Category Archives: People Power

Stories Of The Women and Men Lost On September 11/ Recommended Reading and Viewing from John J Hogan

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By John J. Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO
September 11, 2019

2001-2019 = 18 years of memories, lessons learned and values appreciated

I have re-posted this blog message several times because it should remain in our minds and hearts that we all need to pay attention to our role, values and place in history.

9-11 marked the first time the USA had been successfully attacked on its own soil in an undeclared war by terrorists and it changed the country forever in many ways. Innocent civilians of all religions, professions, ages and activities were affected in ways not imagined before.

I was with a  major hotel company on that day and my team and I were delivering a workshop out of state. The 100% closing of all airports nationwide, of some roads, and of many government and business centers was an eerie sensation for the week that followed.

In the years since that day, on those times when I am interacting with groups and others on September 11th, I make sure we take that moment of silence to remember and reflect.

I encourage you to watch the following You Tube and then read the short recap of real people’s lives that follow.

When the World Stopped Turning: A 9/11 tribute

Remember and Reflect

While this blog first was published several years ago,  the lessons we learned from each other and about inner strengths are worth another look.

American Lives: The Stories Of The Men And Women Lost On September 11

I have had this book for several years now – I found it at a used book sale. I almost passed it by, but was genuinely moved by the collection of personal stories complied by the staff of Newsday and the Tribune Company.   If you choose to pass on the book, I understand – it is not easy to keep returning to such a memory, but I strongly recommend you read the brief collection of thoughts below.

This is a mini-biography of some of the women and men who lost their lives on that day.  Some of what really moved me were the titles in the stories.  You will understand without even reading the full story:

  • Robert, there’s another plane coming
  • Dad, I gotta go. There’s smoke in here now
  • Take care of my kids
  • She still lives in his dreams
  • She opened up his world
  • A recovered ring completes a circle of life
  • He made every day a party
  • That day, she learned she was pregnant
  • After 20 years, they still held hands
  • A hero by any definition
  • He ignored his own order to flee
  • Firefighting was all he talked about
  • He dreamed of a school for autistic kids
  • She beat Hodgkin’s and eased others pains
  • Her family’s first college graduate
  • Death in a place of prayer
  • They knew what was important
  • She kept going back in
  • A rescuer who wouldn’t be stopped
  • A coach who brought out kid’s potential
  • Her husband watched her disappear
  • She tried to block the cockpit
  • The man who said “let’s roll”
  • He stayed to check on an elderly colleague
  • A cool army vet who helped others evacuate
  • He saved his wife, but not himself
  • A son is born as a father is mourned
  • and probably 200 more headings and stories

The book is only 200 pages in a slightly oversize format.  The five sections are to the point:

Little Brother, You’re MVP in our hearts, and as sub-sections includes
1. last phone calls
2. love stories
3. FDNY and
4. lost promises

The first into heaven
5. they died together
6. rescuers
7. mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers
8. on the planes

A Husband is Missing No More
9. High Finance
10. New Americans
11. In the Pentagon

A Man of Unusual Disposition
12. free spirits
13. tower people
14. legacies

The List of the Lost
World Trade Center Occupants
Pentagon
Emergency/Rescue Personnel
American Airline Flight #11 -WTC North Tower
United Airliners Flight #175 -WTC South Tower
American Airlines Flight # 77 – Pentagon
United Airlines Flight #93 – Pennsylvania

Comments and suggestions for future articles are always welcome john@hoganhospitality.com 

 

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

  Success does not come by accident or chance.

Contact us for assistance – John.Hogan@HospitalityEducators.com or 602-799-5375

Recommended Reading- Historian Turkel reminds us how the past influences the future

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Great American Hoteliers    Stanley Turkel has spent his career with a number of well-known companies in management roles. These include Loews, Sheraton and Americana. He consulted with Dunfey (now Omni) and found his permanent home in his favorite city – New York. Turkel is well-known in the hotel industry, from his writing, his hotel consulting practice, his expert witness service in hotel-related cases, as well as asset management and hotel franchising consultation. He is certified as a Master Hotel Supplier Emeritus by the Educational Institute of AH&LA.

At times, Stan can be sometimes controversial in his monthly editorials NOBODY ASKED ME, BUT… yet without a doubt he has left his mark on the industry with his insights, his shared knowledge, the questions he asks and in his writing.

Turkel loves to share insights and stories about the history of hospitality. He was designated as the Historian of the Year in both 2014 and 2015 by Historic Hotels of America, which is the official venue of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This honor is presented to an individual for making a unique contribution in the research and presentation of hotel history and whose work has encouraged a wide discussion and a greater understanding and enthusiasm for American History.

I just finished a book I meant to read years ago and wish I had done so earlier. Great American Hoteliers: Pioneers of the Hotel Industry is a fascinating and interesting refresher of where much of our industry found its foundation.

