Hotel Leaders Exhibit Strength at the Core

Over the years, our industry has seen many leaders and legends, some of whom simply amaze us with their undeniable strength and success. Great leadership is essential for our industry to thrive over the long term and throughout the years great leaders are the reason we’ve realized many of our most meaningful achievements.

Paul Breslin

Every March during the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference, founder Bob Hunter, with the help of a selected group of leaders, choose an industry icon to be recognized as the outstanding leader in our industry. While there are a number of groups that recognize achievements throughout the year, to many this is one of the most coveted awards in our industry. This honor is recognition from industry peers and is an award for the person most would agree stands above the rest as a great leader.

How do we understand and embody the qualities that make certain individuals such great leaders? What makes them stand above the rest? Is it the results they achieve? Is it who they know?

In most cases, great leaders are great not necessarily because of a particular accomplishment or a particular plan they created—or because of who they know—they are great because of who they are as people and how they choose to live their lives both personally and professionally. It’s not to say great leaders are perfect or that there’s one specific model to follow.

When thinking about the leaders I’ve had the opportunity to know, there are common characteristics they embody:

• They share a common belief in the principle that hard work will bring a profit.
• They believe deeply in what they do.
• How they work matters as much as what they accomplish.
• Time is valued more than money, and people come first.
• They are students as well as teachers.
• They see honesty as a standard, not a goal.
• They desire more for their families than themselves.
• Their values are woven into the fabric of their work and home.
• They are competitive but are careful not to be envious or jealous.
• They have a strong foundation of integrity and doing the right thing.
• They are generous with their time and resources, and serve a greater power.
• They do not see themselves as above the rest and fight the same challenges we all face.
• Most have had serious failures and hard lessons.
• They are wise—not just knowledgeable people, but leaders with great humility.
• Many are strong in their faith and practice what they preach.

The Atlanta Hospitality Alliance (“AHA”) was created in late 2009 by Dan Weede of Carlton Fields and Monty Levy of HREC Investment Advisors to provide a forum for Atlanta area hospitality executives with a transactional and development focus to network and collaborate on industry-specific matters. In 2010, the AHA became a members-only, nonprofit corporation. To date, it has approximately 100 dues-paying members, with the goal of not exceeding 200 members. The AHA holds quarterly meetings at Atlanta area hotels; each meeting comprises networking and educational components. For more information about the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance, please visit www.atlantahospitalityalliance.com.

While the best leaders share many of the above qualities, they also have the individuality and character to exhibit their own unique set of attributes. As we all strive to become better leaders ourselves, we will no doubt do the same.

Do you want to be a great leader? How will you achieve success?

Ask yourself:

• Who am I?
• What principles do I believe in?
• What are my core values and would all around me agree?
• How will I build my success?
• What characteristics and principles have I chosen to be the foundation of my company?

My hope is that the future and yet-to-be-recognized leaders in our industry will continue to lead by example, stand for something greater, and see honor and principle as the means to success, as many before them have.
Will you be the next great leader in our industry?

Paul Breslin, Managing Partner of Panther Hospitality, is a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry. He has extensive experience in hotel operations, development and asset management with major, branded hotels as well as independent and smaller luxury hotels. He is the treasurer and a founding board member of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance (AHA) and is Executive in Residence at Georgia State University.

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of HotelNewsNow.com or its parent company, Smith Travel Research and its affiliated companies. Columnists published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to comment or contact an editor with any questions or concerns.