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Growing Talent Does Not Happen Without Focused Effort in Hospitality

(Part  2 of  Meeting the Need for Talent)
 

by Dr. John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS
May 23, 2011

As the economy in much of the world is beginning to show more optimistic results in hospitality and other industries, the need to identify, hire, train, and retain quality staff has resurfaced as a major issue.

Part 1 of  Meeting the Need for Talent included A Baker's Dozen of Questions  that was created to provide feedback to reader requests for specific ideas on this topic. This Baker's Dozen is  comprehensive for some smaller facilities, yet it was created to provide feedback to reader requests for specific ideas on the topic. Those inquiries came from hoteliers working in all sizes of hotels, with mixed market bases, with a range of brands as well as some independent properties and in multiple countries. 

The questions were:
  1. Who will the person specifically report to and how often will they interact?
  2. What is the specific accountability in attaining results?
  3. Are those results in line with the organization's “big” picture?
  4. Are there strategic goals identified or in the process of being refined for the organization?
  5. How much enterprise is preferred or expected? Is initiative a positive or negative trait in the organization?
  6. What is the sense of competitive spirit?  Is it everyone for themselves?
  7. Markets and economies change – how do you expect the new hire to stay focused?
  8. How are decision made?  Are authority lines refined and reasonable?
  9. What are your organization's performance expectations in Key Result Areas? How many KRAs are there and are they consistent?
  10. How are results measured in associate engagement, in guest service, in market penetration, in facility quality and of course, profitability?
  11. Does the organization have clearly identified values that support the mission and vision?
  12. How does communication really happen?
  13. How does change happen?  Can it be fast paced or must it go through a committee? Does one person overshadow all decisions or is there reasonable  flexibility that provides unbiased professional opportunity for growth, recognition and reward for agreed upon achievement of success?

Part 2 - Growing Talent Does Not Happen Without Focused Effort  includes observations from several management company executives who kindly agreed to share some of their thoughts.  I was pleased to have responses from four very different type of hospitality professionals who discussed some of their approaches in developing and retaining talent.  With turnover traditionally at very high numbers in many companies, these professionals offered some proven success strategies on how to deal with this issue, while delivering exceptional results.

From Raman (R.P.) Rama  Executive Vice President & CTO/CIO , JHM Hotels, Inc. www.jhmhotels.com 1

John

  • Thanks for thinking about me , but I really do not want to boast about our retention rate.
  • All I can say is we grow our associates talents, based on their aspirations.
  • Doing the same work day in and day out becomes boring, hence cross training is a very good way to expose the staff members to different skills and helps them understand how what they do impacts other departments . That makes them more conscious of what they do and how they perform their duties and it also creates a feeling of teamwork.
  • We create compassion in them so that they do theory work with compassion and care. We bring out theory hidden talents by getting them involved.
  • The staff members are trustees of their hotels hence success pays them with sense of gratitude.
  • I hope this helps you write your article. Our associate satisfaction scores speak for themselves and We have to address issues head on instead of hiding them or ignoring them
From Fred Hirschovits, President, Twenty/Twenty Worldwide Hospitality, LLCwww.twentytwentyworldwide.com 2
  • Expect what you Inspect
  • With responsibility goes consummarate authority
  • ten smallest words - if it is to be, it is up to me
  • truth is the safest lie
From James E. Roos President at Ayres Hotels of Southern California www.ayreshotels.com 3
  • Ask  the newly hired or promoted employee for committment to their new responsibilities in this way: "Can I count on you?"
  • I have learned when one person makes a face to face commitment to another the probabilty of the desired result being achieved is far greater than if the committment is only assumed.
From Curt Baker, Director of Operations - Consultant at Ivy Inns Inc. and  PhD Student in Hospitality & Tourism Management at Purdue University  http://www.linkedin.com/in/curtpbaker 4

Hi Professor,

I had a chance to read your article the other day, so I was happy to see this invitation.

I have used the following in several different venues with solid returns.
  • As a front office manager, I created a clear set of standards for different levels of desk staff. It combined a combination of training, performance, and extra duties.
  • As a manager it gave me opportunity to view how my staff handled different challenges and provided me with opportunities to coach them and develop them further. Additionally, because the different tiers had clear cut responsibilities and expectations, it developed my next generation of leaders and provided us with a clear understanding of their skills and abilities.
  • It also allowed me to delegate more responsibilities and to best engage my staff. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the staff (especially those who were not looking for careers such as students) that took on the challenges just for pride in themselves and their work.
  • The process takes time to work well, but for a very small investment in money it makes everyone in the department from the FOM down much more effective and efficient.
[1] JHM Hotels, Inc. is a national multi-brand hotel company that has developed, acquired, owned, and operated hotels throughout the United States for more than 36 years. These years of growth have earned the company rich and varied experience in every facet of modern hotel development and management.   JHM Hotels has 40 properties with over 6,520 rooms and 1,500 associates with a concentration in key U.S. destinations such as Orlando, Atlanta, Miami, Charleston, SC and soon Washington, DC, along with a five-star luxury hotel in Surat, India. Operating under top performing franchise flags such as Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Starwood, JHM is committed to being a premier lodging company. The company's mission statement shares this commitment with guests, associates and ownership.

[2] Twenty/Twenty Worldwide Hospitality, LLC specializes in creating a point of difference and a strategic competitive advantage for   hospitality and related industries.

[3] Ayres Hotels, setting a new standard in comfortable, inviting accommodations and warm, personalized service for business and leisure travelers at an affordable price. Choose from our 20 inspired European-style boutique hotels artfully located just where you want to be in Southern California.

