“Genuine Leadership incorporates a number of attributes, but none of them works until there is trust.”
-Lloyd Hill, past Chairman of Applebee’s International
I just finished reading The Cornell School of Hotel Administration on Hospitality, a fascinating yet only surface-level look at the four major areas of the industry: property staff (chefs, housekeepers, and front desk employees), property managers (or regional managers), real estate or business owners (own the physical property or the land on which it is located), and corporate managers or executives. I definitely learned a lot reading through this book, everything from listening and leadership tips to hotel financing equations. For anyone thinking about the hospitality or service industry, this is definitely a book to check out, although some information is more relevant depending on where you are in your life (I don’t think I’ll be calculating hotel durations based on discount interest rates and terminal capitalization rates anytime soon, but you never know.)
One chapter that did very much interest me was the last chapter on hospitality leadership. The chapter highlighted one important aspect of leadership that sometimes gets looked over: integrity. Moreover, the author of the chapter, Tony Simons, has studied integrity in leaders for over 13 years as of the printing of the book, and has developed a subject that he calls the “integrity dividend”: “…an actual bottom-line business return that occurs when people see that you live by your word.” Mr. Simons presents legitimate research and testimonials from current business leaders on the impact the integrity dividend can have not only in a work environment but also on a personal level. One metric simply states that, on a ten-point scale, a one-quarter point difference between two hotels in how their employees rated the manager’s integrity “translated into a profit difference of $250,000 per year…” That’s a quarter of a million dollars more in profit just for being an honest, trust-worthy manager! I was definitely blown away by the power of the integrity dividend in the workplace, but what about personal integrity?
Luckily, the chapter offered many different ways to improve personal integrity too, including better communication, arranging social support, and inward reflection. I definitely took a step back with this chapter and looked at ways to improve my own personal integrity. One thing I need to work on is promising and delivering. I am often times late to appointments or meetings that involve friends and family because I view them as less important than those regarding work or school. Even if you don’t think of meeting up with friends as a “promise”, the commitment to socializing with others is in some small way an obligation that you set for yourself, and when you are late or don’t show up, you are not delivering on your promise. I need to get into the habit of treating every appointment with the urgency and respect that it deserves.
Another item that I should definitely work on is effective communication. I often times am not fully communicating my integrity when I don’t respond directly or don’t choose my words correctly. These blunders can be easily avoided, says Mr. Simons, by avoiding “automatic or polite promises” when committing yourself (say exactly what you mean) or following up after commitments have been made (to check dates and times, details, or to renegotiate your position in the agreement). One tip that Mr. Simons gave in realizing your integrity was to develop a single sentence that will summarize “your key values and purpose as a leader.” This sentence should be completely unique to you, incorporating who you want to be as a leader. You should also take time to reflect and improve upon your sentence whenever you experience a deeply resonating change in your life; your sentence should evolve with your leadership style. For example my sentence reads: “I will lead with service, making sure that honesty, dedication, and efficiency pave the way for my colleagues and guests to enjoy a hospitable environment.” In all facets of my life, I will use this sentence to guide my decision making and my personal leadership style, cementing my integrity in a single defining statement.
I still have a long way to go in addressing my own integrity. However, I now believe in the integrity dividend and I want to hone the skills that support it, like effective communication and delivering on promises. If I want my word to be truth, if I want my friends and colleagues to believe in me and what I have to say, then I need a strong foundation on which to build my integrity, and it starts with me.
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