What happens when mistakes aren’t tolerated?
Your team stops trying. Ideas are stifled, innovation disappears, and the only goal is to avoid failure—at any cost. On the surface, a “perfect” team may seem productive, but dig deeper, and you’ll find a culture paralyzed by fear.
On the flip side, when mistakes are expected, examined, and turned into opportunities, you unlock something extraordinary: growth, creativity, and progress.
In the professional world, accountability is essential for both personal growth and organizational success. The Accountability Ladder, a concept developed by Bruce T. Gordon and popularized by various thought leaders, serves as a valuable framework to understand and improve accountability in the workplace.
The Accountability Ladder is comprised of eight levels, each representing a different mindset and degree of responsibility:
Leaders and organizations can use the Accountability Ladder to foster a culture of responsibility and growth. Here are some steps to implement it effectively:
Climbing the Accountability Ladder is a journey from passive to proactive behavior, transforming individuals and organizations alike. By embracing this framework, we can cultivate a culture of accountability that drives success and innovation.
Credits: The Accountability Ladder concept has been explored and elaborated by various experts, including Bruce T. Gordon, as well as featured in resources like the Niagara Institute and ThinkDev. For more detailed guidance and applications, these sources provide comprehensive insights into building accountability in leadership and organizational practices.
In the dynamic world of hospitality, motivating employees is crucial for maintaining high levels of service and ensuring guest satisfaction. Employees can generally be categorized into various types based on their performance and engagement levels. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to motivate each type, along with what to do and what not to do.
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Understanding and addressing the unique needs of different types of employees in the hotel industry can lead to a more motivated and effective workforce. By implementing tailored strategies, you can enhance performance, foster loyalty, and create a positive work environment that benefits both employees and guests.
Hotel marketing is more than just promoting a room for rent, it’s about crafting an experience, connecting with potential guests, and standing out in a crowded market.
In this post, we’ll explore some of the most effective marketing and advertising strategies for hotels, and I’ll share some personal anecdotes from my own experience.
First things first, storytelling is key when it comes to hotel marketing. People don’t just book a hotel room for a place to sleep, they’re looking for an experience. By crafting a compelling narrative about your hotel, you can tap into emotions and create a connection with potential guests. For example, at my hotel, we highlighted our property’s spacious rooms and extensive facilities and it helped us attract a lot of guests who were looking for a family or leisure staycation experience.
One way to do this is by highlighting the unique features of your hotel. Is it a historic building with a rich past? A trendy and modern property with cutting-edge design? Whatever it is, make sure to showcase it in your marketing materials and on your website.
Next, let’s talk about the power of visual storytelling. A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s especially true in the world of hotel marketing. High-quality photography and videography can make a huge impact in showcasing your hotel and attracting guests. For example, at my hotel, we invested in professional photography and videography, and it helped us showcase our hotel’s amenities and atmosphere, which helped us attract a lot of guests who were looking for a luxurious and relaxing stay.
But it’s not just about having pretty pictures, it’s about showcasing the experience. Show guests what they can expect when they stay with you, whether it’s lounging by the pool, sipping cocktails at the bar, or exploring the local area. We made sure to include pictures and videos of our guests enjoying all of the different amenities and activities offered by the hotel, and it helped us attract guests who were looking for a fun and memorable stay.
Another key element of hotel marketing is targeting the right audience. By identifying your ideal guest, you can create targeted campaigns that speak directly to them. For example, at my hotel, we identified that a large portion of our guests were families and we created targeted campaigns to promote our spacious rooms and kids’ facilities. This helped us attract even more families.
Finally, don’t forget about the power of social media and influencer marketing. These platforms can be a great way to connect with potential guests and showcase your hotel’s personality. We have a strong presence on social media platforms and we have worked with several influencers in the past, which helped us reach a larger audience and get our hotel in front of potential guests. Plus, influencer marketing can be a cost-effective way to reach a large audience and get your hotel in front of potential guests.
In conclusion, by using storytelling, visual storytelling, targeting the right audience, and social media and influencer marketing, you can create a compelling narrative and showcase your hotel in the best light possible, attract more guests and increase revenue. These strategies have worked for our hotel and I hope they will work for you too. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try new things, but most importantly always keep in mind that your guests are looking for an experience, not just a place to sleep.
