How to Lead Hospitality Teams to Achieve Success

The biggest threat to hospitality isn’t AI or inflation, it’s the way we treat our teams. You do not have a talent problem. You have a leadership problem. Leadership isn’t a title, it’s how many people you’ve built up, not broken down. You built a system that bleeds out your best people and then blamed the workforce for not sticking around. You cut every investment in training, mentorship, and culture, then wondered why nobody wants to lead in this industry anymore. This is not a talent shortage. This is a consequence of ignoring the human side of hospitality for far too long. Hospitality used to be a career path. Now it is treated like a revolving door. Most brands are more focused on asset value and shareholder reports than the people delivering the guest experience. You can renovate every room, upgrade every spa, add every tech tool in the book, but if your culture sucks, your turnover will keep draining your bottom line. Let me be crystal clear. You do not attract talent by posting a job on LinkedIn. You attract talent by building a brand people actually want to be part of. And right now, too many hospitality companies are all brand and no soul. Here is how we fix it: 1. Stop outsourcing culture to HR. Culture starts at the top. GMs and executives need to be visible, vocal, and invested in people. You cannot lead from spreadsheets. 2. Make leadership development a business priority. If you are not promoting from within, you are already behind. Build internal training academies. Identify high performers early and put them on a fast track. Do it now. 3. Tie KPIs to people, not just profits. Make career growth, team engagement, and retention real metrics that leadership is measured on. If your GMs only care about RevPAR, they are not real leaders. 4. Create a workplace people talk about. The best recruiting tool is your current team. If they are not raving about your brand, your reputation is working against you. Fix the culture from the inside and the word will spread. 5. Quit glamorizing the guest while ignoring the team. The guest experience is only as good as the employee experience. You cannot deliver five-star service with a two-star culture. This industry will not be saved by more job boards or fancier titles. It will be saved by leaders who are willing to do the work, show up, and invest in people like their brand depends on it, because it does. The talent is out there. THEY JUST DON’T WANT TO WORK FOR YOU! And until you change that, you will keep bleeding potential to every other industry that treats people like they matter. --- I am Scott Eddy, keynote speaker, social media strategist, and the number 15 hospitality influencer in the world. If the way I look at the world of hospitality works for you, and you want to have a conversation about working together, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com.

Let's talk about something that's been on my mind lately: why do people really leave their jobs? Sure, there are plenty of reasons like career growth, personal reasons, a career break, better opportunities, or a change of scenery. But there's one big factor that often gets overlooked: bad leadership. Research from the Harvard Business Review showed that a whopping 75% of people voluntarily leaving jobs don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses (direct or dotted-line ones). It's not the company culture or the job itself driving people away; it's the quality of leadership they're experiencing day in and day out. Now, you might be wondering, what exactly makes a leader "bad"? Well, it could be a lack of communication, micromanagement, failure to provide feedback, or even a disregard for work-life balance. These behaviors not only demotivate employees but can also lead to increased stress, burnout, and ultimately, the decision to pack up and leave. So, what's the big deal if a few employees decide to move on, right? Wrong. The impact of losing talented individuals due to poor leadership can be devastating for a company. It's not just about the cost of hiring and training replacements; it's about the loss of institutional knowledge, team morale, and productivity. Here are 4 actions that can be taken to retain top talents: 1) Prioritize Communication and Transparency: Keep your team informed about company goals, changes, and decisions. Encourage open dialogue and actively listen to their concerns and ideas. 2) Foster a Culture of Trust and Autonomy: Avoid micromanaging, which stifles creativity and breeds resentment. Give your team members the freedom to take ownership of their work and trust them to deliver results. 3) Provide Regular Feedback and Recognition: Acknowledge your team's hard work and achievements. Offer constructive feedback to help them grow and develop professionally. 4) Lead by Example: Demonstrate integrity, empathy, and resilience in your actions and decisions. Show your team that you're invested in their success and well-being. By implementing these strategies, we can create an environment where the top talent feels valued, supported, and motivated to stay and grow with the company. Remember, being a leader isn't just about guiding a team to achieve business goals; it's about empowering individuals to reach their full potential and creating an environment where everyone can thrive. So, let's commit to being the kind of leaders our teams deserve – the kind that people want to follow, not flee from 😅 What are your thoughts on it? I would love to hear more about it from your experience! Reference: Harvard Business Review: "Why People Quit Their Jobs" by Travis Bradberry, June 2015.

