Question 1. Important major concepts
Proper management yields good governance. The key to achieve this is having the right team as well as being the right team player. The level of control does not influence the quality of leadership in the organization. In the hotel segment, proper management is paramount to achieve success. My primary takeaway revolves around different aspects of leadership. They stood out for me one as a point of leadership I desire to attain, and secondly, as a measure, I have seen work in companies across all sectors of the economy.
Customer service. Hotel management is founded on its customers, who are either leisure or business guests. It is of uttermost importance for hotels to offer quality service because their customers are one-off. They choose which hotels to visit out of leisure as or as business travelers rand every stay affects their decision. As a member of management, I will ensure all staff is dedicated to offering the best quality to every client who walks in. For this agenda to be fully implemented, then the objectives of the hotel have to be precise. Everyone in the hotel needs to have an idea of the best strategies towards attaining the set goal, which is customer satisfaction.
With the hotel industry growing at such an alarming rate, it is wise to predetermine the needs of the clients and meet them before they requests. Part of achieving that is the following of trends in the hospitality industry. The internet of things (IoT) is quickly gaining popularity and hence, cannot be ignored. Such technologies allow hotel guests simple check-ins and navigation around the hotel. It will be my responsibility to ensure the customers get the best services, which includes the staff being at their disposal for any questions or assistance needed.
Organization culture. Culture simply defines a way of doing things. It affects every aspect of the business as all stakeholders try to fit into a set prism, sometimes different from their typical practices. There is a greater need for hotel business to have a flexible culture as the nature of the industry is dynamic. Hotel customers have ever-changing demands which have to be satisfied, and a culture against this will be a stumbling block. How this concept applies to my career is to enlighten on the need for change and growth. Change is inevitable. The daily design of doing jobs shield not limit my ability to take a different path.
Financial management. A business needs time to grow. It is not a one-day affair; hence proper financial management is required. One of the functions of management is budgeting. All resources available must maintain operational costs. Managing a hotels’ finances means spreading it across the year to accommodate the off-peak season. It means capitalizing on the peak season, such as holidays. This information will be the basis of all financial decisions. I will use the knowledge to set up a contingency account for a rainy day. It will also be paramount to ensure all team members are paid on time and paid adequately. It also ensures suppliers are paid as agreed, further building work relationships.
The motivation of employees. The concept of directing in modern times has become more congruent with leading by example as opposed to pushing. Directing has become a more focused and intentional leadership style. Motivation relies on McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y on motivation. The theory reflects X as traditional management where managers assume control, threats, and coercion of employees into working on tasks. Theory Y implies the opposite that employees do not need to be coerced into undertaking their job as they work willingly. Theory Y further suggests they have an intrinsic interest in doing challenging tasks because they allow them to become more creative and better decision-makers. As part of the management team, it is essential to understand why people work and what they need to keep working in the hotel. Giving room for the employees to be themselves and make more decisions as opposed to micromanaging will motivate them to be more productive. Chefs, for example, can make food decisions such as chefs special, and add their touch to listed foods.
Q2 assignment and projects
Planning.
Planning is the most significant management function. It is the process of establishing what needs to be accomplished, the timeline for these goals, human resources required, and the costs towards attaining those goals. The duration of the objective to be met does not slow down the planning process. It is through planning that the organization makes provision for achievement. Through planning, I will involve my staff in coming up with policies for the business. I shall be particular about setting out all the projects beforehand and set their timeline to enable everyone to know what they are supposed to do, how and by when. Such targets help steer a business towards attaining success. Cliche, as it is, failing to plan, is planning to fail.
Organizing
It is the process of inventing relationships with people and resources needs to attain the strategic goals set in planning. Organizing is built from five concepts; the span of control, unity of command, homogeneous assignments, delegation of authority, and flexibility. This concept is crucial as I shall apply it in:
- Highlighting the most important tasks to be accomplished.
- Breaking down tasks into specific duties.
- Assigning activities to people
- Allocating the necessary resources.
- Designing the relationships needed.
This formula will ensure everything planned is systematically fixed into action and allocated resources to achieve it. These resources include the staff to work, services required, stakeholders relations, and financing of all tasks.
