Corporate Director of Talent Development & Culture at Springboard Hospitality

1. As the corporate director of talent development and culture at Springboard Hospitality, what according to you are some of the latest trends in executive talent development which can be incorporated to create engaging company cultures and foster organizational growth?

As the Corporate Director of Talent Development and Culture at Springboard Hospitality, staying updated on the latest trends in executive talent development and company culture is crucial for fostering organizational growth and maintaining a competitive edge in the industry. Here are some of the latest trends that I feel would be really beneficial to incorporate into your talent development strategies to create an engaging company culture:

1. Personalized Leadership Learning, Coaching and Mentorship: Executive leaders can benefit greatly from one-on-one coaching and mentorship through a personalized approach. Implementing a coaching culture within the organization allows executives to receive regular feedback, guidance, and support in their professional growth journey. And to take it to the next level, if we are able to personalize learning paths tailored to their individual strengths, weaknesses and career aspirations through thoughtful pairing and finding the right fit between leaders, it will be that much more effective.I find that external mentors or executive coaching services can also be used to provide fresh perspectives and insights where an internal coaching program couldn’t offer.

2. Emphasis on Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence (EQ) is becoming increasingly recognized as a critical skill for effective leadership. By incorporating EQ assessments and training programs into your talent development initiatives this will really help executives develop self-awareness, empathy and strong interpersonal relationships which are critical skills in leading diverse teams effectively. Executives with high emotional intelligence are better equipped to navigate complex relationships, manage stress, and foster a positive work environment.

3. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives: Executive teams play a pivotal role in driving DEI efforts across the organization. Implement programs that promote diversity and inclusion, such as unconscious bias training, diverse hiring practices, and employee resource groups. Fostering a diverse and inclusive culture not only enhances the company's reputation but also leads to more innovative and creative problem-solving.

4. Microlearning and Bite-sized Content: Executives are busy and it may be challenging to dedicate long periods of time towards traditional training sessions. By embracing microlearning, which delivers concise focused content, it can be easily consumed within minutes during breaks or downtime.

5. Focus on Well-being and Work-Life Balance: Executive roles can be highly demanding and stressful. By ensuring that there are ample resources and support to help executives maintain a healthy work-life balance and prioritize their well-being should be a top priority. This may include wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, and access to mental health resources. Putting people and their well-being first will lead to a healthy and engaging workforce.

6. Succession Planning and Internal Mobility: Foster a culture of internal talent mobility and identify high-potential leaders for future leadership roles. Provide your next generation of leaders with development, networking and mentorship opportunities to prepare them for the next role in their career.

By incorporating these trends into your talent development and culture strategies, you can attract and retain top executive talent, foster a dynamic and growth-oriented work environment, and position the organization for long-term success.

2. What in your opinion are some of the present challenges employers face in building effective executive talent development programs?

Building effective executive talent development programs comes with its own set of challenges that employers must address to ensure success. Some of the present challenges employers face in this area include:

1. Retaining Top Executive Talent: As the job market becomes more competitive, especially after the pandemic, retaining top executive talent is a significant challenge. Employers need to create compelling development opportunities and career growth paths to keep their high-performing executives engaged and committed to the organization. And creating a culture of community with a strong sense of belonging to the people, their purpose and the mission of the company is what keeps people engaged.

2. Adapting to Changing Skill Demands: The business landscape is constantly evolving, and the skills required for executives to succeed are changing rapidly. Employers must stay up-to-date with industry trends and anticipate future skill needs to design development programs that address emerging challenges.

3. Balancing Time Constraints: Executives often have demanding schedules, making it difficult for them to dedicate time to training and development. Employers must find ways to offer flexible learning options and minimize disruption to their daily responsibilities.

4. Addressing Diversity and Inclusion: Ensuring diversity and inclusion in executive talent development can be challenging. Employers need to actively promote diversity and inclusion in leadership roles and create development programs that cater to the needs of a diverse workforce.

