Free Essay About Hospitality Leadership Reflection Paper

Considering my future career direction and the decisions I will make along the way, two class topics that I have reflected on the most (which has interested me the most) are effective crisis management and proper workplace etiquette. I think these two areas are so crucial for any business leader to consider in the workplace. We live in a world that is becoming increasingly prone to disasters of all kinds from natural catastrophes to human-made ones such as arson and vandalism. And in order for business leaders to bounce back from such unfavorable circumstances, a strong and efficient crisis management plan must be in place. As Mike Thomas (2005) pointed out in his article How to Stay in the Game After a Crisis, “when a crisis hits, you must act quickly to keep your business running. Preparation is the key.”
Nothing beats being prepared for unexpected events that occur beyond our control. Crises happen all the time with businesses all over the world and as an aspiring entrepreneur in the hospitality industry, I would never want to be in a position where I am unequipped to handle the aftermath of a crisis. Therefore, I believe that it is important for managers to rigorously design and implement crisis management plans for their teams. And such teams should periodically review and practice these plans so everyone will be sharp on how to respond in a real crisis situation.
Thomas’s article gave a very practical game plan to going about this process. For example, he noted how it is important to obtain professional advice in a crisis event because the manager does not have the panacea for such circumstances (Thomas, 2005). Therefore, acquiring external help such as lawyers, public relations experts, and other professionals who may be needed to advise a company on these matters is essential to restoring the company’s reputation and standing in the community. I will take all of these principles into consideration as I move forward into my own career path as an aspiring hospitality business leader.
On a different note, knowing and exhibiting proper workplace etiquette is also necessary for leaders in today’s workforce because demonstrating a high standard professionalism ought to be any leader’s constant objective. We lead by example as the adage states, and so if leaders are displaying positive, friendly attitudes and are communicating adequately and skillfully, then they are setting the stage for their employees to learn from. The Columbia University Center for Career Education (2015) provided an excellent list of tips for professionals of all corporate levels to follow.
For instance, treating everyone in the workplace with respect, regardless of their job role or status, can never go understated. The Golden Rule will never ever go out of style! Having good people skills will go a long way in the work world as this is becoming more of a focus in thought leadership research circles. Emotional intelligence or EQ is often more valued than IQ in the New Millennium job market. As globalization continues to spread, the likelihood of conducting business overseas escalates. Thus, leaders must be privy to the cultural customs and business etiquette of the countries where they expect to negotiate contracts, to establish foreign operations, and to recruit and retain talent in order to be successful in the overseas market (Columbia University Center for Career Education, 2015).

Priorities as a Future Hospitality Leader

My priorities as a future business leader highly center on the philosophy of servant
leadership according to the notions revealed in the “Leadership in the Service of Hospitality” article. The behaviors associated with a servant leader seem integral to creating and sustaining a good reputation in an industry that often gets stained by the bad behaviors of business owners and senior executives who care solely about the bottom line instead of abiding by the service above self principle. Servant leaders are humble, empathetic, compassionate, conscientious, magnanimous, prudent, diligent, people-centered, and persuasive as Judi Brownell (2010) points out in the article. These are the same qualities that I endeavor to develop and possess as I move toward hospitality leadership. And if I want my colleagues and employees to display such character, I must first be the example. Without a doubt, it will resonate with customers and I can be sure to maintain a loyal customer base when they see that they are being treated with the utmost respect and care.
In her Forbes article “The New Rules of Business Etiquette,” Susan Adams (2013) provided many helpful hints for showcasing business propriety in the workplace. For example, making the effort to be sociable while on the elevator or walking in the hallways as opposed to texting or listening to music communicates a work-friendly message and encourages an ethos of interpersonal communication in the work setting. As I move forward in my career, I plan to balance the needs of the business with the expectations of guests by doing everything within my power to ensure that all constituents are receiving value from me as a hospitality leader.
As Rosalinde Torres (2014) discussed in her TED Talk on “What it takes to be a Great Leader,” having an open mind along with the courage to make bold and innovative decisions characterizes exceptional leadership. Learning from the diversity of a multicultural corporate culture will be paramount as I strive to have all bases covered. Also, having the foresight to anticipate the outcome of situations and then responding strategically will enable me to deal with problems that arise from disgruntled customers or financial losses, Heaven forbid. Finally, I must be committed to ongoing professional development throughout my career so that I can work on always improving myself (leadership style, business acumen, and cultural/emotional intelligence).

References

Adams, S. (2013). The New Rules of Business Etiquette. Forbes. Retrieved 04 January 2015 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/10/04/the-new-rules-of-business-etiquette-3/.
Brownell, J. (2010). Leadership in the Service of Hospitality. Cornell Hospitality Quaterly.51(3), 363-378.
Columbia University Center for Career Education. (2015). Skills – Workplace Etiquette. Retrieved 04 January 2015 from http://www.careereducation.columbia.edu/resources/tipsheets/skills-business-etiquette.
Thomas, M. (2005). How to Stay In the Game After a Crisis. Restaurant Hospitality. p. 28
Torres, R. (2014). TED Talks: What it Takes to Be a Great Leader. YouTube. Retrieved 30 Dec.2014 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUYSDEYdmzw.