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Leader or mentor – is there a difference and how can hospitality managers develop the necessary skills? – featuring: Robert Richardson and Rachael Stevens – Recruiting in Hospitality podcast

You’re a leader in hospitality, but are you also a mentor? What’s the difference? And how can you boost your skills to offer guidance, support and direction to your teams by becoming both?

We caught up with Robert Richardson, GM at The Cave Hotel & Resort and Vice-Chair of the Institute of Hospitality, and Rachael Stevens, Guest Services Manager at South Lodge and Chair of the Sussex branch of the Institute of Hospitality to discuss what they see as the value of both leadership and mentoring.

What defines leadership, and what defines mentoring?

Are you a leader? Leadership isn’t about your job title. Leaders stand out because they empower and motivate others, directing and supporting them to work together to achieve business goals and targets. Leaders have empathy, communicate well and engage and inspire the people they work with.

A mentor has all those skills too and wants to share their knowledge and experience in a positive way. Mentors understand what it is like to be starting out on your career and the challenges you might face but are not afraid to give honest and constructive feedback. Good listening skills are important, as is a willingness to learn from the person they are mentoring.

Are leadership and mentoring interlinked?

We kicked off by asking Robert, ‘Is a leader a mentor, or does a mentor lead?’

‘Whenever I see the word ‘mentor’, I see Gandalf. I think a mentor is many things, a guide, a confidant, a counsellor and I think that’s also a leader. So, if you’re a team leader, working in hospitality, there’s a part of your role that’s about developing your people and guiding them forward through training and by example and through managing expectations.’

Rachael agreed, as throughout her career she’s had mentors who have also been leaders within hospitality, who have inspired her. ‘It’s our responsibility to coach and mentor our teams and support and develop them – the two are definitely interlinked’.

The difference between leadership and mentoring

‘Are you a mentor because you’re offering guidance, confidence, and hope to people that are worried, understandably, about the future, or are you actually leading them, in your role as a manager, through this time? That’s the question.’ said Robert.

‘I think the two are interlinked but definitely not the same. For example, when the second lockdown announcement happened, I kept some of my team at my hotel, waiting for the announcement, because I was worried that it would be in immediate lockdown. Understandably my team were concerned and wanted to know what was going to happen. I did my best to reassure people as tensions were high. Is that me mentoring 20 people? That’s leadership and guidance, rather than mentoring.’

‘A mentor is someone that you choose to aspire to, someone who encourages you and you feel you can learn from. I’m surrounded by many amazing professionals within the industry who I respect and admire, and that means if I’ve got a problem in a specific area, I know who to call about it. If I only had one mentor, it’s possible their knowledge wouldn’t cover the breadth of the challenges we face.’

Leadership with a focus on mental health and wellbeing

Looking after your people is only one aspect of being a mentor or leader and 2020 has highlighted how important positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace has become.

We asked Rachael how her teams were doing. ‘There’s a level of anxiety and uncertainty within hospitality right now and I feel it’s our responsibility as leaders to be as open and transparent as we possibly can’.

‘I’ve always made a point of getting information out to my team as quickly as possible so they’re not worrying unnecessarily. It’s important that you’re a strong figure, that you’re positive and optimistic because that filters through and affects how your team behaves and responds. Being strong and resilience as a leader can have a real impact on people’s mental health and stress levels.

‘Some may say being positive and optimistic during this time is naivety, but I think it’s leadership, and leaders and managers need to be strong, stay focused and keep driving forward.

Should leaders have mentors?

Short answer – yes! Leading a team is a tough job and having a mentor means that you have access to objective advice from someone who has the experience and knowledge to help you.

Another great benefit of having a mentor is that they can help you think about what you are good at, what your strengths are and how to work on any weaknesses. A mentor can also help you look at things from a different viewpoint, with the resulting benefit that your decision-making process has been discussed and worked through.

A key benefit of having a mentor is that they can inspire and motivate you, build your confidence and help you expand your professional network.

What does it take to be a mentor?

Mentoring isn’t something specific you can be taught – it’s intangible and as such it’s an invaluable life skill. You may have all the right strengths to be a mentor but choosing to offer yourself as one takes careful consideration.

Mentoring is a two-way conversation that demands patience and a willingness to listen, sifting out the emotional to reach the root of any discussion and then offering workable solutions or suggestions, helping people to figure out what the right career or job-related options are.

‘When you get your first management role, mentoring isn’t necessarily something you think about. As you progress it certainly is, and I think it’s really important for anyone who leads a team to understand the individuals in their teams, what makes them tick and be there as a support mechanism and potential mentor.’ continued Rachael.

How can I become a mentor?

You may already be mentoring someone without putting a label on it. For anyone thinking about becoming a mentor a good place to start would be by speaking to someone they respect. Mentoring can be a long-term commitment so it’s worth thinking about what’s involved.

There are different types of mentoring too. For instance, you might think about becoming a ‘Peer Mentor’ – someone who helps new starts acclimatise and settle into a new role or organisation.

Career mentors hold senior roles in hospitality, usually in the same company to their mentees and offer advice and guidance on long-term career goals and development.

A Life Mentor is someone from another organisation who will share their knowledge and expertise with you and may have other people they mentor at the same time. Mentoring is a two-way conversation and good mentors are open to learning from their mentees.

Take a look at CareerScope for more information on becoming a mentor.

How can I find a mentor?

If you feel that you could benefit from having a mentor, then a proactive approach is the way to go. Think about your network, if there anyone there who you admire, and feel could help you? Professional events and industry groups are great opportunities to meet potential mentors.

Use your social media to reach out to people. Who are the people that make you think, make you want to be more like them? Connect with them and invite them for an initial informal chat, so that you can see if they are the right mentor for you. If they are, and they are agreeable, then you can decide how best to go forward and what you hope to get out of the relationship.

There are also industry groups that offer mentoring such as Plan B for senior women, The Institute of Hospitality Mentor Me programme.

Time for mentors and leaders to step up.

Rachael’s final comment on leadership, ‘Now is the time for mentors and leaders to step up. We should look after our people regardless of the situation’.

‘With regard to training programmes, there are so many different and inspiring hospitality people and stories out there to keep people engaged, enthused and inspired. There are so many great individuals in our industry and their inboxes are always open. They’re always happy to support and provide guidance where they can, something I’m really proud of within our industry and I think we’re unique in that respect.

Top tips for leaders and mentors

Leading involves mentoring. Explore how you can get the necessary soft skills to develop your mentoring abilities.
Connect. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people within hospitality who inspire you and ask for their advice. They had to start somewhere too, and chances are they had a mentor in the beginning.
Understand skills. Get to know your teams, their strengths and skill sets. It will make you a better leader and mentor.
Keep learning. Everyone you work with can teach you something, regardless of what stage you are at in your career. Be open and receptive.
Be curious. As a mentor approach every mentee as an individual and be prepared to take a genuine interest in them and their career.
Be realistic. Set boundaries and expectations from any mentor/mentee relationship and know when to step in or step back before giving advice.
Celebrate. Applaud and recognise your team or mentee’s achievements.