Sanjeev Nanda on the gender balance in hospitality
There are several characteristics, a healthy combination of which creates an impeccable leadership team. These characteristics include decisiveness, collaboration, analytical thinking, empathy, risk-taking, and inclusiveness. While some of these characteristics are considered to be masculine, others are considered to be feminine.
However, it is the blending of these characteristics that helps teams achieve better collective decision making. According to prominent restauranteur Sanjeev Nanda, the best way to do that is by creating a balanced gender split on a team, something which the hospitality sector aces at.
“I’m sure that we have a pretty fair share of great women in leadership positions when it comes to the hospitality sector. However, I will say we still need more. I’ll explain why. Changing from an all-male or all-female setup to a mixed gender balance in the workforce is bound to drive more performance. This means more and better opportunities for female professionals,” said Sanjeev Nanda.
He continued, “I sincerely believe that women are now more likely to take advantage of ongoing development opportunities. The hospitality sector is known for its strong belief in a meritocracy, so whoever has talent and a knack for service, irrespective of their gender, can achieve great personal and professional goals while being a part of the industry.”
According to the hospitality maven, while male professionals in the hospitality world have time and again demonstrated characteristics like empathy which are typically associated with female professionals, having women on bord certainly adds value to the operations in many more ways than having men working in similar roles.
“I believe that more women should be hired in hospitality businesses not because it helps us match the numbers, but because it brings diversity, power and enrichment to an organization. Women have over and over again proved themselves to be impeccable leaders, and hence I believe they deserve more opportunities to shine,” said Sanjeev Nanda.
