Top Take-Aways from Bart

“Kindness, Action & Doing What Most People Don't”

HSMAI DC session delivered a high-energy, emotionally rich message on how hospitality professionals can elevate results through kindness, intentionality, follow-through, and emotional intelligence. You shared personal stories, real-world hospitality examples, roleplays, and the KINDNESS framework to teach how small moments create massive impact.

You connected deeply through:

• The “Invisible” sign story (Q in NYC) — reminding everyone that people don’t want things; they want to be seen.

• Three Frogs on a Log — deciding isn’t doing; action is what separates the great from the average.

• Cheeseburger Without Cheese — the difference between being right and being kind.

• Night Auditor Coffee Story — policies shouldn’t overpower humanity.

• Starbucks Birthday Story — the lifelong power of including others.

• #BeBamboo — flexibility is the new superpower.

• “You’re Doing Great” movement — the emotional fuel that people rarely receive but desperately need.

Bart's message gave the room permission to act, not wait, and reconnect with the heart of hospitality: making people feel seen, valued, and supported.

K — Kind Over Right

Policies should never outweigh people.
Choosing kindness builds trust, loyalty, and memorable experiences.
Examples from your stories:

• The Five Guys employee clapping when guests walked in.

• Responding to guest requests with “Absolutely” rather than correcting them.

Reminder: Being right wins the moment.
Being kind wins the relationship.

I — Include Others

In hospitality, no one should feel invisible.
Inclusion isn’t just physical, it’s emotional.

You reinforced:

• Asking genuine questions

• Bringing new people into conversations

• Noticing who’s alone

• Making others feel seen, welcomed, and important

Attendees were reminded:
Inclusivity is not an action; it’s a responsibility.

N — Notice, Anticipate, Overdeliver

This is hospitality’s competitive advantage.

You taught them to:

• Notice the small signals

• Anticipate needs before they’re spoken

• Overdeliver in ways that surprise and delight

The subway video + marathon video brought home the difference between:

• Delivering → doing your job

• Overdelivering → doing what Most People Don’t

Your strongest line here:
Your competition delivers. You overdeliver.

D — Doing (Not Just Deciding)

Most people say they’re going to take action.
Few actually do.

You challenged them to:

• Follow up

• Reach out

• Apply what they wrote down

• Use the market data

• Stop waiting for “later”

Your mother’s letter story made the room understand:
Good intentions don’t create impact. Action does.

D — “Doing Great” & Emotional Impact

You gave them a tool that changes people instantly:
“You’re doing great.”

You showed:

• People rarely hear it

• Everyone needs it

• And saying it strengthens connection, loyalty, and confidence

Ben’s story from FBLA showed the life-changing power of emotional kindness.

This moment alone is what attendees said they’ll remember forever.

D — #BeBamboo (Flexibility Over Rigidity)

Bart taught you:

• Bamboo bends without breaking

• Oak trees look strong but snap under pressure

• Flexibility is now a leadership and service advantage

Key line:
Control what you can. Adapt to what you can’t.
Bending isn’t breaking. Be bamboo.

Attendees left committed to bringing #BeBamboo back to their teams.

The Three Things You Asked Them to Walk Away With

Bart reinforced that you don’t want them to have 100 half-formed ideas.
You want them to commit to three:

1. Something to START doing

Being kinder, following up sooner, asking “Tell me more,” noticing more.

2. Something to STOP doing

Defaulting to policies, rushing, avoiding people’s emotional needs.

3. Something to CONTINUE or do MORE CONSISTENTLY

Leading with hospitality, overdelivering, building relationships, being bamboo.

Most People Don't website

  https://bartaberkey.com