Page 128 - Hospitality Horizon - February-March 2021
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HOSPITALITY PARTNER
EDIT NOTE
EXISTING LEADERS addressing the situation and asking themselves what
Looking back, it is clear that by and large, our they can do better, they instead discount the person and
identified future leaders performed wonderfully. But may even go as far as relabelling them as not fit for
it is also clear that the current leaders need to change leadership. As leaders, we must take the time to assess
and modify their approach to teaching and being the situation in greater detail when something like this
guides. The mentors must convey their experience happens. Conversations with the individual need to be
above and beyond the usual business models and had to clearly understand where the problem lies.
prepare future leaders for situations that are
exponentially interruptive to the business for an FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
extended period. Through my own interaction I can tell you that on most
Unfortunately, we also saw a very limited number occasions it was simply the fear of the unknown. They
of colleagues who did not perform well under don’t know if they will still have a job in a few weeks, they
pressure and had difficulties adapting to the new don’t know if they will be able to feed their family, send
normal. More alarmingly, some of the managers their kids to school, pay the rent and have enough money
leading them then started questioning the saved for medical emergencies.
candidates, asking if they are indeed of the right Now take a step back and put yourself in this
pedigree to be leaders of the future. situation; you do not know if you can sustain your
I believe that this is exactly where leadership really current lifestyle and on top of it there is pressure at
counts! If we identified someone as a future leader, work to deliver the unthinkable. We as senior leaders
then the mindset, skills and emotional intelligence is must see this and seek out those colleagues who need
already present – so did we as leaders not prepare help. And by help, it could be something as simple as
them enough? assuring a person that he or she still has a job. Or just
I realised soon that many of our colleagues in being someone to talk to about their problems and fears
senior positions were interpreting one of their or simply assuring them that we as managers will do our
report’s failure as their own failure. Rather than best to assist them as much as we can. More than once
128 FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021 hospitality horizon
