#262 - Hospitality Meets Robert Richardson - The Story We Tell Ourselves

Six years ago, Robert Richardson joined me on Hospitality Meets for the very first time.

Back then, he was a hotel General Manager with a passion for people, wondering what the next chapter might look like.

Neither of us could have predicted what came next.

Fast forward six years, and Robert returns to the show as CEO of the Institute of Hospitality, leading a global professional body with more than 17,000 members, overseeing record membership growth, driving the Institute's Charter ambition, and helping shape the future of our industry.

It's amazing what can happen in six years.

In this episode we chat about:

The leap from hotel General Manager to CEOLeading an organisation through unprecedented changeWhy the Institute is experiencing its strongest membership growth in yearsChampioning professional development across hospitalityThe Youth Council and why the next generation matters more than everThe journey towards Chartered statusLearning to overcome imposter syndrome and the fear of public speakingThe stories we tell ourselves... and how they can hold us backWhy leadership is about stewardship, not ownershipThe power (and pitfalls) of social mediaBuilding organisations where people genuinely feel they belong

Along the way we explore leadership, confidence, legacy, positivity, personal growth and why hospitality remains one of the greatest industries in the world for developing people.

Of course, this wouldn't be Hospitality Meets without a few memorable stories...

🤣 Accidentally being announced as the new CEO while being tagged as a completely different organisation on social media.

🤣 Rehearsing every speech exactly seven times before stepping onto a stage.

🤣 Seriously considering quitting on the morning of his first major keynote... before discovering the world didn't end after all.