14. We Need Thriving Leaders Now More Than Ever Before
14. We Need Thriving Leaders Now More Than Ever Before
It's June 2023. A week ago I turned 59. I feel like my most important work is ahead of me. How the hell can that be? :)
Some of you already know that I'm currently completing a master's degree in regenerative economics in the UK. I've just begun the research stage for my dissertation. My focus is on how our industry can help regenerate local economies (and communities) and the natural environment around us.
This work will come together with the work I've been doing over the last few years to help leaders and their businesses thrive.
Future of Hospitality Background & Vision
I started Future of Hospitality in April last year to help make leaders aware of some of the challenges that were heading toward the industry that nobody was talking about. At that time, the only thing on everybody's mind was the systemic staffing shortages. We all now know what was heading our way. We are up to our necks in what arrived.
A secondary vision that emerged very quickly was the idea of beginning strategic conversations with leaders in our industry about what sort of industry we want in the future, rather than just accepting 'what we're given'. During the last year, developing this part of the initiative has become an interesting strategic challenge that I've incorporated into my master's degree work, thankfully!
Future of Hospitality Vision Going Forward
I've developed a vision, helped along by other leaders contributing to the monthly leadership insights briefings I've been running for the last year.
When I use the word 'vision' with my clients I describe it as choosing your point on the horizon and heading for that point. You never actually get there, but by heading in the right direction and having milestone goals you aim to achieve along the way, you are constantly heading to that point on the horizon.
So, I started with the aim of building a 'thriving' industry and our businesses being a force for good. Of course, not everybody will want to start from here. That's ok. So they can define what they want to help create. Maybe a dying industry that's a force for evil. :)
So, I developed some thinking around those two drivers of change and came up with this idea:
Thriving People
We know that many staff left our industry at the end of the pandemic due to well-being concerns. We also understand that a lot of backpackers left the country which had an impact too. But let that sink home for a moment. They stopped working for a while, relaxed a little, possibly recovered their well-being a little, and realised how good that felt, to the point they didn't want to return.
Surely, our starting point, given AI and robots aren't going to replace most of the staffing roles (not yet anyway) that we ought to think about how we can improve the well-being of our people. There are lots of 'things' we can do, lots of actions we can take. Not every business will want to go there, but then not every business will survive to operate in the future either. I say, work with those who want to redesign a better industry for our people.
So, this becomes a major element of the Future of Hospitality vision, driving conversations and strategies that inspire, encourage, and empower leaders to make positive changes that move us towards 'thriving people'.
Thriving Leaders
My hypothesis is that to get the concept of 'thriving as a good thing to aim for' within our industry in the areas I'm identifying, we first must have thriving leaders, not stressed, exhausted leaders not knowing how to deal with the uncertainty created by converging crises hitting us like a tsunami.
In the next newsletter, I'll talk more about thriving leaders.
Thriving Businesses
In the next couple of newsletters, I'll go deep into thriving businesses, so make sure you get that copy whether you're an owner, manager, or leader within a business.
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Thriving Communities & Local Economies
In the coming newsletters, I'll talk more about the positive impact we can have on our local economies and communities, and I'm speaking to the communities we are part of, that we operate in.
Thriving Planet Through
I'll also talk about how we as an industry can have a positive impact on our local natural environments and how cumulative local bottom-up action can be better than top-down directives that are indiscriminate.
Next Newsletter
Watch out for my newsletters being published through your LinkedIn notifications. I'm on a mission to catch up on a tardy publication performance due to a severe lack of any time at all with this bloody master's to get done! Masochism rules, right? :)
Free thrive masterclass for leaders & your teams of leaders
For the Future of Hospitality tribe, I've produced a 100-minute thrive masterclass focusing on how to transform our current situation in order to thrive. You might or might not be interested in it BUT please consider sharing it with your team, colleagues, and mates in the industry. There are record amounts of stress and burnout out there now and heading our way. We can all make a difference by looking after each other. Click the image & get access to watch the masterclass.
We're stronger together!
Until next time.
XdC
David Carruthers, officially a 'vintage hospitalitarian'
@futureofhospitality
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