News for the Hospitality Executive |
by Dr.
John
Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS
July 19, 2011 The
Need for Clearly Defined and
Understood Mission, Values and Principles has never been greater.
The most recent global recession set another wave of ownership changes, lender foreclosures, brand mergers (or disappearances) and the final outcome will not likely settle until mid-2012 when global economies are predicted to be more stable. In my career as a hotelier and hospitality educator. I have had the opportunity to see many different kinds of business models. As a consultant and workshop leader, I have interacted with literally hundreds (if not thousands) of organizations ranging from Bed & Breakfasts to Conference Centers to huge Convention Centers and hotels, as well as many Convention & Visitors' Bureaus and regional and national hospitality associations. While almost all have the best intentions, I have come to realize the ones that have the best ongoing track record are the ones who regularly look at themselves on who they, who they serve, why they exist and how they will evolve going forward. “A musician
must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to
be
ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be.”
I have also learned that we sometimes can better view the
benefits of using consultants or external resources when we observe
their
interactions and impact on businesses other than their own.Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970)1 With that in mind, let me share an example. My daughter and her family enjoy the natural surroundings and ongoing improvements in the Cincinnati Nature Center. When I recently visited them, I noted that the Center's Newsletter had a very succinct one page recap of their Mission, their values and their Principles. The Center, founded in the mid 1960s, is considered a “top 10 nature center” in the US, with more than a dozen miles of trails and 1600 acres, serving thousands of members and school children every year. Their mission is to inspire passion for
nature and promote
environmentally responsible choices through experience, education, and
stewardship to ensure a sustainable future. The Cincinnati Nature Center challenged
its Board of
Trustees Education Committee to clarify its strategic direction in fall
2009.
The new approach placed strong emphasis on the nature center community
and on
an ethic of mentor-ship and social influence among three key audiences:
CNC
adult members, children and school teachers/community mentors. Online research showed that creating
another three-year
strategic plan was not enough to move ahead as they were inspired to
do. This
research showed the Board that they still lacked the clarity of exactly
who
they serve and where they could be best. The online narratives relate
that the
Nature Center initially worked on the plan themselves and discovered
that the
input of qualified outside resources would greatly assist their efforts
to both
focus on the future while serving people today.. My research stated the outside resource
selected began
leveraging the good work already completed by the internal group and
the
ongoing collaborations allowed the Nature Center to drill down into
what really
mattered to their mission. Together they refined their Strategy Map
identifying
key goals and priorities, which led to a Balanced Scorecard to keep the
team
focused on the right activities. The team was then able to focus on
what was
really important, and align people to take action to intentionally
further the
organization’s mission. The web site for the outside resource said the
work
they and the Nature Center did together didn’t fundamentally change the
mission
of the organization, but that it did transform how effective they are
in
delivering that mission. The new focus is a constant reminder to the
team of
their goal to engage members. Cincinnati
Nature Center2 TO
ENRICH LIVES BY INSPIRING PASSION FOR NATURE THROUGH EXPERIENCE,
EDUCATION AND
STEWARDSHIP OUR VALUES
What We
BelievePower of COMMUNITY--We encourage people to see themselves as part of a community of nature enthusiasts within the community of nature. CNC embraces Aldo Leopold’s definition of community, which “enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively the land.” RESPECT for All Life--We show respect for all living things by seeking to understand, by celebrating diverse viewpoints, and by acting with kindness and empathy. Personal EXPERIENCE--There is no substitute for being IN nature. We maintain our lands for maximum biodiversity to provide unique personal experiences and education. Frequent experiences in nature are critical to the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health of all people. STEWARDSHIP of the Land--We recognize the interdependence of all living things and strive to maintain the web of life by preserving, restoring, and protecting our land. We embrace Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold 1949. Commitment to SUSTAINABILITY--We make choices that are environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially equitable for the long-term stability of our organization, our region and the earth. OUR PRINCIPLES
How We
Behave Provide
a Welcoming Atmosphere--We provide the best possible
experience
for each visitor by creating a welcoming atmosphere, maintaining a safe
and
natural environment, and respecting the individual’s point of view. Act
with Integrity--We maintain the trust of members,
donors, and
the community by observing the highest ethical standards and being
accountable
to all constituencies for the achievement of our mission. Provide
Diverse Experiences and Educational Programs--We
immerse people
in nature through a variety of individual and organized group
activities. We engage
people in frequent experiences in nature beginning at an early age. Empower
People to Share their Love and Knowledge of Nature--We
foster
an ethic of influence by providing opportunities for people to act on
their
conservation values through sharing with others, volunteer service, and
financial contributions. Deliver
Science-Based Interpretation--We teach people how to
think, not
what to think. We provide hands-on, science-based interpretive
experiences and
utilize the inquiry method in our teaching. We define interpretation as
“a
mission-based communication process that forges emotional and
intellectual
connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings
inherent in
the resource.” National Association for Interpretation 2007. Collaborate--We
seek opportunities to build relationships in order to strengthen our
community.
Internally, we embrace a spirit of teamwork and mutual support with
staff,
volunteers, members, and visitors. Externally, we seek to partner with
other
organizations that have common objectives. ___________________________________________________________ The bottom line message to you is this:
Are you prepared to become and remain a
“Top Ten” Player in
Your Hospitality Marketplace or are you going to continue to be one of
the
“other” statistics?
Success does not come by accident or chance. Contact us for assistance [email protected] or 602-799-5375 1 an American professor of psychology at Brandeis University, Brooklyn College, New School for Social Research and Columbia University who founded humanistic psychology and created Maslow's hierarchy of needs. He stressed the importance of focusing on the positive qualities in people, as opposed to treating them as a 'bag of symptoms” 2 http://www.cincynature.org/
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
www.HospitalityEducators.com, which
delivers
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 several JOIN NOW BONUSES, including a complimentary copy of LESSONS FROM THE FIELD- A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE HOTEL SALES. |
Contact: John Hogan, CHE CHA CMHS United States - Phoenix, Phone: 602-799-5375 www.hoganhospitality.com [email protected]
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