The landscape of the Hospitality business has changed drastically in especially the past 15 years. We have shifted from “gracious hospitality” as a means to increase profitability to “analytics and metrics.” It is simply not the same business that it was back in “the good old days.” Some of the change was needed to raise the bar of our industry to a level of sophistication that it lacked, but some of it has just gone too far, forgetting what the hallmarks of Hospitality are all about. That is, people make the difference, and having the best people on your team is how you compete and are successful in this business. Human Resources professionals and Operators are caught in the middle and are pulling out their hair in a Catch 22 situation. How do we find the middle ground today that allows us to attract and retain the best talent and still meet the Harvard MBA/Asset Management expectations?
As I continue to tell people, I really have a very unique seat in our industry at this point in my career, and I truly love the perspective it affords me. Since I’m constantly interacting with leaders from all levels of the organization chart, from Chief Operating Officers to Front Line Property-Based Managers, from luxury hotels to select service, from big boxes to small boutiques, from branded to independents, I have the opportunity to really learn a lot and gain a wide perspective on what is really going on out there in the industry. I’m like a juror sitting in the jury box listening to eye witness testimony all day long and, again, from all levels of leaders in the organizations.
