This article appears in the October/November issue of 'Hotel and Restaurant Times'

Do ‘Hard Times’ cultivate great companies and great entrepreneurs ?
‘Yes’ says charismatic hotelier Klaus Kobjoll- and 24 of Ireland’s most progressive hospitality industry entrepreneurs and managers agree.
They spent a day with the famous German hotelier and motivational speaker during the Failte Ireland Executive Management Development Programme 2009/10 and most were inspired by his positive approach to an industry facing major challenges.
‘Our session with Klaus Kobjoll from the Shindlerhof Hotel Germany was a real highlight from this industry inspiring leader’, says course participant Nicky Logue, general manager of  Fitzpatrick’s Castle Hotel Killiney. Fidelma Reid, director of Glasson Hotel and Golf Club, agrees. ‘I loved Klaus Kobjoll’s presentation - it was so positive and upbeat and educational’, she says.

The Klaus Kobjoll  workshop was just one element in a comprehensive EMDP programme stretching over eight months, during which participants took a series of e-learning courses from Cornell University, attended residential and one day workshops, participated in video conferencing , undertook a series of projects closely related to their working life and travelled to the Cornell Campus in Ithaca New York for a special two-day course on ‘Managing Change Initiatives.’
‘Cornell brings the teaching of the hospitality industry to another level’, says John O’Flynn, general manager of Fota Ireland Resort in Co. Cork. ‘The amount of research, information and material is fascinating and my lasting memory is how far advanced Cornell is in its teaching methods and its constant search for the next thing.’
During the Cornell course the EMDP participants were given presentations by some of the world’s most renowned hospitality industry educators including Professor Stowe Shoemaker, Professor Chekitan Dev and Professor Cathy Enz, who had earlier conducted a video conference with the group.   ‘I found both Kathy Enz and Stowe Shoemaker to be exceptional’, says Pat Chawke, group operations manager, Aghadoe Heights Hotel, Killarney. ‘Their depth of knowledge and great teaching skills made for exciting and rewarding learning experiences.’
Returning to education and combining course work with daily business was however a challenge for all members of the group. Fidelma Reid, who is the mother of two young children aged two and a half and six, found the work ‘time consuming - but so worth it. The material was all about my work and any assignment that I did could be used to benefit our business’, she says. She also enjoyed being in a diverse group of industry professionals. ‘It was really interesting to learn from everybody else and to meet other people who have so much experience in this industry.’
Nicky Logue agrees. ‘This was one of the major benefits of the course’, he says. ‘I met and became friends with a super bunch of professional managers who shared their experiences and knowledge. I discovered that many of us had the same issues especially in the tough times which in itself was consoling and that different people had different ideas and solutions to problems which I adapted. We also had lots of fun.’
Fidelma Reid found that e-learning suited her lifestyle and approach to study. ‘We had assignments to do at the end of each module and the questions are structured in a way that you must really understand the material before you can answer the question.  You really do learn a lot’, she said. 
Members of the group established a close network over the eight months and learned a lot from each other. ‘Networking was a major feature of the course’ says Deirdre McGlone. ‘The networking ranged from coffee breaks to after dinner drinks to discussions on the open forum and it still continues’, she says. Erik Robson of Ely Wine Bar says that networking occurred naturally. ‘I was a little out of the hotel circle but that was a minor aspect’, he said.

A key objective of group members was that they would be introduced to new ideas and concepts and the consensus was that in this respect the EMDP delivered. John O’Flynn says that among the ideas most relevant to him were that you should ‘strike when the competition is vulnerable’ ‘Using such tactics as calling customers a few days after they have held an event in a competitors venue to gauge their level of satisfaction is a good idea. The EMDP brings the business of making money even in the current climate to your office. From pricing strategies to effecting the change to make these strategies work, this programme has it all’, he concludes.
John Gately says that EMDP gave him ‘an understanding of strategy and establishing a competitive advantage for your business. In the future there will be no ‘knee jerk reactions’ in our business. Now they are reasoned and well thought out business practices and strategies. We will have more decision making by consensus not imposition’,  he says.
Erik Robson says that the programme ‘mainly confirmed that we were doing the right things, especially in the eye of the storm. It highlighted the need to focus on quality and value while maintaining a correct profit margin’.

EMDP encouraged Deirdre McGlone to review and revise the entire management structure at Harveys Point Hotel ‘The course provided me with the knowledge and confidence to take a step back from daily operations to view Harvey’s Point more from a strategic perspective.  I have learned to see the bigger picture, to delegate and to lead. As a result, Harvey’s Point is now on a strategic path to deal with the present and the future’, she says.
For Pat Chawke the programme ‘really emphasised the need for us all to remove ourselves from our business on a regular basis and coldly analyse the direction of the company. The relevance of the course was in the tools that it provided to allow for structured Analysis / Decision Making / Implementation’. As a direct consequence of the course, Pat and his management team have carried out a strategic review at the O’Reilly Hotel Group which includes Aghadoe Heights Hotel.  Erik Robson meanwhile says that the course confirmed to him that ‘customer satisfaction and staff morale is paramount and  quality will win out. It also showed me that continuous improvements and repeat business are the main aspects of recovery of the industry and that international standards are key to the success of the company and the industry’.
Failte Ireland restructured the fees for the EMDP in 2009 to reflect the current economic situation. So did participants regard the €4,000 investment as good value ?
‘It was fantastic value for money’, says Fidelma Reid. ‘The lecturers were top class and  it is hard to believe that flights and accommodation to the USA were also included in the fees.’ John O’Flynn comments that ‘putting just one element of the course in to practice will be rewarded with a return on the investment. If you part take in this programme you must view it as not only as an investment in yourself but in your business’.
And of course it was fun. John O’Flynn recalls early morning runs with John Gately, Pat Chawke and the Cornell Rowing Team and Deirdre McGlone speaks about the fun and networking at the workshops.
EMDP also brought tangible awards. Those who successfully completed all five courses were awarded a certificate in Strategic Hospitality Management from Cornell.  Tom Kline Director of Executive Education Cornell University presented the certificates with Paul Keeley, Director Enterprise Development at Failte Ireland. 
The 2010/2011Executive Management Development Programme begins on 17th. November and will run until June 2011. It will again comprise residential and one day workshops, e-learning courses, presentations by distinguished Irish and American educators and a visit to Cornell University. Fees have been held at last year’s level and intending participants are invited to contact the EMDP Course Co-Ordinator Mary Hall at Failte Ireland. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it /01-8847700).

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