Culture First – The Most Important Investment We Make

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of spending a couple of days once again with my mentor and dear friend, Mike Leven.

For those who may not know Mike, he is one of the true icons of the global hospitality industry. Over a remarkable career spanning more than five decades, he has led some of the world’s most respected organizations, including Holiday Inn Worldwide, Days Inn of America, Las Vegas Sands Corp. He also served several years as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Georgia Aquarium, one of the world’s premier aquatic institutions and the largest aquarium in the United States.

Mike is also a remarkable entrepreneur and industry builder. He founded U.S. Franchise Systems, which he later sold to Wyndham Worldwide, and he was instrumental in the founding of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), now the nation’s largest association of hotel owners.

Yet perhaps his greatest legacy is not the companies he has led, but the people he has inspired and the leaders he has helped develop throughout his career. Mike has been one of HSMAI America’s greatest champions. Together with his family, he has contributed more than $2 million to support leadership development, education and the future of our industry through HSMAI Foundation initiatives. In recognition of his extraordinary generosity and lifelong commitment to developing others, the annual leadership conference in the Americas proudly carries his name: the HSMAI Mike Leven Leadership Conference.

I first met Mike in Las Vegas in 2014, thanks to an introduction by the late Bob Gilbert, HSMAI’s former Global President and CEO. What began as an introduction became a friendship and a mentoring relationship that has now lasted for more than a decade. Since then, we have remained in close contact, and I continue to learn from his wisdom, humility and unwavering belief that leadership is ultimately about serving others and helping them succeed. 

Bob Gilbert, Mike Leven and Ingunn Hofseth (2014)

Although retired from his executive roles, Mike remains incredibly active. He continues to mentor leaders, support industry initiatives, serve on boards and generously share his wisdom and experience. His passion for developing people and giving back to the industry is as strong today as ever. Every time we meet, I leave our conversations with renewed energy and a reminder of something incredibly simple, yet profoundly important: business is, and always will be, about people.

The lesson I value most from him is not about strategy, revenue, or growth. It is about the impact we have on people and the legacy we leave behind. Mike has always believed that if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers, and your customers will take care of your business. I could not agree more. In my role at HSMAI Europe, I have the privilege of working with some of the brightest minds in our industry. I meet leaders who have created extraordinary value for their companies and who enjoy tremendous respect.

At the same time, I work closely with many of the newcomers entering our industry. Young professionals who are just beginning their journey and who bring fresh perspectives, curiosity and energy. I genuinely love having this broad spectrum around me, and I would like to believe that I treat everyone with the same level of respect. Because titles and experience may differ, but the value of people does not. The best leaders I know have one thing in common: they make people feel seen, heard and valued.

I learned an important lesson about leadership earlier in my career with HSMAI in Norway. Many years ago, one of our Norwegian board members noticed an error in material that had been distributed ahead of a board meeting. He called me privately and suggested that we correct it and resend the documents before the meeting. He could easily have waited until the board meeting itself and pointed out the mistake in front of everyone. Instead, he chose a different path. He wanted me to succeed. He wanted the meeting to be productive, and he wanted to help me avoid unnecessary embarrassment.

By correcting me privately, he showed that leadership is about helping others succeed, not exposing their mistakes. I have never forgotten that. That is how we learn as young leaders. We should teach our teams to welcome constructive feedback when it is given directly and with good intentions. We should thank those who care enough to help us grow through honest and constructive feedback.

Over the years, I have shared this story many times because, to me, it represents leadership at its very best. Leadership is not about proving that you are the smartest person in the room. It is about helping others become better, giving people confidence and creating an environment where they can thrive. That is how all of us who have been given the privilege of leadership should aspire to lead. Culture is not a poster on the wall. Culture is how we make people feel.

In Atlanta and San Antonio, I spent a great deal of time with Brian Hicks, HSMAI’s new Global President & CEO. What made me particularly happy was discovering how closely our values align. We all believe that leadership starts with people, that culture matters, and that long-term success is built by investing in others. That shared belief gives me great confidence as we look ahead. At HSMAI Europe, culture building will be one of our most important priorities in the years to come. Because strong cultures create engaged employees. Engaged employees create exceptional customer experiences. And exceptional customer experiences create lasting business success and meaningful impact for customers, employees and communities alike.

As our industry embraces AI and new technologies, the importance of culture only becomes greater. Technology may change how we work, but culture determines how we lead, collaborate and serve. Technology can improve efficiency, and processes can improve consistency. But only people create genuine hospitality.

At HSMAI Europe, we want this leadership philosophy to be present everywhere we are involved. in our Board of Directors, with our staff, across our Advisory Boards and Councils, and throughout our Young Leaders and student activities. We want to create environments where people support one another, celebrate each other’s successes and help others grow. Because leadership is not about shining the spotlight on yourself. It is about helping others shine and creating a positive impact that extends far beyond ourselves. That is the culture we want to build.

If we succeed in doing that, we will not only build stronger organisations.

We will build a stronger industry.

Enjoy your summer!

All the best,

Ingunn Hofseth
President & CEO

HSMAI Region Europe
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International

W: www.hsmai.eu