If you haven't heard of the “Internet of Things” (IOT), remain calm - you are not alone. But, all hotel owners, managers as well as the hospitality industry ecosystem (architects, construction companies, furniture suppliers, technology providers, etc.) should be aware of the revolution in the years ahead being powered by IOT technology. IOT will become as ubiquitous as tablets and smartphones and will impact hotel operations and the guest experience. And with 26 billion connected IOT devices by 2020, you would be wise to become IOT-savvy. READ MORE

Far too many business leaders in the hospitality industry today are failing to invest in one of the most critical aspects of a successful business - their leaders of tomorrow. Most hotel executives recognize the importance of leadership in building the long term success of their business. Yet, many executives fail to develop their managers of today into great leaders that will successfully drive and guide the future of the business tomorrow. With guests raising the bar and demanding more every year, the ongoing success of your properties is ultimately determined by the recruiting, hiring, development, and retention of your future leaders. READ MORE

Employee engagement is the secret sauce that sets leading companies apart. Employee engagement, profit, growth, client satisfaction, and solid leadership by themselves are not sustainable. These outcomes are from something bigger: purpose. Having purpose is the magic dust for organizations. Employees tend to be happier, healthier and more productive when they feel a sense of purpose in their work. Employee engagement strengthens when employers explain how their employees are contributing to the success of the business. READ MORE

It's All About Leadership: A 2013 global C-suite study by the IBM Institute for Business Value suggests that, by a pretty wide margin, the top two concerns of Chief Human Resource Officers are 1) talent development and 2) employee engagement and commitment, outcomes that are influenced more (much more) by the quality of leadership at a person-to-person level, than organizational attraction. The operative precept here is that our employees don't always get to choose the manager they report to, but they choose daily which ones they're going to come back tomorrow and exert real effort for. READ MORE

We both travel much in our work as consultants and keynote speakers. We watch for ideas to help our clients create environments that support, nurture, and retain talent. We seek insights to nurture resilient organizations that grow through engagement challenges. We realize one source of continual insights often comes from our experience as guests in hotels around the world. When asked to write this article, our collective brains hit upon an idea that many of you already have in place: superb training to enhance the guest experience and encourage repeat visits. READ MORE