Hospitality Daily Podcast How Hospitality Leaders Are Made: Dr. Lalia Rach on Experience, Failure, and Defining Success
Jun 2, 2025
Dr. Lalia Rach, an esteemed author and educator, shares her remarkable journey from busing tables to becoming a leader in hospitality. She emphasizes the importance of hands-on learning and mentorship in building leadership skills. Dr. Rach discusses the lessons learned from early mistakes and the transformative power of failure in personal growth. She also reflects on her transition to academia and advocates for diversity in leadership within the industry, highlighting programs that promote innovation and effective practices.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Failing Forward at Night Audit
- Dr. Lalia Rach failed at night auditing and was promoted due to incompetence to a role she knew.
- This failure taught her about using personality and knowledge to navigate challenges.
Leadership Through Failure
- Lalia Rach took a risky approach by swapping restaurant shifts, which resulted in disaster.
- The experience led her to realize leadership means supporting experienced teams, not micromanaging.
Leadership Is Continuous Growth
- Leadership is a journey without a finish line where development never stops.
- Failing is not the problem; how one recovers defines leadership growth.