Every successful hotel manager is aware of how important it is to deliver excellent client service. However, excellent customer service abilities aren’t the only thing you’ll need if you want to head a successful hospitality team. In the field of hospitality management, you’ll need to be able to build a strong team that will enable your business to operate at peak efficiency.
Alessandro is a well-known hotel expert. Despite having worked in the hospitality industry for more than thirty years, he only recently joined Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. He can guarantee you that no day is ever the same. He shares, “Some of my first memories of working in the field are back from Italy doing a Kitchen & Service diploma, after which I went on to study hotel management in Switzerland.
Alessandro has a very pleasant personality, is sincere in his enthusiasm for service, and is well-versed in the foundations of the hotel industry. He is an exceptionally gifted general manager who works and socializes with grace to please all of his guests.
Since that time, Alessandro’s job has brought him all over the globe, providing him the chance to collaborate with numerous companies, including Hilton and Mövenpick Starwood. His most recent out-of-station job was opening the Kempinski Nikoolskaya in Moscow in 2013. He then moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he worked in Ras Al-Khaimah and Dubai before settling in the lovely capital city of Abu Dhabi.
Aligning with Work Values
Alessandro thinks that the company’s values—putting people first—are extremely similar to his own. He and others in the hospitality industry focus their efforts on “people,” always seeking to motivate and uplift those around them, whether it be their staff or clients.
The Conrad staff wants to give guests an exceptional experience in addition to a place to “stay.” It is their responsibility to go above and beyond, anticipate the wants of the guests, and offer them individualized services to make sure they have the most enjoyable experience possible.
Work Challenges
Oftentimes, when Alessandro is working on projects, and there have been hours and days of work and planning put into the projects by the teams, his eagerness to watch the plan unfold can sometimes have him on edge. He says, “While I wouldn’t say it’s a barrier, it can be a little dull waiting for change to bear fruit, as it’s often a slow process, and we aim to constantly better ourselves to ensure we’re putting our best foot forward.”
Apart from that, Alessandro places a high priority on honesty and integrity in both his personal and professional lives. He thinks these are the driving forces behind the team’s and his own personal growth. He discovers that straying from these principles and work ethics frequently results in rifts in interpersonal relationships and negative effects at work. But when he does come across a circumstance where things might not be in order, he keeps in mind to handle it gracefully and professionally, making sure that everyone feels heard and satisfied with the outcome.
Breaking the Routine Structure
Alessandro is not a true believer in always sticking to routine, as he believes routine can sometimes set people on autopilot, which can lead them to lose touch with themselves and their immediate experience. He likes to start off his day in the office with his espresso while catching up on world news, which always puts him in a productive state of mind. He says, “The way you begin your day sets the tone for the day ahead.”
What helps Alessandro most with maintaining a work-life balance is setting aside hours to spend quality time with his family and himself. He shares, “It is really important for me to spend time with my wife, Larissa. Since both of our sons are studying abroad, we live alone, and as we both have busy schedules during the week, it is important that our weekends are spent together enjoying one anothers company and catching up.” He believes it’s important to take out time for himself to rest and replenish to give the work that one does and is passionate about 100%.
During the week, Alessandro enjoys cycling to get a change of scenery while enjoying the fresh air, and it is also good for team spirit because he is frequently joined by Director of Food and Beverage Carmine and Director of Engineering Nicholas.
Success
“Your success is defined by how your connections with people are. The more successful you are at nurturing and sustaining relationships with people, the more successful you are,” says Alessandro. Before anything else, he thinks it’s very important to recognize the people who got him here. The people Alessandro surrounds himself with have been the key to his continuous growth and success. He states, “From my family and friends to my teammates, colleagues, and the people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. I am very grateful to have a strong support system that constantly inspires and pushes me to do my best.”
While you’re on that journey of progress, Alessandro thinks it’s important to pay it forward and give back to the community for everything they’ve done for you. Throughout his career, he has had mentors who have taken the time out of their busy schedules to teach him, sometimes starting from scratch, in order to help him learn, grow, and gain insightful knowledge that has helped him go a long way. He is incredibly appreciative of them, and that is one thing he truly appreciates and aspires to provide for his teammates: the opportunity to be approachable and to provide people with the freedom to discover and realize their full potential.
Understanding Others by Stepping into Their Shoes
Alessandro strongly believes that hotels and teams are really only as good as their people and learn about them as a person such as hobbies and their family. He says, “Having a simple, meaningful conversation can go a long way.” While being a leader can open up many doors for one, it comes with its fair share of challenges. He further adds that, as a leader, one is the voice of his or her team and the bond that holds them together. He asserts, “It’s important to be persistent in standing up for your team as well as the values that you hold.”
Alessandro gives advice to all the leaders in the making to swap places with their own team members for a day. As a manager, he often steps into the shoes of his team by working in positions such as bellboy and breakfast barista, which gives him first-hand insight into the workings of the organization as well as the challenges faced by his colleagues.
Quote: “As a leader, you set the tone for your team; they look to you for support and guidance, so when your team hits a roadblock, you have to step up and get through it with them.”
Written by Steve Sanchez.