At a time when the industry is soaring and ownership is as widespread as it has ever been, it is appropriate to look at where some of that success originated. Turkel considered 16 hospitality professionals he ranked as significant. Alphabetically, they are:

1. John Bowman – founder of the Biltmore Hotels brand

2. Carl Fisher – the developer of Miami Beach

3. Henry Flagler – the multi-industry entrepreneur who developed much of eastern Florida through railroads and hotels


4. John Q. Hammons – an early Holiday Inn franchisee who developed his own systems and destiny

5. Frederich Harvey – a turn of the century western developer who innovated national parks and service delivery

6. Ernest Henderson – a real estate developer who accidentally created the Sheraton Hotel brand and came to enjoy some of the facets of hospitality

7. Conrad Hilton – a name recognized by most, but with stories that are worth reading about how he came to unintentionally make hotels his niche

8. Howard Johnson – a restaurateur now mainly forgotten, but who made interstate food and lodging an essential part of American travel

9. J. Willard Marriott – the father of better known Bill Marriott, Jr, this pioneer had to be convinced to change his beliefs and switch from food service in many facets to hotels

10. K M Patel – one of the early innovators from India who found inn keeping as a bridge to success for his and many other Indian immigrants who found being a hotelier an honorable profession

11. Henry Plant – a lesser known developer who developed the Gulf Coast of Florida
12. George Pullman – not usually thought of as a hotelier, this innovator created hotels on wheels. This is a mixed story of success and unpleasant actions, in my estimation

13. A M Sonnanbend – creator of a family business that managed many of New York and America’s better known eastern hotels as well as creating several brands

14. Ellsworth Statler – I admit to a bias here, in that I know a great deal about one of the most innovative and creative hoteliers America has ever known. While he passed away in 1928, his legacy remains in construction, service, training, profitability, marketing and value for both guest and hotel owner.

15. Juan Trippe – known primarily as an airline executive, this Pan Am innovator partnered travel with both hotels and air travel

16. Kemmons Wilson – a construction builder, Wilson used his personal family travel challenges to create a family friendly hotel that grew to one of the world’s largest and best known brands

A book worth reading for a University level program, or for those who are looking to understand how the past influences the future.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

Comments and suggestions for future articles are always welcome john@hoganhospitality.com 

 

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

The Best Boutique Hotels In _______ / Are you getting tired of this heading?

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gdragon-oneofakind-soon-twitter-120824

I use a google search that uses the term “Boutique Hotel” because I have been retained to complete some research in recent months for a number of clients for a range of reasons. The number of “news” articles that lead off with this heading seems to be growing at an incredible pace. In reality, most of them are essentially PR promos.

My question is this- what do you at your property to make it special? Unique? Memorable?

Feel free to contact me if you could use an independent, 3rd party resource.

Comments and suggestions for future articles are always welcome john@hoganhospitality.com 

 

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

A really great book on life for anyone – BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE UNDER 50

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HOW WILL YOU MEASURE YOUR LIFE

 

200 page book. 3 sections. 10 chapters.

 

Doesn’t sound that different from many others we may have read over the years, does it?

 

Yet, this one is.

 

 

 

This was on one of those lists from a podcast company saying it was one of the most important books ever written and they consolidated it into an 18 minute audio recap.  While I listen to CDs on various topics regularly, I still try to read two books a week to keep my mind active and open to new ideas.

This is not a typical “self-help” book. Many of them have some good points, but just as many focus on a single message, often leading to other products to buy.  Nothing wrong with that.

I have a great deal of respect for many University and college professors and was proud to be affiliated with the Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Educators (CHRIE) for 6 years with a professional membership. I taught at three different universities and colleges as an adjunct professor over a 20 year period.  An issue I have with a good number of institutions is the requirement for research and studies that do not have much practical application for most of us.

This book and these authors do not take that approach.

The primary author, Clayton Christensen begins with life observations that many of his classmates, despite many achievements, were clearly disappointed with their lives. What faces many of us – failed marriages, issues with family and the weakening of many personal relationships are briefly and well stated as indicators of serious issues that negatively affected lives.

For background, Christensen is not a typical professor.  He has been involved in many different business and industries.  He is an author of substance and practical application.   He recognized issues about success and failure and talks about them

He challenges his graduating students with 3 unassuming questions to examine, measure, and improve their lives after college:

(Note- these are my capsules, not his actual questions)

  1. How do I need to do be to have a successful and happy career?
  2. How do I maintain and strengthen my relationships with my spouse, my children and cherished friends for the benefit of all?
  3. How can I be an ethical person in these changing times of growing duplicity and deceit?

