As an international hotelier turned MENTOR and AUTHOR, I’ve worked with many dedicated and goal-driven hoteliers worldwide. I had the privilege to be a mentee to some of the hotel industry’s best-known names during the 1980s to the early 2000s, and at THE CAREER HOTELIER, I enjoy sharing my learnings of many years here with You.
If you’re reading this, you are on your way to becoming a true professional hotelier (a career hotelier) with a clear vision for your career growth and success. Believe it or not, not more than 10% of young hoteliers have a clear idea or plan for their career objective.
If you are already advanced but feel you need to make more progress or slow, you are asking yourself a valid question. “Why do some hoteliers soar to the top of their careers while others remain stuck in lower-level positions?”
The answer lies in having a clear and focused plan of action and the determination to develop oneself mentally and professionally. If you’ve sought out my expertise or you have read my book, “The Perfect Hotel Career,” I know you have big aspirations to reach the upper echelons of the hotel industry.
And let me tell you, my friend, it is possible. But it requires a proactive approach. Success is the logical consequence of specific actions you must take. Today, let me share with you the seven pillars you must implement to accelerate your career growth and land that management position you want so badly.
These are not just tips or tricks, but the seven pillars provide a holistic approach to achieving your goals and becoming the best version of yourself. So, are you ready to take the first step toward your dream career? These seven steps are the fuel you need to fire up your career.
PILLAR 1: VISION
To reach a senior management position, you need to know where you’re going. You must have a clear and compelling vision of your goal. Unfortunately, many focus solely on their current job, working hard day in and day out without clearly understanding their long-term career aspirations, company environment, and why they are not progressing.
A well-defined vision for your future is essential to move up the ranks and succeed as a leader. With a clear direction, you’ll find it easier to make progress, no matter how hard you work. However, it’s important to note that your vision should be more than just external factors such as title, salary, or benefits. Your image needs to include internal changes that you will make, to develop the skills, mindset, and habits needed to succeed as a leader.
To begin crafting your vision, research executives in your field on LinkedIn or through a quick Google search. Identify their career history, eventually follow them but most important, get an idea of what you are after and create a clear, compelling vision for your career path. In my book, you will find a clear set of questions and an outline for developing your idea.
In summary, step number one to landing a senior management position is to develop a clear and compelling image for your future. Doing so will set you up for success and be one step closer to achieving your professional goals.
PILLAR 2 : TOP PERFORMER MINDSET
It’s not just about putting in long hours and hard work but about offering value to your team, organization, and industry. Leaders have an infectious energy about them, and it comes from their passion, commitment, and ability to inspire and influence others. They are not afraid to trust their decisions but are open to new ideas and perspectives. They dare to create, initiate change and sometimes break the rules. They follow core beliefs: “Excellence is not just about working hard; it’s about offering value,” as Stephen Covey stated:
As you reflect on your mindset, ask yourself: Are you doing everything possible to offer value to those around you? Are you inspiring and engaging your colleagues and employees?This is a question only you can and must answer to yourself.
If the answer is a firm YES, the time has come for you to create, finetune and expand your personal brand and build authentic relationships to help you succeed in your career. So, take a step back and think about developing a top-performer mindset. This means that you must learn and develop the ability to inspire, influence and offer value in addition to your hard work. You must learn not to get lost in a potential stream of opportunities and mentally incorporate Henry Ford’s quote: “If you think you can do a thing or not, You are right.”
PILLAR 3 – EXPERIENCE, EGO, EMOTION
Reality Check: You may have been taught to work hard your entire life, but as you climb the ladder of success, you’ll quickly realize that it’s not just about the hours you put in, not just about customer feedback or departmental results.
It’s about your ability to relate to others, connect with them deeply, and understand their needs and desires. This pillar is about building self-awareness and a healthy “Ego” combined with much emotional intelligence.
The problem with working hard and often out of fear is that it will hold you back.
If you’re constantly afraid of risking your job or not being respected, that fear-based energy will seep into everything you do, including your interactions with others. And before you know it, you’re just another hard worker who never quite reaches the top.
But don’t despair, my friend. There is a way out of this cycle. The key is to start asking yourself some hard questions. What are the gaps between where you are now and where you want to be? What aspects of your mindset are holding you back? And most importantly, how can you start building the self-awareness and emotional intelligence needed to succeed in today’s world?
One way to do this is to look to inspirational leaders inside and outside your organization. Take note of the qualities you admire in them, and then ask yourself if you possess them. Chances are, you do. It would be best if you started expressing them more fully.
So, my friend, it’s time to stop working hard out of fear and start building self-awareness and a healthy EGO combined with emotional intelligence to succeed. It won’t be easy and take time, but the rewards will be worth it.
Stephen Covey once said, “The key to success is not in working harder, but in working smarter and building strong relationships.” You can do it as long you have decided to grow and pay the price everyone on this path will have to pay. And if You are a “Work-Life-Balance” guy or gal, read no further and watch affirmations on YouTube.
PILLAR 4 – RELATIONSHIP AND NETWORKING
The importance of networking and relationship-building is as old as humanity. There is nothing new to it; only the tools have changed.
