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Behind-the-Scenes Look: October Workshops on Biltmore Estate

Written By Chris A. Maslin

11/27/18

Authentic Leadership

October Workshops on Biltmore Estate

Last month, I had the privilege of working with an enthusiastic group of professionals in Biltmore’s workshops, The Art of Customer Service and Employee Engagement. The group came from all industries, including healthcare, professional services, and government entities. One of our attendees, Mark Williams, Director of Customer Engagement of HopeHealth, INC., came with the intention of driving his organization’s culture of graciousness and hospitality forward to both the patients they serve as well as the employees serving these patients. I checked-in with him throughout the program to check his progress.

8:30 a.m. – Breakfast

The group started the day with a delicious breakfast at The Inn on Biltmore Estate before diving into the program, and the participants were ready to roll up their sleeves to create an action plan for change in their own companies. Each day was filled with learning time-tested Biltmore best practices to help assess and improve each individual’s organization. The goal of the day was to build plans to transform the customer experience and engage employees.

9:00 a.m. – Training Session

I witnessed Mark and the other attendees learn from Biltmore best practices and brainstorm action plans to share with their teams, learning from other participants in the room. We enjoyed interactive classroom activities that sparked creativity and fresh thinking!

10:00 a.m. – The Art of Customer Service: Immersive Field Experience

On the first day, we took an immersive field experience to Biltmore House on a private, behind-the-scenes tour, where we learned about Biltmore’s history of hospitality and customer service towards guests and employees alike. Our guide, Jane, shared her personal story as a Biltmore employee. Jane gets to see Biltmore’s values and service standards demonstrated in her work every day.

Employee Engagement: Immersive Field Experience

During our Employee Engagement workshop on the second day, participants hopped in Land Rovers for a blind drive, where teams blind-folded their driver and guided them through an off-road course! We had an insightful debriefing on the concepts of trust, the importance of team-building, and cultural focus to achieve a common goal.

4:30 p.m. – Closing Reception

Each day, workshops concluded with a reception to celebrate each other’s successes. Over the course of the day, participants became friends and champions, encouraging each other to move forward and drive positive change in their organizations.

Mark touched base with me at the conclusion of the training, and I was delighted to hear that the program had been a success for him!

“Thank you for a very enlightening, challenging and fun two days!  I have attended quite a few conferences in my career and this two-day event was one of (if not) the best I have participated in.  The material was pertinent, the presenters were well informed and communicated excellently and we had fun! “

-Mark Williams, Director of Customer Engagement, HopeHealth, INC.

I look forward to connecting with Mark and seeing where his traction plan has taken him during our workshop follow-up coaching call later this month!

My team at Biltmore Center for Professional Development can partner with you to transform your organization’s customer experience and help you attract top talent, no matter your industry. Explore our 2019 workshops, and take advantage of 15% off early-bird registration when you register four months prior to the workshop date.


Chris Maslin is Senior Director for Talent and Organizational Development at Biltmore, and also serves as a program facilitator for Biltmore Center for Professional Development. With a passion for servant-leadership, Chris guides numerous organizations in transforming their customer experiences and developing leaders.