HOSPITALITY LEADERSHIP MASTER CLASS

Building on the foundation of The Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey

“We have a need for competent managers and a longing for great leaders”

Abraham Zaleznik

Who Should Attend

The Master Class is designed specifically for middle managers to whom team leaders report: perhaps heads of department; area managers; or managers of medium-to-small units, who have been identified as having the potential to fill more senior leadership positions within their organisations: those ready to move from operational to strategic roles.  In order to maintain a high level of individual learning, attendance will be limited to no more than 12 delegates.

Course Description

Building upon the findings of the first primary market research project of its kind, The Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey, this is a unique development course focusing entirely on the leadership qualities required of the UK hospitality industry.

The objective of the Master Class is not to instruct delegates how to be good leaders, rather to provide opportunities for them to develop their existing leadership skills by:

□ Developing a deep understanding of what leadership is and how it can be applied within a visionary hospitality organisation

□ Reflecting on their current approach to their role as a hospitality leader

□ Learning from existing best practice within the industry and how it could be applied, or modified, within their own role

□ Participating in group discussions and exercises, including a course project

□ Completing their own personal Leadership Development Plan

The Course Director, Alan Cutler FIH FCMI, conceived and led The Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey, in association with The School of Services Management at Bournemouth University, and with funding from The Institute of Hospitality. Stage One of the survey involved him interviewing over 25 of the country’s top hospitality leaders, as recognised by their staff or their peers, followed up at Stage Two with further interviews to explore certain issues identified in the original interviews. The Hospitality Leadership Master Class draws on the findings of that survey, in particular the practical approaches these exceptional leaders used to inspire their staff and drive forward their businesses.

Alan Cutler has worked exclusively within the hospitality industry for over 30 years, including 16 years as a commissioned catering officer in the Royal Air Force, leaving in 1989 as a Squadron Leader. Other employment has included ownership of a restaurant and five years as Head of Hospitality Services at Aston University. For the past seven years he has owned and managed a training and consultancy business operating in the catering industry. His principle interest is the theory and application of leadership, a subject on which he has had two books published.

As a standard of leadership best practice, the course uses The Leadership Jigsaw®, the model created by Alan Cutler and adopted by the Institute of Hospitality for its Management Guide to Leadership, that has six standards:

• The Leader is a visionary
• The Leader sets an example
• The Leader builds supportive relationships
• The Leader understands what motivates each member of the team
• The Leader empowers others to reach their potential
• The Leader understands the power of effective communications

Prior to the course, delegates complete The Big Jigsaw Puzzle: a 108-question, self-evaluation tool that measures their existing leadership skills against the six pieces of The Leadership Jigsaw®: vision, example, relationships, motivation, empowerment and communications.

Upon commencement of the course they are given a copy of their own, personal Leadership Development Plan, which includes their Big Jigsaw Puzzle scores. Over the following three days they complete the Plan by adding practical means they have learnt to enhance their leadership skills, especially in the areas identified by The Big Jigsaw Puzzle as being in particular need of development. Hence, they leave the course with a personalised resource containing practical applications used successfully by other hospitality professionals recognised for their leadership excellence.

They will also draw inspiration from respected guest speakers who will enhance the learning experience by presenting their own perspective on the challenges faced by hospitality leaders.

Additionally, during the course each delegate will be required to present a ‘Ten Minute Musing’ on a leadership topic that they were given in advance of attendance, as well as contributing to a group project to be presented on the final day.

And the learning and support does not cease at the completion of course! The Hospitality Leadership Master Class includes follow-up, one-to-one mentoring by the Course Director for a subsequent period of six months.  This will prove especially useful for delegates as they plan to introduce into their organisations the leadership applications they have learnt during the course.

We can also provide organisations with a staff’s version of The Big Jigsaw Puzzle to identify the how the delegates’ team members view them as effective leaders before the Master Class, and then at stages afterwards. Doing so will measure the benefit of attending the programme in terms of improved leadership performance.

Programme Overview

Prior to arrival – delegates are sent:

• Pre-course reading, including hospitality industry reports

• A copy of ‘Maverick’ by Ricardo Semler – an inspirational book on leadership

• The Big Jigsaw Puzzle for them to complete and return for scoring

• The subject for their individual ‘Ten Minute Musing’

• A copy of Alan Cutler's CD - ‘Present Like a Pro! Ten Ways to WOW your Audience’

Day 1

• Introductions

• Main theme of the day – ‘Understanding leadership within the hospitality industry’

• Presentation by Alan Cutler - ‘Be The Full Jigsaw! How to Solve the Hospitality Leadership Puzzle’

• Selected ‘Ten Minute Musings’

• Guest speaker

• Introduction to the group projects

Evening – Group project work

Day 2

• Main theme of the day – ‘Learning from The 2006 Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey’

• Selected ‘Ten Minute Musings’

• Guest speaker

Evening – Group project work

Day 3

• Main theme of the day – ‘The application of inspirational leadership within the hospitality industry’

• Selected ‘Ten Minute Musings’

• Group project presentations

• Personal action planning

• Course evaluation

Following completion of programme

Mentoring support will be offered to each delegate for a period of six months following the Master Class by means of up to three telephone review sessions or email exchanges. In addition, personal one-to-one mentoring meetings can be arranged during this period, or thereafter, at an additional cost.

Benefits

Organisations who invest in their managers by allowing them to attend the Hospitality Leadership Master Class will benefit by having managers who:

» Have a deeper understanding of leadership and how it can be applied to great effect within their organisations

» Have personally reflected on their current leadership style and identified development areas.

» Have been inspired by other leaders’ approaches to leadership within the hospitality industry

» Have completed a Leadership Development Plan appropriate to their own working environment

» Are increasingly motivated to effect change within their working roles

» Will benefit from continuing support from an industry-specific external mentor

» Have been given the foundation upon which to take up more senior leadership roles within their organisation

Improved leadership performance can be measured by asking the delegate’s team members to complete the staff version of The Big Jigsaw Puzzle before and after attending the Master Class

Summary

In summary, The Hospitality Leadership Master Class is a sector-specific, intense development programme for up to twelve hospitality managers seen as having the potential for advancement to more senior leadership positions. Run over three days, it draws on leadership best practice from a number of sources and culminates in delegates completing their own individual Leadership Development Plan. The Plans will contain practical means whereby they can develop their personal leadership skills for the benefit of themselves, their teams, and their organisations - for which additional mentoring support is provided for a period of six months thereafter.

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