Women at the Helm: A new era in the hospitality industry
Welcome to our latest episode on The Zista Podcast, “Women at the Helm: A New Era in the Hospitality Industry.” We’re joined by Sita Lekshmi, who brings nearly two decades of experience from top brands like Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Accor, and her current role as General Manager at Marriott’s Aloft Bengaluru Outer Ring Road.
In this episode, Sita shares her personal journey within the hospitality industry—what drew her to this career, how she’s navigated its challenges, and what keeps her motivated. We also discuss how her experiences have shaped her leadership style and work principles, debunk common myths about working in the hospitality industry, and look at the impact of female leadership on industry culture.
Welcome to our latest episode on The Zista Podcast, “Women at the Helm: A New Era in the Hospitality Industry.” We’re joined by Sita Lekshmi, who brings nearly two decades of experience from top brands like Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Accor, and her current role as General Manager at Marriott’s Aloft Bengaluru Outer Ring Road.
In this episode, Sita shares her personal journey within the hospitality industry—what drew her to this career, how she’s navigated its challenges, and what keeps her motivated. We also discuss how her experiences have shaped her leadership style and work principles, debunk common myths about working in the hospitality industry, and look at the impact of female leadership on industry culture.
Key Takeaways
- Importance of a Goal-Oriented Drive: A strong drive to excel, especially a focus on achieving specific career goals, is essential for advancing in leadership roles within the hospitality industry.
- Observing and learning from the ethical practices and leadership styles of others within the industry critically shapes one’s approach to leadership and decision-making.
- There is a misconception that the hospitality industry does not pay well, which is not accurate. Entry-level salaries may be modest, but as one progresses to mid-management and executive levels, the compensation becomes very competitive.
- Historical perceptions of long working hours in hospitality have changed. Many organizations, including large hotel chains, now ensure fair compensation for overtime and encourage completing tasks within standard working hours.
- Hospitality offers a variety of roles beyond operations, including back-office functions like sales, marketing, finance, and human resources, providing career flexibility and options that suit different preferences and lifestyles.
- The hospitality industry provides extensive opportunities for professional growth and development, debunking the myth that it offers limited career advancement.
- The hospitality industry values and cultivates empathetic leadership, which is increasingly recognized as a critical skill in managing teams and enhancing customer experience.
- Skills gained in hospitality, such as customer-centric service and empathy, are highly transferable and valued across various service industries.
- Despite advances in AI, personalized human service remains critical to the hospitality experience.
