Cultural intelligence hospitality leaders need is becoming increasingly important as hotel teams become more international and diverse.
Leadership advice is everywhere.
Be more transparent.
Communicate clearly.
Give feedback.
Make decisions faster.
Build stronger teams.
The assumption behind much of this advice is that everyone shares the same understanding of what good leadership looks like.
But what if they don't?
During Global Revenue Forum Amsterdam, keynote speaker Candida Snow challenged delegates to think differently about leadership, communication and collaboration.
Her central message was simple:
We all see the world through cultural lenses.
And those lenses influence how we interpret behaviour, communication and even what we consider to be "normal".
Candida Snow is an international speaker, consultant and expert in intercultural management and cultural intelligence hospitality organisations need to improve communication and collaboration. She helps organisations improve leadership, communication and collaboration across cultural boundaries by understanding how culture influences behaviour, assumptions and processes.
Most leaders genuinely want to create high-performing teams.
The challenge is that many unknowingly judge behaviour through their own experiences and assumptions.
For example:
A manager may value direct communication and see it as efficient and honest.
A team member from another background may experience the same communication style as confrontational or overly critical.
Neither person is wrong.
They are simply interpreting the situation through different frames of reference.
This is where many misunderstandings begin.
Not because people have bad intentions.
But because they assume their own perspective is universal.
Hospitality has always been an international industry.
This is exactly why cultural intelligence hospitality organisations need is becoming such an important leadership skill.
Hotels bring together employees, guests, suppliers and partners from different countries, cultures and backgrounds.
Yet many organisations still approach communication as if everyone shares the same expectations.
The reality is very different.
What creates trust in one culture may create discomfort in another.
What feels like strong leadership to one employee may feel controlling to another.
What one guest sees as attentive service may be perceived by another as intrusive.
The most successful hospitality leaders recognise these differences and learn to adapt accordingly.
One of the strongest ideas from Candida's keynote was that leaders should focus less on judging behaviour and more on understanding intent.
When something feels unusual, frustrating or unexpected, our natural reaction is often to evaluate it through our own definition of normal.
Great leaders do something different.
They become curious.
They ask questions.
They seek to understand why people behave the way they do before deciding whether that behaviour is right or wrong.
This shift creates stronger collaboration, better communication and more inclusive teams.
The next time you find yourself thinking:
"Why would someone do it that way?"
consider asking a different question:
"What assumptions am I making?"
The answer may reveal more about your own perspective than the behaviour you are observing.
And that awareness is often the first step towards becoming a more effective leader.
Candida Snow's keynote explored how Cultural Intelligence (CQ) helps leaders understand different perspectives, adapt their approach and create stronger teams.
Understanding cultural differences is not about changing who you are as a leader.
It is about recognising that there may be more than one effective way to communicate, collaborate and build trust.
Download the full white paper to explore the Cultural Glasses Framework, practical leadership applications and the role Cultural Intelligence (CQ) plays in building stronger teams, improving collaboration and creating better business performance.
