A good leader in the hospitality industry is not necessarily someone that dictates rules and guidelines but rather someone that represents the overall vision of the company. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” To his point, as the “leader” of a department, it is your job to get everyone on the same page. The question is… how do you accomplish this?
There is no better industry to compare to sports than the hospitality industry. Look at some of the greatest team-sports athletes on the planet during their time. Now, how many of them have actually been successful throughout their entire careers when they were the lone star of the team? Michael Jordan did not win titles until he had a complete team around him. The same can be said more recently about Lebron James.
There have been some incredible players in all sports that never had the pleasure of hoisting a championship trophy over their heads simply because they never had a complete team around them. For instance, Dan Marino, one of the most prolific passers of his time reached the Super Bowl, but he never managed to win it. Eric Lindros was an incredible talent for the Philadelphia Flyers but once again, no championships.
It’s All About the Team
First and foremost, a successful manager in this industry realizes it is all about the team. Every single cog in the machine must be on the same page, they must have the same vision, as the person leading them. Your staff is packed with knowledge about things that need to be tapped. You may be incredibly smart. You may be incredibly talented. However, you simply do not know everything. There are going to be things your employees can teach you, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Good managers both give and get respect. This is how you build the team concept in this industry. Treat every person on your staff as your equal, because they are. Remember, a title does not make the man or the woman, the person does!
Stay Humble
Nothing is more off-putting than someone that thinks he or she is better than everyone else. Every successful leader realizes this and is able to maintain their humbleness through their climb. Mistakes are going to happen. Own them and learn from them. Admit it when you are wrong, then move forward. More importantly, when it comes to failures, step up and take the blame. Just as important, spread the praise around when the team enjoys success. When your team sees that you truly have their back, you will be amazed by the loyalty that develops from within.
Don’t Abuse Authority
Power can be addictive. Trust me, the next person that abuses their power is surely not the first and they will definitely not be the last to do so. A true leader shows his or her team the way, he or she does not just tell them how to get from Point A to Point B. A great team is not built overnight. It takes time, a LOT of time. However, with a steady influence, gradually, the department will truly become yours and will become a successful team, which is the ultimate goal of any department head or director in the hospitality industry.
Can your hotel or hospitality organization benefit from having more managers promoting the “team” concept? Then it is time to call Joseph David International hotel recruiters. JDI is one of the top-ranked hotel recruiters in the country because we don’t just plug holes, we find the ideal candidate for your specific needs. For more information about our hospitality recruiting services, please click here.
Photo By monkeybusiness