The Domestic Estate Managers Association - January 2011, Newsletter Private Service Professional Spotlight featuring Richmond Schmidt ::: How did you get started in Industry? I got started in the industry by being a little disgruntled with the organization in my mother's kitchen when I was eight years old. From that time on I have been trying to bring order and organization into other people's homes. If everyone spent more time polishing silver, steaming bespoke clothing, laying tables for guests and anticipating the needs of others, the world would not only be a little "shinier" but safer and friendlier as well. That goes for eight-year-old butler-wannabes or world leaders. ::: Do you have any formal training or degrees for Private Service? I have a BA in Liberal Studies on which I rely daily (my parents lost their domestic staff when I left for college; unfortunately, they cannot afford to hire me now). I often think back to the classes I had in business, psychology, cross-cultural studies, and humanities. Household Management is not for the faint of heart and requires a strong multi-faceted foundation of the quadrivium: language arts, math/science, behavioral studies, and business. My formal Butler/Major Domo education began at the International Butler Academy in the Netherlands. My career was launched upon graduating with Distinction in 2003. Since then I have also graduated from the Protocol School of Washington and have even found an opportunity to learn the art of Mixology and Wine Hospitality from the New York Bartending School. ::: What have been some difficult situations that you have run into on the job? This profession requires flexibility, devotion to one's principals over one's family or friends, and physical stamina. It has been very hard at times to show up late to one's own birthday party, to tell a niece (twice) that the vacation to Disneyland cannot happen, and to smile when one is dead tired. ::: What type of principal or homeowner do you prefer to work for? I have been very fortunate to have worked for three wonderful families who have treated me as a professional. An ideal home has high standards but with principals who are approachable and supportive of an employee's personal and professional growth. Appreciation is the guarantor of future success and respect is the bondsman of devotion. ::: What direction would you like to see the Private Service Industry go in the future? I would like to see more networking done and building up of the industry as DEMA has done. The general public has a growing awareness of the Domestic Employee Industry. I am always eager to promote the profession. Thankfully leaders in the field put our industry in the news, train future professionals, and make our efforts more successful. The Domestic Estate Managers Association (DEMA) is to be enthusiastically applauded for bringing professionals, vendors, educators, and agencies together for the sake of helping us all meet the needs of our employers. There is still room for more accountability from employees, vendors, and agencies. My energies will be focused on how to facilitate that. A system of mentoring a new corps of professionals has always been a hope of mine. ::: What are your goals in the future? I want to have a butler of my own. As long as I am dreaming, may I also add chauffeur, laundress, and security and housekeeping staff? More realistically, I would like to keep working for my current employers who are fantastic. If that would not be possible, I would enjoy a similar job. Opportunities to grow professionally are always welcomed, and I would even appreciate the chance to teach others or facilitate those seeking to build stronger careers in the profession. ::: What are your interests and hobbies? Life exists outside of work, but free time is still spent doing many of the same things: shopping, entertaining, polishing silver, counting cream soup bowls and bread and butter plates, or organizing receipts. On occasion I have been known to stop long enough to watch a movie or read a good biography. Rumor has it that on Saturday nights the "Bow-Tie Cowboy'' can even be seen two-stepping at the local ranch. To read the entire article, click here. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: From the January, 2011 Newsletter of the Domestic Estate Managers Association Announcement of Service Award Congratulations Richmond! Award and content provided by Jim Grise of the Private Estate Development group on LinkedIn 2011 Servant Leader in Private Service I'm pleased to offer Richmond Schmidt, a Private Service professional working in Florida, a one-year paid membership in the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Richmond was nominated by colleagues as volunteering significant time and interest in the development of others. Through his initial passion for service, Richmond has evolved into an authentic leader in which those around him respect. As Robert Greenleaf wrote in his original essay, The Servant as Leader: "It beings with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then, conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest-priority needs are being served." Richmond became a respected leader naturally: not from being given a title, yet by establishing his own credibility with those around him. As president of his local Domestic Estate Manager's Association chapter, Richmond is building community within his local area of influence, volunteering his own personal time and energies to establish learning and community-building events for his colleagues. As Larry Spears, author and past-president of the Greenleaf Center has remarked, this interest is an important characteristic: "The Servant Leader senses that much has been lost in recent human history as a result of the shift from local communities to large institutions." Richmond, by facilitating an inclusive, supportive, and personable environment for others to grow and feel comfortable in, demonstrates his understanding for the importance of community. This same approach can have impressive effects on an estate staff, beyond some traditional styles of management. As Spears states, "We are seeing traditional, autocratic, and hierarchical modes of leadership yielding to a different way of working-one based on teamwork and community, one that seeks to involve others in decision making, one strongly based in ethical and caring behavior, and one that is attempting to enhance the personal growth of people while improving the caring and quality of our many institutions. This emerging approach to leadership and service began with Greenleaf." Servant Leadership supports-yet holds fully accountable-others through compassionate engagement, not simply processes and procedures. This humanizing approach to management creates powerful bottom line results for any team. I congratulate Richmond, as the first annual "Servant Leader in Private Service," on his selfless dedication to the advancement of others and community building through service. I hope to see this recognition spark continued discussion and intend to continue promotion of this uniquely inclusive leadership style, providing similar gift memberships for the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership on an annual basis. A sincere thank you to all who participated and submitted nominees, and I wish the very best to each of you in 2011. DEMA Member-Jim Grise