When I first started working in the hospitality industry almost 20 years ago, I didn’t fully understand the importance of sustainability. I thought of it as something that was nice to have, but not essential. But over time, I’ve come to realize that sustainability is not only important for the environment, but also for the success of a hotel or resort.
I remember one instance when I was working as a front desk agent, I had a guest who asked me about our recycling and sustainability programs. At the time, we didn’t fully embrace sustainability yet, and I remember feeling embarrassed and not knowing how to respond. But it made me realize that more and more guests are becoming environmentally conscious, and it’s important for hotels and resorts to have sustainable practices in place.
Since then, I’ve seen firsthand the benefits that sustainability can bring to a hotel or resort. For example, one hotel I worked at implemented a linen and towel reuse program, which not only helped to conserve water and energy, but also helped to reduce operating costs. Another hotel I worked at installed energy-efficient lighting and appliances, which not only helped to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint, but also helped to lower the hotel’s utility bills.
Sustainability has become an increasingly important issue in the hospitality industry in recent years. As more and more travelers are becoming environmentally conscious, hotels and resorts are being pressured to adopt sustainable practices. But why is sustainability important in the hospitality industry and how can hotels and resorts incorporate it into their business?
First and foremost, sustainability is important because it’s the right thing to do. The hospitality industry has a significant impact on the environment, and it’s our responsibility to minimize that impact as much as possible. This includes things like reducing energy and water consumption, using eco-friendly cleaning products, and properly managing waste.
Incorporating sustainability into a hotel or resort can also have financial benefits. By reducing energy and water consumption, hotels can save money on utility bills. In addition, many hotels are finding that guests are willing to pay more for sustainable accommodations. A survey by Booking.com found that 84% of travelers are willing to pay more for sustainable options, and 61% of travelers said that they would choose a sustainable hotel over a non-sustainable one.
Sustainability also helps hotels and resorts to differentiate themselves from their competitors. As more and more travelers are looking for sustainable options, hotels that can demonstrate their commitment to the environment can attract environmentally conscious guests. In a survey by TripAdvisor, 72% of travelers said that they would choose a hotel with a strong environmental reputation over one without.
There are many ways hotels and resorts can incorporate sustainability into their business. Some examples include:
In conclusion, sustainability is not only important for the environment, but also for the bottom line of hotels and resorts. By incorporating sustainable practices and offering sustainable options, hotels and resorts can attract environmentally conscious guests, save money on utility bills, and differentiate themselves from their competitors. It’s important for hotels and resorts to understand the importance of sustainability and to implement sustainable practices to minimize their impact on the environment and create a better experience for their guests.
Work-life balance should be measured by how happy you are, and how much energy you have for what matters most to you. If you love what you do, and if you are passionate about what you do, you never have to work a single day in your life. You probably heard this before, and while this statement is a bit of a stretch, there definitely is truth to it.
If you love what you do, you will feel energized and happy, if you don’t love what you do, every task is a burden and work can be very draining… and if work is draining, then work-life balance in it’s traditionial 9 to 5 sense is very necessary to stay happy and healthy. Continue reading Forget about work-life balance! While I was responsible for smaller teams before my first real management position was as Assistant Housekeeping Manager in New York. I didn’t know much about management, let alone leadership at this point. I was very good at what I was doing and knew exactly how things had to get done the right way, but I didn’t know yet how to lead people or how to create a successful culture.
The unionized environment in New York is an environment of entitlement, and many discussions evolve around who is right, who is wrong, whose job it is, whose fault it is, and of course most importantly who is to blame. As a manager you’ll find yourself involved into these discussions of whose job it is and whose fault it is a lot, if you like it or not you’ll get sucked right into it.
Continue reading Do You Have The Right Attitude For Success?
I recently started an assignment at a new property and wanted to share my experiences with you. I know it seems pretty obvious what should be the first thing to do when starting a new job, so why do I even talk about it.
I read plenty of articles about what’s important and what to focus on, and while most of them will list five to ten points of what’s important to keep in mind, they all highlight that you need to focus on people. Think about every time a new employee started at your company, and about the ones that did well? What did they do differently? Did they focus on getting their office desk organized, studying the financials and company’s guidelines? No, they did well, because they started with walking around trying to make a connection with the team.
