I had the opportunity to read Nelliyana Aprilya’s blog “Gen Z: the generation of explorers” in Z Lab and figure out that when I actually identify myself as a Millennial, now the right definition to use is Gen Z. Why is that a change for the better? Because it’s not only about a birth date anymore, it’s about a set of abilities that we have in common thanks to the world we live in today; the more I move forward with my path in hospitality industry, the more I see Gen Z are confident on public speaking and born to entertain!
SHAPING OUR POTENTIAL
I thought the secret for a great hospitality mindset was about looking back to successful leaders of the past and I wouldn’t say it was a bad point to start with. Though, while doing research I came up with something fresh by learning what makes Gen Z unique in way of becoming the leaders of tomorrow. What’s new? Today older generations find mental coaching to be a remedy to those communication skills that have been lacking over decades of theory-based education, instead we have grown in a world that needs us already equipped of 4 emotional intelligences: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and social skill.
Suddenly I stop the reading and I recall my classmates at Hotel Institute Montreux in action to work for projects, practicing for public speaking or organising events; then I recall the fun they are able to get out of it: I now clearly see that we are born to entertain the others as much as ourselves and I wouldn’t ask for a better talent while studying in Hotel Institute Montreux!
HOSPITALITY MAKES YOUR GEN Z SKILLS STAND OUT
I go straight to the point: working within a hospitality environment boosts the chances to show your quality as a Gen Z. A common mistake that comes out from attending most universities is that people of my generation tends to considerably separate work and free time like two dimensions with two different attitudes; well, this is not happening in Switzerland, in hospitality schools. I have to admit it was not such an easy step to leave a community of peers like you have in school and deal with my first internship in a workplace full of different generations.
However, as a Gen Z, I felt like I had the key for adapting to any situation better than others and that I was actually trained for this! There is a lot of work to build an international profile beyond your knowledge; as a matter of fact, I got prepared through many methods such as exercising with public speaking, discussing business in various languages and developing etiquette as much as an elegant taste; there was a lot of work to improve that Ludovico from Tuscany’s countryside and switch it to a well-educated hotelier, yet I would say it’s still work in progress! This education is not about keeping interests separated but staying fully immersed in sharing your passion; you prove this right with small things from which you can’t take off your “hospitality touch”: when you’re out of school but still make a picnic become a banquet, playing two instruments become a little concert or cooking for friends become a theme night!
Being part of this generation is not to be taken as having a tag on your forehead about stereotypes or expectations that people has on how you are supposed to perform.
As a suggestion from my experience I would say to Gen Z that choosing hospitality is the chance of making your emotional intelligence shines on daily interactions to make others happy and likewise get happiness out of it.
I feel honoured you have read until the very end of this blog, I would be happy to follow up with exchange of views about this topic if you please share and comment. Never miss a chance to fuel your sociability and remember that you are born to entertain!
Author: Mr. Ludovico Longi, Hospitality Bachelor Student at Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM), from Italy.