Principles of Hospitality Leadership with Gerry VanAcker at the Detroit Zoological Society
On this episode, I’m joined by Gerry VanAcker, Chief Operating Officer at the Detroit Zoological Society, to hear some of the leadership wisdom Gerry has gleaned from decades in the hospitality industry.
Gerry is about as experienced as one can get in hospitality, having been the first manager of a Marriott hotel in Detroit and bouncing between a host of leadership positions over his rich career. Throughout his various roles, Gerry has picked up insights into what makes a successful hospitality leader. Some notable pieces of advice he has to offer include:
Seek out diverse opportunities to grow your own skill set.
Successful initiatives require buy-in from the ground-level staff.
Good leaders treat both their staff and their guests with respect.
Hands-on management can get the whole team invested in your leadership.
Always maintain a level of humility about your work.
With his attitude of humility and respect, Gerry has built a long and storied career helping a score of hospitality organizations serve their guests in outstanding ways.
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