There goes the fear

Painting a portrait of the hospitality industry at the moment is proving to be quite difficult. At one end there are the current business leaders who have a certain way of going about their work and it has been successful. At the other end is an emerging group of talent who approach business in a different way. Those in the middle and caught between these two stools and overall there is friction and confusion.These 'tribes' are in great need of support because they need to work together for the better of their businesses and the industry. The current leaders need to understand that the barriers of progression are different to the ones they went through. On the flip side those entering have to find ways of learning new skills. They can't be too critical of leaders because they have taken the industry on an essential, difficult journey.Whatever the causes: the rise of digital, the demise of time for reflection - it has happened and needs fixing. Once we've tackled this obstacle, real value can be found and progress made. It's not going to be as easy but the first step is admitting there is a difference - whether generational or indeed behavioral. It's argued that one of the standout differences is the fear of failure. How can we remove this fear?Don't do what everyone else is doingBusinesses shouldn't have hired people they don't think can do the job so why not take them on a journey to improve them? If they know the fear of failure exists, try and help them. Formal training and text books probably won't work, so will a more informal experience unleash true potential?It's across the boardIt isn't just hospitality. England rugby Head coach Eddie Jones recently warned England football stars to get over their 'fear of failure'. He argued that the footballers must change their mentality and come out of their comfort zone. Eyes will now naturally fall on England football manager Gareth Southgate. Can he manage this process or does he need extra support?We may be afraid, but we do it together as a teamIs this what Eddie Jones also means? Individuals and teams within businesses can gain greatly from external support. By working together, a shared experience can have a powerful impact. People who think differently can suddenly grab other or new parts of the market and customers.There are solutions to all the problems we currently face as an industry but it will take a break from the past and a leap into the unknown to get there.Committing to lead change can be frightening. But businesses and the industry has in the past decided to do thing differently. Times have changed and this has been forgotten. It's time to throw away the certainties that are holding us back.Let's be different. Doing nothing spells defeat.