< Previouspressure in the day-to-day operations. But you cannot invent, you cannot create, you cannot transform. If you do the same things the same way and you can’t expect to have all the answers in a stressful environment. Mine is walking the dogs. I have had some horrible ideas walking the dogs, but also some very good ones. 6 We are in it together Invest most of your time and emotional energy in your team. They are the ones that get stuff done. You manage everything generally (clue is in the title), you are a specialist of nothing, except good leadership. Good leadership is genu- inely caring, empowering, supporting, coaching, developing, communicating, leading, and much much more. They can do it with you, you cannot succeed without them. That makes them more important than you. 7 Back yourself Part of the fun of hospitality is the uniqueness of the situations you fi nd yourself in, the variety of challenges you have to overcome. Make decisions, sleep on them if you need to, but you still got to make them. There is no manual, there is only experience, common sense, and confi dence. If you make the right one then all will be calm and peaceful, if you make the wrong one, you’ll come to know about it. But at least you made a decision that had to be taken that someone else didn’t take. Welcome to the high wire, with no net. Recently appointed general manager at 25hours Hotel One Central, James Berry brings three decades of experience to his new role. With his extensive expe- rience in hotel operations and guest service excellence, Berry shares his advice for other leaders in the industry. 1 It is both human nature, and your business We exist to interact – we are not built to exist in a soli- tary state. It is human nature, therefore, for people to engage with people. As this is a people-led business, it should come easy. You can’t do it from an offi ce, you can’t do it behind a desk. You have to live the basic fundamentals of both hospitality and human nature; spend your time with people. You will get the best out of your team by doing so, and the best out of your own day talking to guests and looking after your team. 2 Grow a thick skin In leadership in the hospitality industry, you are going to get about as much praise and recognition as the IT guy, so deal with it. You know the IT guy? When was the last time anyone said to them, “hey good IT today, thank you, good job”. Never. They only get thrust into the spotlight if something goes wrong. You have to deal with the negative and the disingenuous, but you don’t have to absorb it. And you should shield it from your teams, have a thick skin and broad shoulders. 3 Have fun at work If you are going to spend all those hours doing what we do, at the speed we have to do it, under the pressure and stressful conditions of the environment we are often in, then you may as well have fun doing it. Laughter is the best medicine for your own sanity at times, and helps relieve pressure from your teams. If you genuinely enjoy what you do and who you do it with, this creates a happier place for you and your team. 4 Be selfi sh with your time and accessibility Probably the discipline you need to be strongest in. You have to fi nd the balance of being open and available, and addressing your priorities as well as everyone else’s. Get it wrong and you fi nd yourself between someone else and the exit of your offi ce listening to them pontifi cate about their prob- lems, or “just replying to a quick message” in the middle of your family lunch on a Sunday. Beware of the impromptu “have you got two minutes?” as often this translates as “I’m going to give this problem to you and then leave”. 5 Find your ideas space Where and when do you relax enough for your mind to think about your challenges in a diff erent way? Find that place and time. You will follow plan A, go route one when under 25hours Hotel One Dubai Central’s GM and rugby enthusiast shares his unfi ltered advice SEVEN LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED HOT_2404_50_7 LESSONS_13555449.indd 50HOT_2404_50_7 LESSONS_13555449.indd 5027/03/2025 16:5727/03/2025 16:57THE PANTRY - exclusive novelty 2025 WWW.ZIEHER.COM DO WNL O A D CA TA L OGUE VIDEO THE P A N T R YNext >