Executive Path
Lifelong Learning: Strong leadership will weather the storm
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Ek Wongleecharoen and Cesar Avery of the RogerSmith Hotel in Manhattan |
With the economic hardships facing the global community, many hotel companies are looking with trepidation at what the coming year will bring. The question is being asked, “What can we be doing to weather these stormy economic times?” One Manhattan hotel owner believes he has the key: lifelong learning.
Believing that a strong leadership team is the key to success, the owner and C.E.O. of the Roger Smith Hotel, Mr. James Knowles, has been promoting innovative educational opportunities for decades. He begins internally by rotating senior managers through all operational areas of the hotel. Through this process managers gain a greater understanding of overall hotel operations and how the departments work together. This, in turn, allows them to create a better experience for the guest. But internal learning is just the beginning: senior managers at the Roger Smith are also encouraged to explore external educational opportunities. Mr. Knowles strongly believes in the “miracle of human growth” and that continuous learning fosters better, more loyal managers.
As part of his external educational exploration, Mr. Ek Wongleecharoen, assistant general manager at the Roger Smith Hotel, attended the Cornell Hotel School’s 2008 General Managers Program (GMP). “The biggest thing I gained from attending GMP was to look at myself and how I am as a manager. GMP provided insights into management style, strategic planning, change management, and innovation. By incorporating what I have learned I have become more patient, and I relate better with my team.” Mr. Wongleecharoen is the third manager from the Roger Smith to attend this highly regarded program following in the footsteps of Phoebe Knowles, general manager of the Roger Smith in 2004, and Caesar Avery, the hotel’s current general manager. All three gained valuable insights and a refreshed perspective during their time at Cornell. Having three managers from one property attend the program created a shared experience and provided them with a common language for addressing challenges. “We have a similar educational experience, so we are able to discuss challenges in that context and to agree quickly on a course of action. We’ve become a better management team,” explains Mr. Avery.
Mr. Wongleecharoen says what most surprised him about his classmates at Cornell’s GMP was the international experience of the people he met in the program. He still keeps in close contact with 10-15 classmates from all over the world. “Having access to these individuals is well-worth the price of the course.”
Mr. Avery attended the Cornell GMP in 2007 and echoes his colleague’s statements, “I still stay in contact with many of my classmates. I will hear my phone buzz in the middle of the night, and in the morning, I see that one from the other side of the world had called to ask a question. It’s a great feeling.” Mr. Avery continues, “I didn’t expect the diversity of participants. In my class, I believe there were only six Americans. This allowed us to get a broader view of what different hotels are doing around the world—in Asia, Dubai, and South America. I have also found that my connection to Cornell and the Hotel School’s alumni organization has strengthened my reach in the industry. I attend Cornell events in New York and I have even hosted Cornell student groups in our hotel. This is a business that thrives on connections and the Cornell Hotel School alumni society is an exceptional network.”
As hotels evaluate how they will succeed during the challenging times ahead, going back to basics and investing in up-and-coming leaders should be a high priority. Cornell’s General Managers Program seeks to transition day-to-day managers into strategic leaders, and it has accomplished just that for the team at the Roger Smith Hotel.