[4] Ivy Inns Consulting is  available to customize this idea


Hospitality Tip of the WeekTM

Understanding The Role of Talent Development
“My main job was developing talent. I was a gardener providing water and other nourishment to our top 750 people. Of course, I had to pull out some weeds, too.”
Jack Welch

KEYS TO SUCCESS  is the umbrella title for my 2011 programs, hospitality services and columns. This year’s writings focus on a variety of topics for hotel owners, managers and professionals including both my "HOW TO" articles, HOSPITALITY CONVERSATIONS™, Lessons from the Field™, Hotel Common Sense™   and Principles for Success.

Don't forget the special values being offered to industry professionals available on annual membership at www.HospitalityEducators.com.  

Feel free to share an idea for a column at [email protected]  anytime or contact me regarding consulting, customized workshops, speaking engagements … And remember – we all need a regular dose of common sense.


John Hogan is a successful hospitality executive, educator, author and consultant and is a frequent keynote speaker and seminar leader at many hospitality industry events.  He is Co-Founder of a consortium (www.HospitalityEducators.com) of successful corporate and academic professionals delivering focused and affordable counsel in solving specific challenges facing hospitality today.
 
www.HospitalityEducators.com is a membership site offering a wide range of information, forms, best practices and ideas designed to help individual hoteliers and hospitality businesses improve their market penetration, deliver service excellence and increase their profitability. Individuals wishing to contribute materials may send them [email protected].   Special pricing is in effect for a limited time that also includes a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES.

Contact: 

Dr. John Hogan, CHA MHS CHE
[email protected]


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Also See: A Quiz on Effective Hospitality Marketing in 2011: Understanding and Using Complementary Tools / Dr. John Hogan / May 2011

Hotel Common Sense™: Meeting the Need for Talent: A Baker's Dozen of Questions (Part 1 of 2 ) / Dr. John Hogan / May 2011

Hotel Common Sense™: Questions I Wish You Would Ask Me™: Karl Ruether CHA, CFBE, International Hotelier / Dr. John Hogan / April 2011

Hotel Common Sense™: Stronger Hiring Outlook Means Hospitality Employers Must Step Up Recruitment Efforts; The job markets are changing and candidates will soon have choices again. / Dr. John Hogan / April 2011

Hotel Common Sense™: Five Common Sense Steps to Stronger Public Relations / Dr. John Hogan / April 2011

A Smile from HospitalityEducators.com - April 14 - International Moment of Laughter Day / Dr. John Hogan / April 2011

Lessons From the Field™: Communications 101 – How to effectively use the telephone / Dr. John Hogan / March 2011

Principles of Success: Fine Tuning Your Hospitality Business Strategies for A Measurable Competitive Advantage - Part 2 / Dr. John Hogan / March 2011

Principles of Success: Fine tuning Your Hospitality Business Strategies for A Measurable Competitive Advantage - Part 1 / Dr. John Hogan / March 2011

Hotels Were More Interesting than Selling Insurance: An Unexpected Career; A Professional and Personal Tribute to Neil Salerno, CHME CHA / Dr. John Hogan and Howard Feiertag / March 2011

Principles of Success: Evaluate Your Hospitality Business Strategies to Create a Real and Measurable Competitive Advantage / Dr. John Hogan / March 2011

Sales Blitzes: A Look At the Benefits of Team Efforts / Dr. John Hogan / March 2011

Principles for Success: No Nonsense Benchmarking for Hotels and Hospitality Businesses / Dr. John Hogan / March 2011

Principles for Success: What we have here is a FAILURE to COMMUNICATE! / Dr. John Hogan / February 2011

Making This New Year's Hospitality Resolutions Last - Part 3; Real and Practical Action Steps #13-28 / Dr. John Hogan / February 2011

Making This New Year's Hospitality Resolutions: Real and Practical - Sales Action Steps #1-12 / Dr. John Hogan / January 2011

Making New Year's Hospitality Resolutions Real and Practical; A “Fresh Air- New Ideas” Perspective / Dr. John Hogan / January 2011

Keys to Success: Be Aware of and Work with the Law; Do Not be Afraid of it / Dr. John Hogan / December 2010

Keys to Success: Make Your Hotel More Profitable and Successful – 2011 is the critical time to invest in Your Talent and Your Team / Dr. John Hogan / December 2010

Keys to Success: A Common Sense Approach to Success in the Hospitality Industry; 13 Best Practices for Hospitality Training Managers & Directors / Dr. John Hogan / December 2010

Hospitality Conversations – Looking Ahead! / Dr. John Hogan / November 2010

Learning from The Greatest Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century / Dr. John Hogan / November 2010

Five Considerations in Hiring a Hospitality Consultant; Understanding the Qualifications for Effective Hospitality Consultants / Dr. John Hogan / November 2010

5 Reasons Using A Qualified Consultant Could Make a Huge Difference in Your Hospitality Business / Dr John Hogan / October 2010

Half Luck and Half Brains - Kemmons Wilson's 20 Steps for Success / Dr John Hogan / October 2010

Ten Quotes Addressing the Topic of SERVICE / Dr John Hogan / October 2010

Hospitality Conversations - Understanding the Developing Perspectives in Quality Assurance (Part 2 of 2) / Dr John Hogan / October 2010

Hospitality Conversations – Understanding the Developing Perspectives in Quality Assurance Part 1 of 2 / Dr John Hogan

Hospitality Conversations: Examining the Learning Options Available in the Hospitality Field / Dr John Hogan / July 2010
..
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