THE HOSPITALITY LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE SURVEY

BACKGROUND AND STRUCTURE

The  Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey was conceived by Alan Cutler FIH MCMI, Chief Executive of Hospitality Leadership. During his long association with the industry, he has experienced a wide range of leadership practice: some leaders inspiring their staff to provide exceptional results, whilst others apparently lacking even basic leadership skills. However, he believes that, in our diverse, people-centred industry, the need for effective leadership at every level has never been greater if organisations, and by extension the industry, is to move forward – recruiting and retaining skilled and highly motivated staff who provide exceptional service to their customers.

Having a deep personal interest in leadership, he was aware of little research into how successful leaders within the hospitality industry approach their roles. In early 2005 he therefore began to plan a research project into the subject. Being a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, he initially met with Philippe Rossiter, its Chief Executive, and Kathryn Benzine, Director of Professional Development. Whilst expressing interest in the concept of a research project into leadership needs of the hospitality industry, they suggested that leading industry academics should initially be consulted to ascertain their views. In consequence, Alan approached a number of them who generally agreed to the value of such research and accepted that little industry-specific evidence was currently available.

“I agree that there is a lack of current research related to leadership in the hospitality industry and that this is a topical and relevant research topic”  Dr Stephen Ball, Reader in Hospitality Management, Sheffield Hallam University

“As far as I am aware, there is still very little empirical research within the industry on this specific subject”  Dr Luke Pittaway, Lancaster University (now Sheffield University)

“There is plenty of work in generic aspects of leadership but I think you are right in saying little has been done recently in the hospitality industry”  Professor Nigel Hemmington, Head of School of Services Management, Bournemouth University

Alan subsequently met with Professor Hemmington who, after discussing the scale and focus of a meaningful research project, offered his university’s support:

To undertake a study of leaders within the hospitality industry by conducting in-depth interviews to identify their perspectives on leadership and how they apply them within their roles. Their views would be analysed to identify common elements and, hence, the styles of leadership that are applied across the various industry sectors.

It was agreed that Alan Cutler would conduct the interviews and record the data, which would be analysed by Professor Hemmington and his colleague, Professor Adele Ladkin, Head of MICE Research Unit at the university’s International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research.

Further discussion centred on the selection of the leaders to be interviewed and concluded that a meaningful approach would be identify two groups: those who the industry itself thought were its most effective leaders and, additionally, those recognised by their own staff.

As regards identifying leaders recognised from within the hospitality industry, it was agreed to invite the Institute of Hospitality to offer its Fellows and Members an opportunity to nominate industry leaders who they felt were worthy of recognition by being consulted for this research, and why. Doing so would also provide useful findings in addition to those resulting from the subsequent interviews. In further discussions with Philippe Rossiter, he pledged the Institute's support for the project and agreed to provide the mechanisms whereby its Fellows and Members would be invited to contribute.

The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For Survey is carried out every year and claims to be the most comprehensive study of the British workplace ever mounted, and is supported by Investors in People and the Department of Trade and Industry. The 2005 survey, for example, considered 449 companies, from which 80,212 staff were asked their view. The results included eight sub-sections including ‘leadership’, ‘my manager’, and ‘my team’. As ten hospitality-related companies were recognised in 2004 and 2005, it was decided to approach their leaders to be interviewed as having been recognised by their staff for leading exceptional companies.

The format and timetable for the Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey was therefore to be:

January 2006.  The Institute of Hospitality emails its UK-based Fellows and Members, requesting that they nominate up to three industry leaders who they believe merit recognition for their leadership excellence, with brief reasons for their nomination. The respondents’ age and gender will also be sought, along with the sector in which they, themselves, work.

Those who did not respond by email are given an additional opportunity to contribute by means of a mail shot undertaken by the Institute later in the month.

Additionally, the ten leaders from companies featuring in the Sunday Times report are approached and invited to contribute to the Hospitality Leadership Excellence Survey.

April 2006.  The returns are analysed by Bournemouth University and the findings published.

January – June 2006. Alan Cutler interviews up to 10 leaders featured in the Sunday Times Survey and a number of the most nominated leaders by the HCIMA Fellows, combining to 25 interviews in total.

July – September 2006. Professors Hemmington and Ladkin, and their teams, review and analyse the interview records.

October 2006.  A report on the findings is published by the university, along with articles written for industry publications.

Spring 2007.   Second stage of the survey, with Alan Cutler undertaking telephone interviews with selected leaders to explore further issues identified in Stage I

November 2007.  The findings of Stage II of the research are published and forwarded to interviewees and other interested parties

All parties involved with the project believe that, following stages I and II of the project, the potential exists for further research to be undertaken at an international level, perhaps identifying and comparing sector-specific leadership styles in other countries, including the USA.

See list of leaders interviewed

Read overview of findings