An interview and analysis of hospitality leader Ariella Barshay. Describes her strengths and thoughts about leadership in her current job. Also contains information about different types of leadership styles, and practices.

2. SOME BACKGROUND
Question: How long have you been with the
company?
Answer: I started working at the Embassy Suites
Philadelphia Airport Hotel in April of 2017.
Question: How long
have you held your
current position?
Answer: Since April
2017.

3. UNDERSTANDING
Question: What are some of the most difficult
aspects of your job as a manager?
Answer: Negotiating with clients or collecting
attrition/cancellation amounts that are due.

4. COLLABORATION
Question: What are some of the most
rewarding and enjoyable aspects of
your job as a manager?
Answer: Hearing that a meeting went
off without a hitch because then that
means that all aspects of the hotel did
their job correctly. I can book business
but if the other departments do not do
their job then it can be a recipe for
disaster!

5. COMMITMENT TO GROWTH OF PEOPLE /
THEORY Y
Question: How would
you handle an
employee coming to
you and asking for
more responsibility in
their role?
Answer: I love that and I
think that everyone should
do it! it shows that they
are taking their job more
seriously and want to learn
which means grow
(hopefully at this hotel).

6. Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Question: Can you tell a
difference in the
performance of an employee
that you believe is happy in
their job versus one that is
not happy?
Answer: Of course! When
someone is happy coming to
work then they make sure
the guests are happy.

7. LISTENING / EMPATHY / AWARENESS
Question: What do you do if you see employees not performing their
expected tasks or hindering day-to-day business in the workplace?
Answer: When I managed a team (In-Room Dining Manager at the Hotel
Monaco) and I saw that one of my employees were not performing I had
a conversation with them to see what was going on. I believe that
everyone who is hired is hired to do their job, and when their job is not
being done then that is a problem. It is better to see what is making that
happen and how can it be fixed before taking any serious action.

8. EXPECTANCY THEORY
Question: What form of
motivation do you find more
influential? Money, praise,
rewards, days off, etc.?
Answer: All of them :) I think
that being praised for doing a
great job is really important and
I believe that people should be
paid more than minimum wage
to work in a hotel.

9. z
Building Community / Leadership
Question: When trying to implement a new idea, do you feel the best way to do this
is by consulting with others and collaborating on making the change together or do
you believe that forcing the change is better, or do you have another option that you
believe would work better due to certain circumstances?
Answer: It is always better to have everyone on-board, especially if this is an executive
decision. If anyone was to go to another manager they know what the new rules are.

10. Communication / Empathy
Question:
What skills or
knowledge do
you think are
essential for
those in
management and
leadership
positions today?
Answer:
Communication
and empathy are
very important.
Question:
How well did you
adapt to your
leadership role?
Answer:
Quite easily - I
knew what I
wanted and I had
been preparing
myself for a while.

11. LEADERSHIP / EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
QUESTION: DID YOU RESEARCH
DIFFERENT STYLES OF
LEADERSHIP OR DID YOU LEAD
BASED ON YOUR OWN
PERSONALITY?
ANSWER: TO BE A GREAT LEADER
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW
OTHER LIKE TO BE LED. YOU HAVE
TO CATERING YOUR TEACHINGS
TO HOW THEY WOULD
UNDERSTAND IT.

12. Question: Do
you think you
are capable of
shifting
leadership styles
depending on
the
person/people
you are leading?
Answer:
Yes
Question:
In previous
jobs, was
your
leadership
style to
how it is
today?
Answer:
No

13. Feedback / Listening /
Accountability
Question: What is your opinion about feedback
from your followers?
Answer: It is important to get feedback. In the
corporate world when you are the director of a
department you receive questionnaire results. All
employees take a survey about their experience
working in the hotel and then the director
receives a breakdown of the answers (it is
anonymous)

14. LEADER VS. MANAGER
Question: Would you say
that you are a manager or
a leader? (Explain the
differences).
Answer: I would say I am
a leader. A manager is
someone with a title and
a leader is someone who
wants to make a
difference.