthen           Circumvent           Analyze

          High Interest         High Interest             Low Interest             High Skill

          High Skill                Low Skill                     Low Skill                    Low Interest

Why does it seem so difficult to effectively manage people?

         
          Because it is. If everyone could do it, the world would be full of leaders, and the fact is that there needs to be a lot more followers. RCL will give those people interested in effective long-term leadership a way to succeed and stand out from the crowd.

Were you always a successful leader?

          Absolutely not. In fact, some of my greatest lessons occurred because I failed to be a good leader. There were times in my life that I felt that objectives were being reached in spite of my involvement, and not because of it. My experience coupled with my educational background provided me with the insight into how to do it the right way. RCL will keep people from making the mistakes I did.

What is next for you?

          I will soon be giving speeches and conducting seminars on Reality Check for Leaders. I will also be working with colleges and universities that are adopting RCL, along with the SISP, into their hospitality program curricula. And I will soon be starting my next book.

          That is the short list. As people begin to read about the book and learn of my background, there seems to be an interest in my consulting in the hospitality industry. Within the past few weeks, I have had discussions about starting a hospitality program for a North Carolina college and working with the Dean of a hospitality program in New York. In addition, I have been approached by a regional hotel manager to develop a leadership seminar for his managers.

For interviews: Time available can range from 10 minutes to 60 minutes.