When someone decides its important they lead
Jay Burgesson, Commercial Director at Food Show on the privilege of working with great talent from various backgrounds and why nurturing people through their careers is of the highest importance.
If you don’t get a thrill watching one of your team do well and make a difference for something they really care about, then somethings going wrong.
Young talented people haven’t always spent their lives honing their craft. They may have tried a few different roles in a range of sectors. Not quite knowing where to go but always aware deep down that their job didn’t feel quite right. It’s frustrating hearing young people say they “fell into hospitality” or because they didn’t know what else to do but equally its uplifting to hear someone who went through this and changed their mindset. That’s the beauty of hospitality in many ways, its full of great characters who went through this process or didn’t quite fit somewhere else.
My role as a director is to ensure I allow my team to make the choice on whether they want to lead. This is often the biggest challenge for them, but it really is exciting watching someone grow and flourish. It’s important to have the right environment for them to feel capable to accomplish their goals and I’m there to nurture and teach when needed, but really, it’s up to them. Being an SME I greatly encourage the team to think entrepreneurially. I believe the best place to start is with these simple sounding but complicated questions; what does leadership mean to them and how do they think they can get there? This is where we can really empower them.
“At the core of our operation is trust and respect. We work hard to ensure every event we create is galvanized by a workforce who care and make a difference.”
At Food Show we are fortunate to have an experienced leadership team who are there for our staff. Andrew Gosling, our Founder and Managing Director created the business in the late 1980s and its under his direction that we have grown to where we are today. Our Director of Food, Max Uyanik, has been with us for twelve years and is one of those rare characters who really does care and has a passionate food philosophy. We’re providing inspiring events but also always trying to inspire our teams and ensure they are cared for and stimulated in the hospitality world.
At the core of our operation is trust and respect. We work hard to ensure every event we create is galvanized by a workforce who care and make a difference. If we don’t have a team with a thirst for success and raising the bar, then we simply shouldn’t be here. It’s no secret that the world is changing, and that change is taking place at rapid speed but herein lies our advantage and opportunity. Food and events are of the upmost importance – people want to reward, relax, celebrate and bring their communities together. We understand this and whilst its tempting to say louder is better, we take the more untravelled path and say engaged staff is better. It is in the end, all about the people.
