The Fine Art of Gab
Hoteliers, you have got to learn how to give an effective speech, how to communicate your thoughts cogently to your peers in the hospitality business, how to sell to outsiders and your community what you have to offer and why they should choose your proposal over all others.
In my 40 plus years in this business, I have not come across too many hoteliers that can do that—talk effectively in front of an audience of strangers.
It has been my experience that most hoteliers order their underlings to do the talking, selling, and proposing.
Shame on you!
In many, perhaps most cases, that is the right thing to do, but in many other cases, too many as far as I am concerned, it's the job of the GM or CEO to do the talking, and they don't.
Why?
Because they have not taken the time to learn and practice the essentials of good public communications, other than what they learned out of a book, such as Public Speaking for Dummies, or was a required course in college, which they fought tooth and nail to get out of but couldn't, with the end result that they did the barest minimum to pass it.
Hence, far too many GMs and CEOs, when they are called on to speak, will abrogate this most important aspect of their responsibilities, and designate some underling to give the talk, or if that's not possible, they'll "get sick" or have some "emergency" at the last minute, in order not to do it.
Shame on you!
I was working in Sales and Marketing in 1987 for a well-known California hotel, that shall remain nameless, when my boss asked me if I wanted to attend a national hospitality convention (AHMA mid-year conference; I think) in New York City, where he was scheduled to give a speech before a large group of future hoteliers—students from several of the Swiss Hotel Management schools.
Guess what, my boss got cold feet and told me to take over; he told me this minutes prior to his turn at the podium.
No sooner did he surprise me with that bombshell, he turned around and left the premises!
Making the best of a totally unexpected opportunity, I went to the podium and talked for an hour or so and answered questions on what I know best—hospitality.
Hospitality in many of its meanings and the importance that hospitality, in all its meanings, plays in one's success.
I won't lie to you, whenever I have to give speeches, and I've given hundreds of them over the years, and still do on occasion, I still get butterflies—they keep me on my toes and keep what I say fresh and meaningful.
Not bad for my first formal speech and presentation before a room-full of young and eager subject-matter experts, if I do say so myself!
I had a ball!
And I learned then and there that that's the secret to good communications between you and your audience: you got to have fun; you got to enjoy what you are talking about; and you've got to want to communicate that fun and enjoyment to your audience.
The best advice I have for any and all aspiring public speakers, or GMs and/or CEOs that have to give a speech, is to be yourself.
Talk about what you know, talk about your experiences—the good and the bad; talk about the hardships, talk about the things that make what you do worthwhile.
If you can learn to do that, then the passion and love you have for your profession will be felt by almost every one sitting in you audience.
You don't have to be funny, though funny helps when appropriate and furthers understanding; you don't have to be technical, though technical helps, when appropriate and needed.
Be yourself!
The Hotel Guy