Defying conventional wisdom
In 2004, The School of Hotel Administration Cornell University invited Peter Kline the then CEO of the Bristol Hotel chain to deliver the Commencement address for that year’s graduation ceremony. What Kline, himself an alumnus of the University, having earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees, said that day, profoundly resonates and is inspirational words of wisdom - even today.
In his speech, he urged the graduates to define success in their own way and that there is no right or wrong answer. The important thing was for them to take time to define success and then set out to achieve it. The ability to succeed will be dependent on some very basic skills and attitudes, which he said can be learned through both observation and experience. He then went on to give five tips for success.
Reproduced below is tip # 5, which I wish to share with readers:-
“The people who truly make a difference to a company or an industry are those who refuse to believe that you have to operate in a particular manner in order to be successful. I have enormous respect for Marriott because throughout my career I have watched them redefine hotel finance, take marketing to a new level of sophistication, and generally do a great job of taking care of the customer. Today, if you ask most consultants what it takes to be successful in the hotel business, they will tell you to be just like Marriott. In contrast, I would tell you that you must stretch the envelope and figure out a way to beat Marriott by being different. You won't win by trying to beat them at their own game.
During your time at Cornell, you have been fully indoctrinated in the conventional wisdom of the hospitality industry. You know that Marriott is the dominant player in the global hotel industry and Four Seasons is the leader in the luxury hotel market. You know that brand and recognized frequent traveler programs are absolutely essential to the success of every hotel. You know the organizational structures and compensation programs that work for this industry. You have been exposed to the critical components of design and layout for successful restaurants and hotels. You are aware of and some of you are very knowledgeable of the cutting edge technology available to the industry. In short, you already know the hospitality industry "best practices" and how to be successful in 2004.
But to put this conventional wisdom into perspective, let me tell you what the absolutes were when I graduated. The undisputed leader in the global hotel was Holiday Inns. The only recognized hospitality consulting firms were Laventhol & Howarth and Harris, Kerr Forster. Most successful restaurants were independently owned and operated, and McDonalds was still a U.S. company that wouldn't put a store in a market that had fewer than 20,000 people. The dominant airlines included Pan Am, TWA, Eastern and Braniff. Sears was the world's largest and most successful retailer, with no real threats to that dominance. The National Cash Register Company was the leading provider of point of sale equipment for the industry. And in the technology world, it was inconceivable that any company other than IBM w dominate the future. The internet, personal computers, cell phones and Blackberry's didn’t exist. Suffice it to say that these absolutes were anything but absolute! Most of the companies that dominated the industry at my graduation are no longer in business! And with the exception of McDonalds, all of the others mentioned have been overtaken by upstart companies who invented a better way to do business. The conventional wisdom of 2004 will be no different... it will be toppled by creative people who don't know you have to be just like today's market leaders.
Please note that I am not recommending that you tell your new boss that he or she is doing everything wrong. What I am saying is don't assume that things have to be done the way everyone else in the industry does them. In fact, if you want to beat the current market leader, you had better figure out a way to do things differently. And generally you will have to create those ideas on your own, because most consultants have an extraordinary knowledge of the ordinary... but they don’t know how to stretch the envelope.
My final words of advice relate to the pursuit of happiness. As you commence your careers, I am sure that you all seek success and happiness in your lives. I certainly endorse that concept and send you off with my best wishes. However, I would advise you not to set happiness as your goal. Instead of pursuing happiness, pursue the things and activities that make you happy. Set your personal goals around those things and as you achieve your goals... I know you will find happiness as a byproduct of your success.”
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier
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