The Essentials in Service
Here at Starkey, we strive to teach the most important lessons of Service Management. We know that two of the most essential abilities of a Household Manager are:
- The Pattern Factor: Seek out and identify procedures and patterns that are regular “ways” of doing things within a home. Follow them until you find out whether they are the real requests or preferences of the family or are “ways” of default established by a prior staff person. Once defined as a preference, make them a written procedure; if they are not, then seek out the preferred way and only then change the pattern by communication and example until it sticks.
- Creating Quality of Life: Task Sheets defined are the list of tasks performed or completed daily or weekly, or even seasonally by staff member within a home. While following established Tasks is essential, it is the role of the Household Manager to be sure the task is appropriate for that day. For instance, if the weather is unseasonably warm, and the stated Task is to “turn on the space heater every morning in the sun porch” you must remember to come back after an hour or so and turn off the space heater as the added heat is no longer needed. Always be in the moment, as your ultimate goal is creating creating Quality of Life!
The Starkey Mansion is located in the center of Denver, Colorado, just one block from Colorado’s State Capitol building. Architecturally the Mansion is very secure, which is enhanced by our security alarm system. Individual keys are provided to each student. Security codes and procedures will be discussed with the students upon arrival at the Institute. Safe working practices are stressed from the first day of school and throughout the entire program. First aid kits, carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguishers, and hardwired smoke detector alarms are located throughout the Mansion. Exits and evacuation procedures are discussed on the first day of class and are posted in the Mansion. The Mansion is a non-smoking environment.