The authors examine how to think about life, what causes what to happen, and why.  There are business case studies throughout the book that demonstrate their points

The authors discuss:

  • priorities – many questions we have asked or should ask ourselves today to find success and happiness in  careers, in  relationships and how to listen to the right inner voice we all hear
  • Motivation and how to assess what is really important to us
  • Money as neither good or bad, but a potential problem when it displaces everything else
  • Assessing job choices and a list of great questions for all of us
  • How-to’s on building and maintaining strong personal relationships
  • Building internal and healthy cultures- business, personal and family
  • Defining our own personal purpose in life

I am a boomer and above that age I mentioned in the title, but I found this book thought provoking and interesting for self-assessment.  I recognized life stages I did very well, and others I wish I had do overs. I saw some stages where I corrected my course and as impotently how I was able to assist others as a mentor, a guide or simply a life friend.

I really enjoyed reading this very different point of view on do-it-yourself analysis.
“How Will You Measure Your Life?”

If you find this review useful, please let Amazon and me know by clicking the helpful button below!

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

 

A focused look at the path to success – recommended reading

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This book is a good logic forward and rocks and Dan Heath, coauthor of SWITCH, who uses examples of how Chris Rock perfected his comedy routines through months of , at times, painful performances.

The premise of the book is based on fact and experience of shared by many of us. There are references to youth, including practice of learning piano, a new language and sports. A reality for many of us remains from those focused efforts to study and practice along the way.

The authors use examples of legendary college coach John Wooden of UCLA and his almost fanatical commitment and the definition of success. He found success come from “old fashioned, well orchestrated, intentionally executed, carefully planned practice.”

The book is not meant for athletic coaches, but rather primarily for teachers. The author identifies 42 separate rules that are brief and focused. They often use sports or youth images, but they are not about play.

The sections of the book are as follows, with each having 5 – 6 short sub headers or rules:

* Rethinking practice

* How to practice

* using modeling

* Feedback

* Culture of practice

* Post practice: making new skills stick

* The Monday morning test

I did not care for the information in appendix A or B. I was an adjunct professor for 20 years at three different colleges and have taught thousands of professional workshops and these activities were just not on target from my perspective.

The closing comments on the books back cover share some very positive messages. They remind us that while we live in competition loving culture, our success is very likely to come from practice more than from just games.

Recommended.

As always, feedback is appreciated.

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

A Different Type of Recommended Reading!

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Younger Next Week: Your Ultimate Rx to Reverse the Clock, Boost Energy and Look and Feel Younger in 7 Days

 

This book is written by someone who has a different focus on diet, attitude and health. The author, Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN seems to target those of us over 40 who are looking to address their fitness, weight and approaches to health.

Younger Next Week: Your Ultimate Rx to Reverse the Clock, Boost Energy and Look and Feel Younger in 7 Days

The book is in 3 main sections:

1. 2 chapters of “check your vital signs”

2. 8 chapters of “the vitality program, with common sense answers and approaches on items from fats to vitamins to caffeine

3. 3 chapters of “vitality for life” that offer a weekly plan, recipes and menu ideas

There is a glossary and four appendixes that offer additional specific insights, mainly aimed at women.

My bride and partner called this a “solid reference book” that uses a point system for different food groups. Zied is a Registered Dietitian, and her book provides a resource of nutritional information. Rather than a system that counts calories in diets that seldom have lasting stamina, this approach tackles more on the values and results.

To the point and logical!

As always, feedback is appreciated.

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

7 Practical Steps on MBWA

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                           7 Practical Steps on MBWA:  Hotel Common Sense 
I was looking at some of my earlier articles written for hospitality publications and realized how well this one was received. Interesting to me that while so much in our businesses has changed, so much remains within our control to influence.

An earlier article used one of Tom Peters and Robert Waterman’s fundamentals from their groundbreaking book on changing the ways we do business.  IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE introduced a formal name for what the more successful hospitality managers already knew about motivating their staff. The phrase “Management by Walking Around” was based on Hewlett-Packard’s commitment to their staff with interaction – not micromanagement, but ongoing listening and responding to staff ideas.

Hotel Common Sense – Philosophy #2 , Or, why the Open Door policy no longer works… article outlined how today’s workforce wants and needs to be considered as individuals who can contribute to the success of their organization.

Reader feedback showed the growing awareness to that need for additional management and leadership “active listening” and this follow-up message on MBWA offers some concrete ways to notch up that effort of positive involvement.

1. Allow your staff to share complete stories and messages.  Many hospitality companies are trying to improve their customer care programs, yet how often do leaders and managers actually ask an hourly staff member to share a story about either an unhappy or very satisfied guest? Listening to the entire story could provide best practices that might be substantially more effective and less expensive than hiring a consultant.

