Sometimes opportunity knocks, but most of the time it sneaks up and then quietly steals away.
Doug Larson, nationally syndicated American columnist for the Wisconsin-based newspapers Green Bay Press-Gazette and the Door County Advocate

The co-authors of a new book on Social Media shared a somewhat unique perspective in their 12.6.11 blog posted on the Harvard Business School site. The blog title - People Are Not Your Greatest Asset - did not dismiss the value of people in today's corporate culture, but offered a sentiment for leaders that went beyond to examine how we treat the people in our organizations.

Anthony Bradley, group VP, Gartner Research, and Mark McDonald, group VP and Gartner Fellow, Gartner Executive Programs argue that many well known companies employ some of the smartest business people not only in the room but in the world, yet offer examples of people of that caliber took their firms (Enron, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Countrywide) to near or actual ruin, contributing to the major financial economic collapse of the U.S. (and global) economy in 2007-2008.

These researchers argue that it is how organization empower people is the real asset and that providing the tools needed (goals, structure, incentives, authority, resources, processes, etc.) is enhanced by the speed and reach of the fast moving social media.

This article is not going to address social media specifically, but it will address the impact of what has occurred in the past two years. Hospitality, including hotels, restaurants, clubs, spas and more and other industries have dealt with dramatic erosions of revenue and profitability, as well as the loss of long-term customers and loyal staff.

As an industry, hospitality in literally all segments struggled to find ways to meet the global financial meltdown. The 2011scorecard is not yet totaled, but there are certain bright spots in occupancy and trends in a number of markets. The industry used dramatic cutbacks and "tightening of our belts" , but that alone was not complete course of action. Proactive leaders in our industry have realized that more must be done in 2012-2013 .

In my career, I have experienced four major economic recessions that all dramatically hurt our industry for a period and I have participated in four recoveries. I believe that NOW, beginning in January 2012, is the time for progressive hospitality business owners and managers to invest in their teams and to empower them with knowledge and the tools they need.

As we rebuild our focus into an anticipated recovery over the next 6-24 months (depending on the particular forecast for specific markets), those practical industry leaders will recognize that NOW is the time to pay attention to those professionals in our organizations that are the key components of why guests will stay with our businesses.

It is a challenge in cost-conscious operations today for managers to leave their properties for professional development, but it also a reality that there is seldom dedicated time for on-the-job training, which has habitually been a strong element of the hospitality industry's career advancement path. There are many issues facing the diverse world of hospitality and today's managers need to be aware of that diversity, regardless of their own special focus

As an individual who has been involved with well thought-out learning as both an academic and a corporate educator, I have come to recognize that delivering a balance of real-world business skills and comprehension with structured learning is essential to long-term success.

An excellent example of this balance of learning is an annual program offered by the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association. This is a one of a kind, all-in-one hospitality training event that has been awarded best Educational Program in the nation by the International Society of Hotel Association Executives. The Association's 67th Annual Short Course program is scheduled in Houston in the 2nd full week of January 2012 and I am proud to have been asked to return for a fifth consecutive year. I will again participate with workshops on Operations in Understanding the Heart of Hospitality – Housekeeping and Engineering.

The 2012 Short Course, proudly co- sponsored by American Express and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, has its traditional strong range of topics including:

  • Controlling Alcohol Risks Effectively
  • Creating a Service Culture for the 21st Century
  • Customer Service
  • Employment Law for the Hotel Industry
  • Essence of Greatness
  • Green Initiatives
  • Food & Beverage Strategies
  • Hotel Law
  • How to Build a Front Line that Will Build Your Bottom Line
  • the Heart of Hospitality – Housekeeping and Engineering
  • Leading a Diverse Workforce
  • Loss Prevention
  • Positive Management for Positive Performance
  • Revenue Management
  • Stand by Your Brand, Putting the WOW Back in Service
  • Team Building
  • The Connected & Committed Leader and
  • "Where Do We Go From Here?"

The 2012 Short Course is a unique training and motivational opportunity for hospitality professionals to assist them with career advancement. It's a small investment with a guaranteed return t.

Texas Hotel & Lodging Association's 67th Annual Short Course is scheduled for January 9-13, 2012. University of Houston, Conrad Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77204. Early Registration Rates (Before 12-19-2011) THLA Members ($275) Non-THLA Member ($355) http://members.texaslodging.com/events/thlas-67th-annual-short-course

We at www.HospitalityEducators.com realize that there is only so much content that can be included in a one-week program and we offer more than 1,000 resources to our members. There are other universities and associations globally offering strong programs of varying length, content and investment and we will comment on them in future articles.

Additional programs of study I would recommend to individuals for consideration in 2012-2013 include:

  • Capital Project Management, focusing on the ROI of Renovations
  • Diversity and Ethics in Human Resources
  • Family Business Ownership and Management structures
  • Financial Management and Accounting for Executives
  • Global Marketing and Sales Management – Practical action plans

· Key Ingredients of Effective Leadership

· Maximizing the Franchise Investment

  • Real Estate Development and Taxation

· Safety & Security , Reasonable Care

  • Social Media and Technology for Executives
  • Strategic Planning
  • The Need and Value of Hospitality Associations as Business and Political Lobbying Resources
How do I spell SUCCESS?

L-E-A-R-N, T-R-U-S-T, M-E-N-T-O-R , E-M-P-O-W-E-R = S-U-C-C-E-S-S

Hospitality Tip of the Week™: Focus on TRAINING I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." Muhammad Ali

S
uccess does not come by accident or chance.

Contact us for assistance – [email protected] or 602-799-5375

HospitalityEducators.com was created to help hospitality businesses address problems via a training and information resource site to help you increase your Hotel's revenue, market share and profitability. With more than 950 pages of tips, guides, best practices, strategies, plans, budgets, videos and resources, HospitalityEducators.com has become the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers. This site can help you solve your problems now! Read More

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KEYS TO SUCCESS™ is the umbrella title for my 2011-2012 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™ , THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE
™ and Principles for Success.

[1] Anthony J. Bradley, group vice president, Gartner Research, and Mark P. McDonald, group vice president and Gartner Fellow, Gartner Executive Programs, are co-authors of The Social Organization: How to Use Social Media to Tap the Collective Genius of Your Customers and Employees

2. http://members.texaslodging.com/events/thlas-67th-annual-short-course

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 CEO and Co-Founder of HospitalityEducators.com , which has more than 2000 resource pages and has become the #1 independent website for hotel owners and managers. He is also the Principal of HoganHospitality.com , which offers hotel expert witness services and hospitality consulting..

Contact us for assistance – [email protected] 602-799-5375 HoganHospitality.com : [email protected]

KEYS TO SUCCESS™ is the umbrella title for our 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™, THE P-A-R PRINCIPLE™ and Principles for Success.

All rights reserved by John Hogan and this column may be included in an upcoming book on hotel management. This article may not be reproduced without the expressed permission of the author. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.