Well, things might be overwhelming at the beginning with everything being new and it’s very well possible that you could lose focus of what matters most. It doesn’t matter how smart and talented you are, how much experience you have and how well you did at your previous job, if you are new, you will have to start from scratch again and you will not go very far if you don’t focus on your people first.
The beautiful thing about hospitality is that it’s all about people, if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your guests, and guess what, your business and the bottom line will then just take care of itself… it’s that simple.
So we have established that you should first focus on getting to know everyone and build relationships, but is it really that simple? No, certainly not, because in most cases mountains of work, and new assignments with pressing deadlines are already waiting for you… and that’s how your performance is being measured on, right?
You need to focus on your people first, otherwise you will not be effective, and all the work that is waiting for you, will not get done at all. Try to focus on your big rocks and what matters most first, and keep in mind that you are a leader, and if you have no one following you, you’re really missing the point of it.
Best of luck on your first days!
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You are probably wondering why you should have to do anything to receive the best service, shouldn’t it be up to the hotel to provide you with the best experience without you having to ask for it. You are the one who paid for it, right? 
Yes, of course you are right, and you should receive the service that you paid for, and I hope that most hotels would get it right. But why even taking a chance. Why not making sure that they will pay this extra little bit of attention and do their very best that you’ll have a memorable experience. Continue reading How To Have The Best Hotel Experience
Complacency is your worst enemy! It can damage your business or your career, and the worst thing about it is that you’ll probably be the last one to find out that you became complacent yourself!
From the outside it’s always easy to judge, if someone is falling victim to complacency. The person doesn’t believe in change anymore, or cannot see the need for it, loses his passion for excellence at every single step of the way, believes that he’s the victim of the incompetence around him, and is not willing to step out of the comfort zone anymore and take risks. Pretty obvious, right? Anyone from the outside can see it.
But what happens if you’re the one who is struggling with complacency without even knowing it? Did you ever had the feeling that it’s not just not right that you have to do all the work, and that people around you should step up to their plate as well, that you’re tired of always going the extra step without seeing the direct impact or outcome of your efforts? Complacency is a slow dead and you need to watch out for the early signs of it:
Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel, said that ‘success breeds complacency’, and ‘complacency breeds failure’, and he’s so right. You look at all the companies and businesses that used to be so initiative and great just a moment ago, and are not even relevant anymore now. But what happened? Well they stopped changing and evolving because of complacency, stood still for a moment, and the world passed by them.
Just have a look at most of the great hotels from the past. Try them and you’ll be surprised by how their service and hospitality lost its edge.
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Having to fire an employee is never an easy or pleasant thing to do. You spend a lot of time and efforts searching for the right person for the job, conducted numerous interviews, focused a lot of attention and resources on the training of the new-hire, and strived to grow and develop the employee to help you in return growing your business. That being said firing an employee should only happen after you tried to counsel and help the employee to improve.
Once you tried every avenue and termination is the last option, it’s the right thing for your organization, the other employees and in many cases for the employee being let go as well. Continue reading How to Fire an Employee
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No matter if you are working in a hotel or are a frequent traveller chances are that you asked or heard this question over and over again. Many times it’s the question asked most upon check-out and your way out of the hotel. Continue reading How To Improve Your Guest Surveys The Fast Way
Working in the hotel industry just like any other service industry it’s all about people, it’s about one person respecting another person.
It’s about people trusting each other, because if there is no trust between people, efficiency and productivity will go down to zero.
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So how do you get people to like you, or better yet, how do you get people to want to work with you and for you? And I am not talking about a popularity contest, I am talking about respecting another person, respecting his or her values and beliefs. Continue reading How Do You Get People To Like You
You are eager to get promoted and move on to the next step. You are constantly comparing yourself to your peers, are impatient about your own job situation and cannot wait for something exciting in your career to happen. You want to get promoted!
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Every once in a while when your personal life calms down a little and work isn’t as busy for a change, you’ll get the feeling that it’s time for something new… that you’re standing still and that something new and exciting needs to happen for you! Continue reading How to Get Promoted in 3 Steps
Giving and receiving feedback can be a gift, as it can help you build or strengthen a relationship, if done right, or it can damage a relation, or be career hindering and de-motivating.
