Kimpton’s management style is as eclectic as the leopard print carpets or ’70s retro chairs you might find in one of its 40 locations throughout the US and Canada. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, this boutique hotel chain has gone a step further than its competition in terms of customer service by focusing on one word: care.

Niki Leondakis, COO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, explains that its employees are cultivated from an environment where just serving the customer well is not enough. A genuine desire to understand and appreciate fellow employees and customers alike, a dedication to team and personal development, and the ability to adapt to change puts Kimpton’s 5,500 employees above the rest.

“To create a team, you have to build relationships, and to create relationships, you need understanding, appreciation, and celebration of each other’s unique contributions,” said Leondakis. To her, being part of the same department or division does not necessarily make a team, so Kimpton encourages employees to step away from the workplace periodically with a group activity, whether it’s a trip to wine country or an informal meeting held to exchange ideas and address any problems. Leondakis estimates that at least 50% of this time away from the workplace is spent on relationship building.

With the aid of an outside facilitator such as a corporate psychologist, the employees learn about how different personalities come together to form a compatible staff. From the executive and operations teams all the way down to the front line staff, every employee participates in Kimpton’s development program, Kimpton University.

But it is not just the team that Kimpton finds important. Each individual counts and is therefore given opportunities for self discovery and personal and professional growth. Students of Kimpton University attend an “insight program” that allows them to dig deeper into their psyches.

“It really lets people take a deep look inside themselves to help them understand how they have evolved as a human being, and how particular patterns in their personalities can limit or contribute to their success,” said Leondakis.

In conjunction with seminars and workshops, employees attend confidential one-on-one meetings with either a corporate psychologist or a human resources expert where their personalities are evaluated using an enneagram method. Employees are then educated about their personality types, how those types cope with different situations such as stress, and how different personalities interact with each other.

“It is a cornerstone of our culture, and it impacts how our managers interact with their employees and how the employees interact with each other,” Leondakis said.

Balancing act
Given the supportive environment for uniqueness and individuality at Kimpton, it’s no wonder the company embraces workplace diversity. Recently, the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Quality Index awarded Kimpton Hotels a score of 100%, making it the only hotel chain in the US to achieve such an honor. The HRC’s Corporate Quality Index measures how major companies in the US treat their homosexual, bisexual, and transgender staff, customers, and investors.

“The longevity of our [diversification] program really spoke to them about our belief in treating people fairly,” said Leondakis. “I launched the diversity initiative a couple of years ago, and it was rapidly embraced by our employees because our culture already supported it.”

Maintaining this hard-earned and unique culture is a challenge for Kimpton as they continue to grow. The company already has sites in 10 states and British Columbia, and it is looking to add locations in Florida, California, Illinois, Washington D.C., and Virginia by 2005. Leondakis explained that it’s a balancing act between bringing in new blood that is familiar with the local markets and promoting and transferring existing employees who can bring the Kimpton spirit with them.

To make the transitions easier, the company performs a survey once a year asking employees about their career and life goals. Through this survey, employees can express working, living, and geographical preferences, which allows management to identify people who will be successful in a new location.

“Whenever we have openings, we have a database of this information that we look at first so we can see who we have internally to put in the new position. When you are a growing company, you have to offer opportunities for your people, otherwise they won’t stick around,” Leondakis said.

The Kimpton philosophy also includes self-leadership. Employees are expected to identify and seize opportunities, take risks, and work hard to promote themselves and the company, explains Leondakis. “When you see an opportunity, you need to jump on it and own it.” Kimpton applauds all efforts, whether they are successful or not, to keep the concept of self-empowerment alive.

None of this could be possible without Kimpton’s flexible corporate structure. Rather than having a pyramid structure with a rigid hierarchy, the company prefers a circular structure where executives and employees are in constant communication. “Its all about collaboration and inclusion,” said Leondakis. “As the COO, I talk to front-line employees regularly.”

This unique composition within the hotel industry allows for decisions to be made and implemented more quickly while staying connected with customer and employee needs. Kimpton is able to weather rough economic times, such as the two recessions the company has endured and the sharp decline in the hospitality industry after 9/11. The ability to respond readily to customers’ changing buying habits and preferences surpasses top-heavy competitors who take longer to meet these challenges.

Leondakis puts it simply: “There’s this culture behind the scenes that manifests itself in a customer experience that is unique. The care our employees show for our guests is the end result of the care that everyone shows for each other.”