5. Aligning Development with Business Goals: It is crucial to align executive development efforts with the organization's strategic objectives. Employers must ensure that the skills and competencies being developed are directly linked to the company's long-term goals.

6. Nurturing a Learning Culture: Fostering a culture of continuous learning among executives is essential for successful talent development. Employers must promote a learning mindset, encourage knowledge-sharing, and reward executives who actively pursue professional development. Building effective executive talent development programs requires investment in resources, including budget, technology, and experienced facilitators. Employers must allocate sufficient resources to ensure the success of these initiatives.

7. Embracing Technology and Innovation: Keeping up with the latest technology and innovative learning methods can be challenging for some organizations. Employers must be open to adopting new technologies and learning approaches to enhance the effectiveness of their talent development programs.

Addressing these challenges requires a proactive and strategic approach from employers. By recognizing and tackling these obstacles, organizations can create executive talent development programs that drive growth, innovation, and success for both the executives and the company as a whole. It involves collaboration between HR, leadership teams and talent development professionals to design comprehensive and effective programs that aligns with the organization’s overall goals and values.

3. What cutting-edge strategies or initiatives do you think can help organizations ensure and enhance their executive talent development going forward?

a. I think I shared them in Question 1 and don’t want to sound repetitive, if I can elaborate further, please let me know. Thank you!

4. Before your stint at Springboard Hospitality, what were some of the previous experiences that empowered you to gain deep expertise in executive talent development, recruitment, training, organizational development, and leading change?

a. I have been fortunate to have learned from many great mentors in my career that have shaped my learning and experience in the HR world in the hospitality industry and have been given many opportunities to experiment different solution. I have always appreciated every challenge that arises because that allowed me more opportunities to explore creative solutions and to think out of the box. Great leaders empower and develop more leaders so I always try to keep that in mind and to foster an environment of continuous learning and a fail forward mentality where we can feel that we have the psychological safety to be innovative when leading change. Navigating through the unpredictable world of the hospitality industry has allowed me to exercise my adaptability, curiosity and courage. Every day is a new day and we need to continue to learn what motivates our workforce, what matters to our people the most, how do we take care of them best and how do we get the buy-in of your leadership team to support our initiatives. It’s about always asking questions, truly listening and taking action. I have also found success in my experience by taking baby steps, Lao Tzu says it best “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single steps.”

5. On an ending note, what is your advice for other senior leaders and CXOs working in the executive talent development space when it comes to creating results-oriented and holistic workplace cultures?

a. I believe it starts by coming together to define a clear and compelling vision for the workplace culture. What do we believe in as an organization and the way of life we want to create at our workplace. Being able to communicate this vision effectively to all employees and aligning our efforts towards a common purpose is critical. Our team needs to be able to understand how their work contributes to the larger organizational goals and societal impact. Having a strong sense of purpose and meaning in their roles can drive motivation and engagement.

b. We need to ensure we prioritize employee well-being and find creative ways to support work-life balance, overall health and mental health initiatives. Implement flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, community service projects, stress management resources to enhance employee well-being and to reduce burnout.

c. Creating a truly inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and celebrated. Embracing different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences because diverse teams tend to be more innovative and effective.

d. Creating a work culture where we celebrate teamwork and encourage collaboration creates an environment where people are much more engaged. A sense of belonging and community is at the heart of what drives workplace happiness and engagement.

e. To create a results-oriented and holistic workplace is an ongoing process that requires dedication, commitment, and alignment with the organization’s values and goals. Establishing metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your workplace culture initiatives will be able to provide you data on how effective your initiatives have been. There have been a lot of really great employee engagement survey companies with great software that is able to really tailor surveys to what you want to measure. Being able to regularly seek feedback and measure employee engagement, satisfaction, and organizational performance will allow us opportunities to identify areas of improvement and continue to make informed decisions.

Senior leaders need to be actively involved in championing these initiatives and demonstrate the values we want to uphold in our organization. Brene Brown leaves us with a great nugget of wisdom “We don’t have to be perfect, just engaged and committed to aligning values with actions”.