Staffing
Finding the right people to oversee the ideas projected and handle the demands of the hotel industry is crucial to attaining the right image and service quality. Much of a manager’s success stems from having the right team from the junior most to the highest-ranking officer. Responsibilities of staffing entail;
Human resource planning- determining the number of employees needed and the costs of hiring and maintaining these employees. Recruitment- the process of finding the right people for the work. I will consult with hiring recruitment agencies to have a pool of qualified candidates management can choose from. Besides, I shall adopt new techniques such as outsourcing for staff members if need be after a careful cost-benefit analysis.
Time management.
It is essential to have time management skills through monitoring, revisiting, and analyzing the plan until it comes to fulfillment. Effective organizing needs meticulous planning and discipline from the management team who are expected to manage themselves. Rationality applies in time management as managers use philosophy and logic. Time is a non-renewable resource, and hence to function effectively, managers need to prioritize that is important and what is irrelevant. The framework of time management aims to increase productivity while building employee relations through communication. In the management team., I will emphasize the need for maximum input within the shifts. Lateness shall not be accepted unless under undeniable circumstances. I shall be a model leader by keeping the discipline through starting and ending meetings on time, arriving to work on time, and working within the time frames I set to encourage other team members to do the same.
(i) Coordinating
This concept of management entails relating different aspects of work to meet one overall objective. The role of coordination is to ensure every job responsibility build-up to another, and the whole task is to attain a goal. There is vertical and horizontal communication. Vertical reporting refers to upward communication from junior staff to supervisors, while horizontal reporting is lateral communication with colleagues and those of same level management. For a company highly dependent on the correlation of tasks, there is a need for me as a hotel manager to embrace an open chain of communication. Coordination will help me work out the topmost priorities scaling down to the least of the hotels. There will be no bureaucratic channels of communication where employees need to wait for so long before they are heard. I will ensure every team member feels welcome to contribute to the well being of the hotel.
Question 3. summary of 10 concepts.
As part of my management training, I am adopting techniques learned both in class, research, and observation.
I am more interested in management training. I have enrolled in an online course to study the fundamental principles of leadership.
I am Practicing discipline. A good leader needs to maintain discipline. I need to develop control to lead and maintain a professional balance. Leadership ensures integrity and show other team members what to follow.
I am taking on more projects. I have enrolled in different volunteer programs that have proved to be credible. Leadership is not about taking more than enough bit going the extra mile and working on additional tasks even though they were not assigned to you. It is making me proactive and highly productive.
I am sharpening my time management skills. As I was studying this course, I realized how significant time management is not only in business but also as a life skill. My time management skills are questionable, but I am working on improving myself. I am deliberate about keeping time even for small appearances, lessons, and journal the progress.
Shadowing leaders. Although the practicability of this concept is challenged at the moment, I have made contact with leaders in admire on different social platforms where we get to interact. I have identified a mentor and am in the process of finding the best way to work with them.
I am Developing situational awareness. Any good leader sees the bigger picture. They predict occurrences before they happen and have a plan in place to overcome any situations. This skill is essential, especially when dealing with complex projects, but for me, it will help me become proactive to the needs of customers.
I am willing to learn. Being a leader is a continuous learning process. I have now understood that learning does not negate the powers of a leader but only reinforce them. Learning happens through hearing, practice, observation, and coaching form those who have preceded me.
Emotional intelligence. The key to any great leader is the ability to master the self and that of others. Self-awareness, self-management, and social-awareness have been a constant source of motivation. I am learning and unlearning ideas, beliefs, and who I am to understand others better because until I can be aware of who I am, I cannot project any positivism.
I am motivating others to be more liberal to change. This activity allows me to influence people who surround me, which offers a great platform to learn. It tests my ability to convince others of a belief or stir up a conversation.
Communication skills. Communication about ideas, complaints, and rewards in open channels motivates the employees. As I aspire to be in management, I am working on improving my communication, tone, and listening to people more.
I am open to change. Before I began the course, I was rigid in my thinking and had all my ducks in a row. I plan and expect nothing less. But one thing the course has taught me is that change is constant and should be embraced. Whenever I make plans, I leave room for the unexpected.
All in all, this course has been beneficial to me as an aspiring leader. It not only gives insight into business management, but the concepts learned can be applied to individual lives for growth. Topics on management, business culture, human resource, and leadership have been an eye-opener, and I am glad I took this class. In retrospect, it was one I needed to make unilateral decisions about my career in the hospitality industry.
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