4 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Winter 2022 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK IF YOU HAD asked me ten years ago what I would be doing today and I made a list of 1,000 things, being at the helm of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association would not have made the list. Through a series of unlikely events, I ended up here in Harrisburg as CEO of the PRLA about eight years ago, and for that, I am extremely grateful. I had been in our industry for 44 years prior to that and in leadership positions for over 40 years. In that time, I ran or helped to run large hotel, club, and restaurant companies. Through another odd sequence of events, I also ended up in elected office for nearly ten years before I retired as Mayor of Plano, Texas in 2000. While I have enjoyed every opportunity that life has brought, working with the team at PRLA and our industry leaders around the state has been the best of the best. This year during the current staffing crisis, Chairman Tom Neely is placing a focus on “changing the conversation.” It embraces 1) telling the story about how fulfilling it is to work in our industry and 2) encouraging all employers to adopt a great-place-to-work-culture. So why is it that I’ve enjoyed every job I’ve had? A small part of it may have to do with my cock-eyed optimism and positive outlook. But much more of it has to do with the bosses I’ve had over the years. I advise young people entering the workforce to choose their bosses carefully. Not only will that person impact the day-to-day joy in working, but they will ultimately be instrumental in helping fulfill long-term professional dreams. And most importantly, they will create (or not) the positive workplace culture that is critical to success in business. For the bosses out there, I could devote a book on how to do it well, but for today I’ll make the following suggestions: 1) Be a side-by-side leader; 2) Work to ensure that your team members can have a balance of life; 3) Lift others up— never bring them down; 4) Give credit and take blame; 5) Provide the resources your team members need to succeed and grow; 6) Get out of the way; and 7) Respect and love your team members. I recently announced my retirement from PRLA targeted to happen in July of this year and consequently this may be my last column. It has been my profound honor to represent our great industry across the commonwealth and beyond. I will never forget the friendships I have made along the way. And as for the future of PRLA, I believe we have the best team of any hospitality association in our country and a world class board of directors. I have no doubt that the next chapter of PRLA will be even better than the last. • John Longstreet PRLA PRESIDENT & CEO “While I have enjoyed every opportunity that life has brought, working with the team at PRLA and our industry leaders around the state has been the best of the best.”
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