I understand why some people, especially introverted colleagues, may find the concept difficult or even daunting. But networking is a necessity, and in our industry, it is actually much easier. I am an Introvert, which made the hotel industry so attractive during my foundational years. The evolution of social networking has made relationship-building and networking so much easier. Today’s art is to master and filter through the endless flow of good and bad information and properly use today’s networking tools.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to how you frame your mindset. If you see relationship building or networking as simply getting to know someone for a benefit, you must change this perspective entirely. Networking is about building genuine relationships with people, finding common ground, and making new colleagues and friends. It is easy to get caught up in your work and stay confined to your cubicle, but if you want to progress in your career, you must step outside your comfort zone, walk the floor, talk to guests and colleagues alike, and start connecting with people and adding value. Don’t limit yourself to specific individuals based on rank or department. Instead, be open to everyone; you might find that the people who support you the most differ from those you expect.
Remember: everyone has worked hard to get where they are, but what sets successful individuals apart is their ability to build strong relationships. So, start networking in a way that feels authentic and genuine. Focus on quality, not quantity. Show interest in the other person, find common ground, and don’t hesitate to step outside your cubicle. By doing so, you’ll be on your way to building a network of supporters who can help you achieve your career goals.
PILLAR 5 – KAIZEN – NEVER ENDING IMPROVEMENT
To truly succeed in your career, it is essential that you continue to develop yourself both personally and professionally. It is important to recognize that reaching a certain level of success is not the end of the road but rather the beginning of a new journey. It will help you commit to ongoing learning and growth to stay ahead of the curve.
Attending conferences, lunch-and-learn events, and breakfast speaking engagements may seem like small commitments, but they are opportunities to expand your knowledge and stay on top of your industry’s latest trends and developments.
These events provide an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals in your field, exchange ideas, and gain new perspectives to help you stay competitive and relevant. But the benefits of continuing to develop yourself extend far beyond just staying current in your industry.
Personal growth and development are just as significant as professional development. You should always seek new challenges and experiences to expand your mind and push your boundaries to help you grow, but it will also make you a more well-rounded and dynamic professional.
So, don’t let yourself become complacent or stagnant. Keep seeking new opportunities to learn and grow personally and professionally. Attend workshops and seminars. Take advantage of the training provided by your company. By doing so, you can stay at the top of your game and continue to grow your career. Remember, the journey is never truly over; there is always more to learn and explore.
PILLAR 6 – SEEK YOUR MENTOR
In today’s fast-paced and competitive business world, having someone to guide you through the challenges and struggles of building a successful career is essential. However, it’s equally important to maintain your independence and not come across as overly needy or dependent on your mentors.
The truth is, mentors, don’t have to be your direct boss. It’s often better to seek inspirational leaders outside your company who have succeeded by going after what they want and succeeded. Start by observing these individuals and analyzing the qualities that have helped them reach their goals. Be bold and connect on LinkedIn or simply via e-mail and re-connect.
From there, reflect on your areas of growth and development. But be careful not to become too reliant on your mentor. Please don’t call them every day with every little problem you encounter. Instead, establish a casual relationship and maintain regular catch-up calls or coffee dates to discuss your progress and any challenges you may face.
Remember, your mentor is there to guide you, not do the work for you. So, take their advice and insights into consideration, but ultimately, it’s up to you to put in the hard work and make the necessary changes to achieve your goals. However, when there are challenges, reach out to your mentor. Imagine it a bit like Therapy. Having someone to speak to about your career- or job concerns bears immense value and might protect you from hasty and harmful decisions.
By seeking mentors and maintaining independence, you can gain valuable insights, advice, and perspectives to help you grow personally and professionally. So feel free to contact those you admire or who are competent to help and provide sound guidance.
“The single greatest ‘people skill’ is a highly developed & authentic interest in the other person.”
PILLAR 7 – RECORD ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Many professionals I come across accomplish incredible things in their careers, but after six months, they need help remembering the details. That’s simply because they forgot to track them as they happened. This is something that I want you to remember to do starting today. You want to start keeping an inventory of all the accomplishments that you’ve been able to achieve. A victory is something where you’ve been able to help your company save time and money or improve a particular process. Ideally, it’s something that has resulted in a quantifiable result. When it comes time for an interview, ideally for that next-level position, you have something to discuss. Instead of just brushing over your achievements in a vague way, you can describe them in detail. You’ll be able to tell the story, and in that case, you’ll be able to get closer to eventually getting that senior leadership position.
The vital thing to remember is that for these more senior-level positions, it’s no longer just about having the technical experience to do the job. It’s about standing apart from your competition. In every organization, it’s like a pyramid. There are fewer and fewer senior-level positions available, which means there’s more and more competition for those roles. So the intelligent interviewers will be the ones who press your buttons to ask you and find out what you contributed to your organization in your past positions. You’ll be passed up for those opportunities if you don’t have stories.
So there you have it, my seven PILLARS necessary to land a senior management position in the long term.
If you’re someone who’s actually at the point in your career where you’re ready for that next level position, but you’ve been looking for a while, and it just hasn’t been happening, you haven’t landed any job offers, or you’ve been stuck in interviews, then feel free to book a call with me. I can see how I can help you. You can go to The Career Hotelier, fill out the contact form, and briefly describe how I can help you.
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Have an incredible career journey,
Helmut H Meckelburg