What happened at the Master Innholders Hotel Leadership Conference 2022

The hoteliers were given a lesson in taking people from potential to peak by motivational speaker and business consultant James Kerr, who used the New Zealand All Black's rugby team as an example of the mindset required to be the very best.

"The All Blacks say ‘leave the jersey in a better place'," he said. "We have just a fleeting moment to make our mark. To fulfil, express and make a difference."

Kerr added that high performance is a combination of capability, behaviour, talent and the right attitude. He said that leaders had to communicate and connect in order to take people from potential to peak. "Results are a byproduct of the right process," he said. "Create an environment where people grow on the inside and your business will grow on the outside."

For the All Blacks that process means always living the team's values: humility, excellence and respect. No stone is left unturned by the team to ensure they live every value. The respect for the jersey is key to this narrative and after each game it is hung up by all players, rather than left in a heap on the changing room floor.

"Lead by deed, in the way you do things," Kerr emphasised. "Make a debrief central to the process and be committed to get better every day. People rise to the challenge if it's their challenge."

Shoots of recovery

The scale of the challenge for hoteliers was emphasised by Sarah Duignan, director of client relations at STR. She said while total open room inventory across Europe sat at around 50% last year – and that there are still rooms closed across the continent – the average rate in the year to November 2022 still sat at 92.5% of pre-Covid levels. Meanwhile, the average rate on New Year's Eve was almost as good as in 2019. Occupancy in 2020 across the UK stood at 30%, rising to 46% in the year to date at November 2021. The average daily rate for 2021 UK wide was £85, while in London in stood at £117.

"The regions in the UK had stronger performance than London for most of 2021," Duignan said. "But London caught up towards the end of the year and we expect the capital to continue to catch up as recovery continues."

Why diversity increases performance

Do you represent the community you work for? That was the challenge posed by WiHTL director Joanna Aunon. She asked whether there was equity among all hospitality businesses and that everyone, regardless of background, felt that they could either experience or work for any given business.

"Are you invited to the party and if you are, are you allowed to participate?" she asked. "Diversity can't happen without an inclusive culture."

This sentiment was echoed by Asif Sadiq, senior vice-president at WarnerMedia for equity and inclusion, who pushed the narrative further, suggesting there were moral and business cases for encouraging a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone felt they belonged.

He said employers should give every member of their team a "sense of belonging" to improve personal and business achievement.

Aunon confirmed there were many great reasons to pay attention to a genuine diversity strategy, enabling leaders and businesses to operate more conscientiously, innovate more efficiently and grow effectively. "Ask yourself, what kind of operation do you want yours to be and what kind of leader do you want to be?" she said. "A diverse workforce also avoids groupthink. Diverse teams are better prepared for decision making and allow for innovation of thought – for example, are we really offering the right products and services?"

Aunon reassured the operators present that inclusion was indicative of a healthy culture. "Asking questions brings an element of vulnerability but it will help drive performance and engagement," she said. "The workplace environment that supports a diverse workforce demonstrates an engaged and healthy workforce."

Plant before profit

Ben Wielgus, head of sustainability at Informa, urged hoteliers to update their references to sustainability and remove the outdated term ‘corporate responsibility' from all marketing materials as it no longer represented the status quo.

He said customer expectations were changing with more people willing to pay extra for sustainable products, so now was the time for hoteliers to be brave, carry out a "top-to-tail review" of their sustainable actions and implement new ones.

All issues around sustainability were the same, no matter the size of a business, according to sustainability strategy adviser Sue Garrard, who said regulation was coming so hoteliers needed to act.

"The fact is that we have to stop the heating of the planet and to do that we need to decarbonise by 2030," she said. "It's an extraordinary race to achieve this. Since this target was set carbon emissions have gone up, not down. They paused a bit during the pandemic, but are still going up, temperatures are going up and the amount of time that we have left to act is decreasing. We have to remember that we can't run a business on a dead planet."

She emphasised that time was running out and that, as well as carbon taxes and regulation, employees are also putting the pressure on companies to act sustainably. "If you want great, loyal employees you have to be a responsible employer," Garrard said.

Start with the why and look to understand your company policy and break your binary thinking, she urged. Gerrard said operators must compare making money in the short-term against doing the right thing. "Feed sustainability into your plan and make it everyone's plan," she said. "Get input from employees. Let everyone come up with ideas. Do it in a democratic way and it will improve how you go on a sustainability journey as an organisation."

Diversity: where to start

1. Decide to make D&I a strategic aim and gain senior buy-in – educate and build self awareness in inclusive leadership.
2. Understand your external starting point – is your business representative of your customer and the community you work in?
3. Find where to start internally – is your business reflective of your talent? What are your data points?
4. Listen to your teams – how included do they feel? Do they feel they belong?
5. Once you know the gaps decide on your focus and make a plan. For example, if recruitment is your challenge, start there.
6. Collaborate – learn from other businesses.
7. Communicate your commitment and plan to your teams.
8. Review your plan on a regular basis.
9. Use your platform and influence.
10. ACT.