What do you do if your hospitality team lacks strategic thinking skills?

1 Assess your team's current level

The first step is to understand where your team stands in terms of strategic thinking. You can use various tools and methods to assess their current level, such as surveys, interviews, feedback, observation, or self-evaluation. The goal is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member, as well as the gaps and opportunities for improvement. You can also benchmark your team against other successful hospitality teams, or use industry standards and best practices as references.

2 Provide training and coaching

The next step is to provide your team with the necessary training and coaching to enhance their strategic thinking skills. You can design and deliver customized learning programs that address the specific needs and goals of your team, or use external resources and experts. You can also use various formats and methods, such as workshops, webinars, case studies, simulations, or games. The key is to make the training engaging, interactive, and relevant to your team's context and challenges.

3 Encourage collaboration and communication

Another important step is to encourage your team to collaborate and communicate more effectively with each other and with other stakeholders. This can help them share ideas, perspectives, and insights, as well as learn from each other's experiences and feedback. You can create a culture of openness, trust, and respect, where your team feels comfortable to express their opinions, ask questions, and challenge assumptions. You can also use various tools and platforms, such as online forums, chat groups, or brainstorming sessions, to facilitate collaboration and communication.

4 Challenge your team with new projects and tasks

One of the best ways to develop your team's strategic thinking skills is to challenge them with new projects and tasks that require them to apply their knowledge, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. You can assign them projects and tasks that are aligned with your organization's vision, mission, and values, as well as your team's objectives and targets. You can also give them projects and tasks that are cross-functional, interdisciplinary, or global, to expose them to different situations and contexts.

5 Recognize and reward your team's efforts and achievements

The final step is to recognize and reward your team's efforts and achievements in developing and demonstrating their strategic thinking skills. You can use various forms of recognition and reward, such as praise, feedback, incentives, bonuses, or promotions. You can also celebrate your team's successes and milestones, as well as share their stories and best practices with other teams and leaders. This can help your team feel valued, motivated, and inspired to continue improving their strategic thinking skills.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?