Traits and Me

To be a great leader, you must possess the right traits. In my experience with working my mentors, I’ve fortunately found many traits that I grew an admiration for, and many I unfortunately grew a distaste for. In this blog, I will be specifically going over three traits I admire and why. Before I begin the list, it is important to acknowledge that that are several traits that can make up a great leader, and various leaders can contain a multitude of combinations of traits. The absence or presence of one specific trait doesn’t necessarily grant one leader more greatness than the other.

Respectable

To me, it is incredibly important that a leader have respect for others. I have always admired leaders that remembered to acknowledge and thank all associates for their hard work, regardless of what job status and pay differences. A respectable leader is humble and proud of all their associates. Additionally, they are not afraid to get their hands dirty. For example, some of the most respectable leaders in hospitality is Janice Taylor, a general manager at a Marriott property and a proud supporter and speaker of National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. Janice Taylor was never afraid to help housekeepers with cleaning rooms, or front desk agents with check-ins/check-outs, or event to work as a front line cook when kitchen staff was low. To be able to perform other’s jobs and look out for other’s associates is very respectable, and for this reason, I admire Janice Taylor.

Reliable

It is imperative that a leader is reliable. Being reliable doesn’t necessarily mean being perfect, nor does it mean always knowing the answer. It doesn’t always mean doing things in the right way. Being reliable is a determinant of dependability, for others to count on. When I worked for a Wyndham company, one of the core values of service was labeled “Count on Me!”, in which you could rely on the representatives on the companies to have work completed. One manager, Leticia Nichols, a former mentor of mine, was a divine example of this. You could always come to her with questions, no matter what she was doing. She encouraged us to bother her and pick her brain and help whenever. Her commitment to being available and helping us out, whether we asked her, was highly admirable.

Inspiring

Inspiration is a rare but valuable trait to have as a leader. It can be difficult to measure your inspiration on others and some leaders may not even realize how much they are an inspiration to others. One leader I found inspiring who I deeply admire is Pamela Frazier, an Assistant Director of Human Resources for a Sheraton property in San Diego. Her beginnings started humbly before she advanced her way into events, and later Human Resources. She is strong, hardworking, selfless, and passionate. She has put others before her several times. Witnessing her contributions to the workplace has inspired me to become a leader like her.