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English Lakes Hotels Resorts and Venues has launched a new leadership and development programme in partnership with Godfrey Owen Consulting.
The new training initiative has already seen a team of six hospitality professionals from Cumbria get fast tracked onto an executive management career development pathway.
The six team members – Sofia Spadafora, Gary Tennant, Ruby Parker and Michael Eccles from Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa, and Lynn Porter and Harry Newton from Lancaster House Hotel – have been identified as rising stars with aspirations to develop senior management level careers in the leisure and hospitality industry.
As the first cohort of this two-year programme, they will undertake several experiences and challenges, as well as undertake specialised secondments in different areas of the hotel group’s operations to “equip them for leadership roles in the organisation”.
They will also complete benchmarked assignments, participate in industry events and academic learning, and acquire additional leadership skills through mentoring from senior managers and experts in the field.
Each candidate will have a company director as a personal mentor, giving them experience of strategic leadership decision making at senior level.
Michael Kay, group operations director at English Lakes Hotels, said: “It’s our aspiration to recognise and support individuals within the company who show an aptitude, desire, energy and passion for progression.
“As a company we want to achieve continued growth. Staff retention is critical and developing leadership and management skills plays a big part in that. It promotes stability and greater job satisfaction across the workforce as team members see opportunities for career progression. We also aim to extend the programme for further applicants from within the business early next year.”
Godfrey Owen, senior consultant, added: “This is an exciting new leadership programme. It’s designed to help the group develop their embedded employability skills, knowledge and enthusiasm, encouraging them to adopt strategic thinking and problem-solving techniques and approaches.
“English Lakes Hotels has a strong culture for helping employees feel comfortable and fulfilled in their roles. The hotel group wants to build on that and inspire managerial staff to maximise their attributes and potential for wider leadership roles.”
