As a professional coach, I have been introduced to a new leadership model at the Coaches Training Institute and in this article, I will explain the Co-Active Dimensional Leadership Modeltm and how it applies so well to hospitality. CTI developed this leadership model in addition to their Co-Activetm coaching model. Both are incredibly effective platforms for building teams and leaders that see our world as one that is being built on the efforts and creativity of everyone, not the traditional leader – servant model we sometimes cling to in hospitality.

"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." - Ronald Reagan

The leadership model fits hospitality so well because we are the very essence of a people focused business. Two of our three pillars are guests and colleagues so the ability to create a stronger foundation to ensure were all contributing our service and leadership has a compound effect in hospitality. Imagine a world inside your business where traditional roles and positions fade into the ether because they're not required. This is entirely possible with a model that has leadership coming from and going on in all areas of your organization.

Here is the basis for the model and its five dimensions. What's important to realize is the model's five dimensions all are the same size and they move freely within the container that you create inside your business. No dimension in this model is bigger or trumps the other. That sounds like great things are happening while the boss is away and the boss's role becomes one of the enabler. Letting all people in the organization step forward and give their gifts. When this happens, we compound the impact they have and we create a perpetual leadership fountain.

Leading From Within

This is at the core of the model and it means that the leadership is something instilled in all the people in the organization. The actions and the way people are being inside the organization take on a level of ownership that promotes actions akin to "do unto others as you would do unto you". We all treat each other, our clients as we would want to be treated. We operate at the same level of authenticity with our colleagues, peers, and managers. We act and model the same with our guests. We play this way all the time with everyone when the boss is here or not makes no difference. We're all on the same page. We all make a difference and we ultimately know that we're part of the fabric, not the pattern itself. If you could see how people operate, think and create at this level you would not be able to discern the different traditional roles. What you would see would all look the same. People's actions and efforts would seamlessly melt together producing a core operating system. No winners or losers, no right or wrong, no better or worse, just a true level playing field. Simply put a way of being that is rich and alive.