2. Avoid the tendency to interrupt.   General Managers are results oriented people who are looking for the bottom line.  I know from personal experience the tendency to “hurry” people along is there, but allowing people to share the entire experience will encourage them to be more open.

3. Remember eye contact in conversations.  One of my first mentors taught me a great deal about hospitality, but his habit of looking over my shoulder when we were talking always made me feel I was missing something. Give confidence to people with your eyes.

4. Collect and communicate these stories of success (and failures). Sharing these stories (appropriately) at meetings of all staff, at training sessions, in newsletters and more provides an incentive to people to want to contribute because they have learned that you really do care. I have seen some outstanding examples of “you tube” like testimonials from a number of hospitality companies of all sizes.

5. Remember this is not a game of “one-up.”  As General Managers, we have likely been in the business longer or heard more stories and it is important to recognize that we should not try to offer one “better” story than the one we are hearing. Remember, MBWA is about “active listening.”

6. Credit the source.  When we add a new resource, form or best practice to our hospitality membership site, we obtain permission first and then always make certain we credit them fully. Each of us has unique approaches, messages and talents and sharing the credit with our associates and guests is essential to moving forward.

7. Build trust by honestly listening.  Some (correction, many) of the best suggestions I have ever heard as a manager or executive came from the people who are performing the job. I learned more about laundry sorting, washing pots and up-selling from people who were proud to be successful at what they were doing. Some of those suggestions needed clarification and some were not told as quickly as I might have preferred, but building teams means using all the team members’ strengths.

HOTEL COMMON SENSE was a phrase I learned from a great independent Vermont hotelier a generation ago,

Keys to Success Hospitality  Tip of the Week:

Focus on MBWA 

A challenge to every manager who is responsible for 5 or more people: measure your in and out of the office time and at the end of the week, see how much time you spent ACTIVELY INTERACTING with your team.

The goal is 70% of your time out of the office – how did you do?

What will you do next week?

As always, feedback is appreciated.

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

For your reading consideration: Thoughtful and a Bit of Business History

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For your reading consideration: Thoughtful and a Bit of Business History –             MAKING THE WORLD BETTER -the ideas that shaped a company & a century

I was surprised to see so many IBM retired and former employees reviewing and quoted in this book, but on reflection that makes sense. IBM for the past 100 years now has played a major role in the evolution of both US and global business history.

The book at times is a bit too anecdotal for the person who may not be a techie or who may not care about the details of some of the IBM story but overall it hits the mark.

In the three major sections, they cover:

1. The science – this is the pioneering segment of how to move from the incredible basics to the foundations of meaningful technology for the every day person.

2. Thomas Watson Sr had adopted the slogan “THINK” in 1911 and section 2 addresses the evolution of creating economic value from knowledge. IBM did not do everything “right” but they did help to create the concept of the modern corporation.

3.Making the World Better completes the circle and shares global stories of balancing business, values, ethics and profitability while dealing with governments and greed.

Regardless of how one feels about certain kinds of computers or high tech, this is worth the read.

As always, feedback is appreciated.

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

What is your assessment of the Gillette message: The Best Men Can be?

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Watch this 90 second video & share your insights why there are 40% more negative than positive responses to this message about “The Best Men Can Be”?

 

🙏🏼 PLEASE HIT THE LIKE BUTTON IF YOU FOUND THIS ARTICLE HELPFUL

 

As always, feedback is appreciated.

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness

This book addresses problems faced by all business owners

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I continue to dislike the title of the series “……for Dummies”, but I again must compliment the author Jim Muehlhausen of this particular book.  

This is a book that addresses problems faced by all business owners, managers and want-to-be entrepreneurs, as it discusses ways to understand, develop and use business models. The author tackles an imprecise concept and sets it into understandable fundamentals germane to most businesses.

Amazon and every book store have literally millions of business books on strategy, creating a plan and related topics. This book takes theory and moves it into practice.

The author, in a simple graphic places a business model into eight areas:

  1.  Market attractiveness
  2. Unique value proposition
  3. Profit model
  4.  Sales performance model
  5. Ongoing competitive advantage
  6.  Innovation factor
  7.  Pitfall avoidance
  8. Graceful exit

The book also provides useful tips, tools and tutorials on how to use the concepts outlined in the book, which properly positions the business model as the base of profitability

The author knowingly establishes the fact that Business Models can erode and if one is not working to move forward, then reality says one is actually moving backwards.

We counsel many small hotels and hospitality businesses – many are franchised, which can be a positive but there is so much more than the sign on the building.

This is an easy to read resource with practical approaches and the information. Well done and highly recommended!

As always, feedback is appreciated.

John J Hogan, CHA CMHS CHE CHO

John@Hoganhospitality.com    Office 480-436-0283   Cell 602-799-5375

Hotelier, Speaker, Educator, Author, Expert Witness