Business leadership - from the front
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Armies, it is said, march on their stomachs. But getting the food right is just part of the answer. To get an army to march anywhere, it needs to be lead…preferably from the front. This is why in tourism so much emphasis is being placed on business leadership. For if all the good work being done in training and customer service is to be properly utilised, strong, clearly-focused leadership is required of those in management. However, this is easier said than done. It is estimated that around 45 per cent of managers do not possess the minimum level of qualification required for their position. To redress this, though, the tourism industry annually spends over £10 million on supervisory and management training. Steps in the right direction, admittedly, but not the extra mile that we need to go to compete in a global market where competition has reached unprecedented intensity thanks to budget airlines and the internet. But all is not gloom and doom. HIE and other public sector and tourism bodies are actively cultivating moves to bring business leadership to new levels in the Highlands and Islands. Today, more owners and managers are involved in business leadership training than ever before. While once upon a time this type of training might have been viewed as an expense and not a core business activity, business leadership training is now seen as essential to the continuing prosperity and long term success of any tourism business. Increasing numbers of people are stepping forward to become leaders for the simple reason that business leadership is good for their bottom line. The benefits of business leadership and management skills training are quickly noticed throughout a company when key senior staff put into effect UK and international best practice in service quality, recruitment and retention, product development, and international trade development. What is at stake for the Highlands and Islands cannot be underestimated. The tourism industry is worth almost £1 billion annually to the economy of the Highlands and Islands and creates employment for around 19,000 people. Securing the future for the industry and the people it employs pivots on achieving not only the highest quality of facilities and service, but world-class leadership too. While bodies like HIE and its network of Local Enterprise Companies can create the framework upon which business leadership can be fostered, ultimately it is down to the tourism industry itself to step up and accept the challenge. And not just an elite group of forward thinkers and innovators, this push towards excellence in business leadership must be taken head-on by all tourism-related companies. For in today’s discerning tourism market place, even a small proportion of businesses letting the side down will be enough to tarnish the entire tourism industry in the Highlands and Islands. As an industry, we know where we are now and we know where we need to get to succeed. We also have the map and the route worked out. Getting everyone to take the first step is the real challenge. But once this traction has been achieved – and there are signs that this is happening - business leadership will truly gain momentum in the Highlands and Islands. * Find out how your business is performing by visiting Hospitality Assured |