Do we still strive for excellence?
There was an interesting article, admittedly with a football focus, which posed the question as to whether Britain had given up on searching out excellence - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/04/27/britain-is-now-rapidly-giving-up-on-excellence
I am sure Manchester City fans will approve of the article, but it does raise a whole number of fair questions in a wider context. Does business still strive for excellence?
The article, by David Frost, argues that Manchester City is arguably the world’s best football club and does strive for excellence and many of the rising issues we are seeing emerge in business could not be as supported in sport as it will not lead to achievement of the highest levels. The article notes: “You couldn’t be sure that team members would show up on the day, as some might prefer to work flexibly or from home. Managers half-time talks would count as bullying. Substituting a poorly performing player would be victimization…we would also have very low expectations of the players”
Hospitality too strives for excellence and standards have impressively risen year after year. It is an easy argument to make that hospitality is a world class industry which does still strive for excellence but the question then does emerge as to whether we are now seeing splits between industries in expectations and attitudes as to what is acceptable?
The industry has been highly critical of itself for not retaining employees, for struggling to recruit and some of the critique is fair. The industry still needs to sell and communicate its message far better. This point is raised in forum after forum which EP hosts. However, the industry is still a home for excellence and great people. The question is whether it can be undermined at times by a new ethos which does not always strive for excellence?
Interestingly the article goes on to note that football and the premier league attracts investors because of his drive for excellence and one could make the same argument for hospitality. Hospitality does still attract strong investment and a desire to invest. The argument can be generated that football, sport and hospitality does promote strong value sets, spectacle and excellence which is what attracts. Football does bring together community very effectively whilst hospitality is a home for community.
The article questions whether, as a society, we still care about excellence and we care more today about process and social engineering. That is for you to decide but one thought is that maybe the self critique of hospitality is at times too harsh?
Hospitality does stand still for excellence and great people ahead of process. Maybe the industry has a stronger argument that sometimes its does realise and is an example for others.
