All or Nothing Leadership
Nobody told me what I was getting into when I began my leadership journey in Hospitality. Truthfully, I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing, because had I known at the time what this career would entail, I may not have had the guts to go for it. When I started my career in Hospitality Management, Outdoor Recreation, Music Production, and Marine Biology were just a few of the career options on the bench. I was in no way “following my dream.” I simply had too many dreams and could not choose a career path, so I got a job at a hotel. I had always been fascinated with hotels. I discovered I was pretty good at the Guest Service thing, and soon I learned it was easy to work my way up if I just showed up and worked hard. The rest is history.
I can remember when I was an amateur leader. In was promoted based on merit and expected to somehow know how to manage a team. I spent my early years being mediocre. I had some good service ideas, and I could organize an office better than anybody. This made me a good Office Manager, not a good leader. But I was always kind and I cared about people, and I think that was my saving grace. I eventually found my way to the opening team of the leading Courtyard by Marriott in the world. I don’t believe in coincidence, so this was an important stepping stone in my leadership journey. I’ll always be grateful to have “fallen into” this operation. My General Manager saw something in me that I myself was ignorant to. It was from him that I initially learned the ingredients of a good leader.
I have learned a lot since then and had the opportunity to work with a number of great leaders. I still don’t know everything about Leadership (Thank goodness! Then what would I do?) But this is what I do know- to be a good leader will require your whole heart. You must find purpose in what you are doing to do it well and do it right. You can be average and still be pretty successful. It doesn’t take a great leader to make money for a company. But to make a difference, you must be more. You must give more. The difference in average leaders and great leaders is that great leaders truly care about the lives of the people they lead. They don’t see their employees as numbers, but as real people with lives that matter. As a leader you have the power to make a difference. You have the power to make other people’s lives better. That’s no light responsibility, and whether you see it as a burden or an opportunity will make or break your leadership journey.
I have always been an All or Nothing type of girl. Everything I do, I do with my whole heart. If I can’t commit everything to it, it usually doesn’t last. This is why it was so difficult early on for me to commit to a career. I want my work, and my life, to make a difference.
Being a true leader means being there for your team members. It means learning about their lives, more than you’d like to know at times. For a highly sensitive leader like me, it means carrying their burdens alongside them. You don’t leave it at the office each day. More often than not, you take their problems home with you. You worry about them. You pray for them. You brainstorm how you can make things better for them. But at the end of the day, you make a difference by developing them. You change their lives by helping them grow, professionally, and as a result, personally. You give them the opportunity to better themselves and if you’re lucky they accept it.
As a leader, you may be the only person who ever believed in somebody. You may be the only example of success they have ever seen in real life. You may be the only one who said to them “you can, too.” There is so much more to leadership than managing tasks and signing checks. Leadership is influence and the power to make change.
If you are someone who is just beginning your leadership journey or even thinking about it, it is important to understand the weight of the responsibility it carries. To truly invest in your people and be an effective leader, you must be genuine. There’s no way to fake caring about people, at least not for the long haul. This kind of investment takes a lot of mental energy, so you must truly believe in it. The results must be worth the effort to you.
Leaders have an incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. For this reason, we continue to face the difficult situations and deal with the challenging people. Leadership is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging, but if you are up for the challenge it is just as rewarding. If you are unsure whether Leadership is the right fit for you, I hope this helps put things into perspective. Is it worth it? Absolutely. In Leadership, there is purpose. For me, it will always be worth it for the chance to make other people’s lives better. By doing this, we are making the world a better place.