In our line of work in the hospitality industry, trust isn't just a nice-to-have; it's an absolute must. Think about it - we're in the business of making people feel at home when they're not at home. To deliver that exceptional experience, every member of our team has to be able to rely on one another, from the front desk staff who welcome guests, to the housekeepers who ensure rooms are spotless, to the chefs who whip up memorable meals. I've seen firsthand how trust can transform a team. One of our properties was consistently receiving lackluster reviews. The team was talented but disjointed. We decided to focus on building trust within the team. We facilitated open conversations, shared responsibilities, and celebrated successes together. Slowly but surely, things began to change. The team started working more cohesively, their morale improved, and so did the guest reviews! But it's not just in hospitality where trust is crucial. I've had conversations with leaders from other industries – tech, healthcare, education, you name it. They all agree: Without trust, productivity dips, creativity stagnates, and employee satisfaction plummets. Trust is the glue that holds a team together. It's what allows us to take risks, support each other, and aim for bigger goals. Without it, we're just individuals doing our own thing, not a team striving for success. Building trust isn't always easy, but it's always worth it. Keep communication lines open, be consistent, show your team that you trust them, and they'll return the favor. Remember, a team built on trust isn't just a more pleasant place to work; it's also a more productive one. So, let's keep fostering trust within our teams, no matter which industry we're in. #Trust #Teamwork #Leadership #HospitalityIndustry #EmployeeEngagement #Collaboration #Communication #WorkplaceCulture #ProfessionalDevelopment #PositiveWorkEnvironment #EmployeeSatisfaction #Productivity #Management #OrganizationalBehavior

If we want to serve in a world-class manner, then we must regularly look at service from our customer’s perspective 👀. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operation of our jobs, and unintentionally overlook simple errors. We can become so focused on GIVING service, that we forget that it’s all about how our customers RECEIVE that service.💡 On a hotel stay, I ordered dinner through room service. I wasn’t that hungry, so I only got a bowl of chicken soup 🍲. The soup came as planned. The utensils were wrapped in a cloth napkin. When I unfolded the napkin, however, I noticed there was a fork, knife, and teaspoon. Given that I ordered soup, the only utensil that I could actually use was the teaspoon, which was not an ideal choice 🥄. A soup spoon would have been more appropriate. The following morning, I ordered oatmeal and once again, I received the same utensils. This time, I asked the server to please bring me a bigger spoon. Do you think the server took note of my request and relayed the information to her boss so the team could improve the annoying utensil situation? Not sure…actually, probably not 😑. Inspect what you expect. When I placed the oatmeal order, there was an option for almond milk to accompany it. What do you think the milk is supposed to be used for? You guessed it - to pour into the oatmeal. The oatmeal came with a glass of almond milk. Not a mini-pitcher or some other tool to effectively pour, but a full-fledged WINE GLASS with milk in it. Of course, when I tried pouring the milk into the full bowl of oatmeal, the milk spilled all over the place 🤦🏾. Inspect what you expect. As a team leader, regularly “shop” the service experience that your team provides. Give feedback and make improvements daily. Teach your team to be quality auditors. Have them ask themselves, “What does my customer need in order to fully enjoy what I’m serving?” Encourage your team to solicit feedback, review the collected feedback as a team, then make improvements accordingly. You’ll be surprised at how many improvements are quick-fixes. Regardless of the setting, service always boils down to someone being the recipient of someone else’s products and/or services. Your customers deserve the best you have to offer every time. 👉🏾Takeaway: Inspect what you expect. #inspectit #quality #dailyinspiration #excellence