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When receiving feedback our potential concerns are that we fear criticism or our reaction to feedback and that we are nervous about having to hear something that might make us feel uncomfortable. When giving feedback we could fear that we hurt the other person’s feelings or that the other person might get defensive… and just like when receiving feedback, we could be nervous about giving it. Continue reading How To Make Feedback Effective
Does a truck full of money, a celebrity status, or a designer suit buy you happiness?… and if it does, how long does this moment of happiness last?
Anyone who says money doesn’t buy happiness should talk to a homeless person, and anyone who says money does buy happiness should talk to Bill Gates! The difference in happiness between a person making 5 k a year, and 50 k a year, is huge, as it is a matter of security and covering the basic needs. The difference in happiness between a person making 50 k a year and 50 million a year is minimal. Money does not buy happiness, but it’s a necessity to cover our basic needs as shelter, food, clothing, medical care and so on. Continue reading Who Else Wants to Know the Secret to Happiness?
Since I started working in New York City in my current role as assistant executive housekeeper, I had to experience several snow storms, and hurricane Irene and Sandy. While Sandy was the most devastating storm yet, our housekeeping department was able to continue delivering smooth and flawless service, and no service limitations were necessary.
Crane dangling at Park Hyatt NY during Hurricane Sandy
The game plan to battle a hurricane, can be divided into three parts, the preparation immediately before the storm, the time during the hurricane, and the clean-up afterwards. Learning how to maneuver in a crisis comes from experiences of similar situations in the past. I remember the snow blizzard that hit New York City in December 2010 vividly, and how I started my shift at 6 am in the morning with only picking up the phones and taking sick calls for about 30 minutes. Once we had about 30 employees calling out for their shift as they had simply no way to come to work, I learned how people can pull together beyond any differences and arguments that usually separate them and make the impossible possible. We were able to clean all rooms that day without any service delays, with having butlers, houseman, supervisors, dispatchers and managers cleaning and inspecting rooms. While it is a memorable experience, and I love to tell this story (over and over again), I also learned that there is a much smarter way to cope with a crisis like this. Continue reading How to Lead through a Natural Catastrophe
People can make mistakes and things can go wrong, and when they do go wrong and our guests’ stay with us is affected by the service breakdown, it’s up to us to get it right and turn them around. A guest who experienced a problem and it got resolved to her satisfaction is more likely to return compared to a guest who just had an average stay without having experienced any ‘glitches’.
Service recovery is not rocket science (just takes a lot of practice), but it’s important to keep in mind that you want to solve the right problem, that you solve it to the guest satisfaction and not yours, and that you choose the right form of recovery/compensation.
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In my first year of working in a hotel, I was a housekeeping supervisor and we had a guest complaining about the room cleanliness during my shift. The guest was out for dinner and I was on a mission to not only getting it right, but also to ‘roll out the red carpet’ for the guest. I just transferred from cross-training in our room service department and remembered the beautiful cheese plate amenity and chose to have it arranged in the room with a bottle of our house red wine and an apology note. I ensured that the turn down was done perfectly and that everything looked sparkling. I left the hotel that evening with a good feeling of heroic accomplishment and I was sure to have turned an upset guest around into a loyal customer. Continue reading How to make your guests happy with effective service recovery
If you’re just graduating from hotel school, and are searching for a job abroad, chances are that you’ll be invited to a Skype interview at one point. When I applied for job in New York while living in Europe about six years ago, using Skype for a professional interview was not common yet, and I was asked to fly over to the US for a personal interview at my own expenses. Now it seems that Skype simplifies the process, and makes the interview more convenient, but does it also make it easier to get the job?
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While Skype made it much easier (and less costly) to interview with potential employers around the globe, it’s helpful to keep in mind, that Continue reading How to prepare for a Skype interview
So you decided that a career in hospitality is the right choice, send out tons of applications, and finally made it to the interview. How can you best prepare yourself for the interview and what’s important?
I have been sitting on both sides of the table many times, and tried to learn from my mistakes a long the way. Recruiting new employees is one of the most important things you can do, as the right person can change the culture in your department, and support you in leading in the right direction. Hiring the wrong person on the other hand, can turn out to be very very costly, and it can be very difficult to tell from only meeting a person for a couple of minutes during the interview.
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So how can you prepare yourself for the interview to communicate that you’re the right person for the job? Continue reading How to prepare for an interview
