ALEPH’S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Our leadership programme is designed to empower our team members and foster true entrepreneurial spirit

Aleph Hospitality’s company culture is one of entrepreneurial spirit and empowerment. Not as stagnant words written in some positioning document, but a real and thriving culture ingrained into all parts of the company, adopted by all team members, and allowed to grow organically.

Our team members, both in the corporate office and in hotels around the world, are encouraged to be curious, take initiatives, and to be innovative. They are given all possible chances to shine and excel publicly and internally. This empowerment creates a can-do-attitude where individuals come up with original solutions and cross-functional teams rally around joint projects. Most importantly, we have found that building confidence through empowerment fosters trust and a sense of belonging.

The empowerment modus operandi is also apparent in the way we nurture talent within Aleph. The Aleph Leadership Development Programme (ALDP) is designed to be agile and dynamic, open to changes at any point by the participants themselves. Aimed at hotel leaders with ambitions to progress to General Managers, the programme is deliberately set up with lots of moving parts over a period of 12-18 months.

Based on the question, “what do you need to the best possible leader”, the teaching plan is continuously adjusted to the participants’ suggestions, feedback to sessions, and gaps in learning. In short, the cohort leads with their needs. This collaborative way of developing talent not only encourages the entrepreneurial spirit of our team members, but it creates a culture of continuous learning and curiosity for both personal and organisational development.

ALDP includes modules which are led by Aleph’s senior leadership team such as finance, IT, marketing and media training, engineering, Aleph Cares (our mandatory sustainability programme for hotels in our portfolio) as well as various leadership and emotional intelligence sessions by external lecturers. Operational modules include food & beverage, rooms, front desk, sales, and HR. In addition, we offer topics such as presentation skills, owner relations and Emergenetics which is a tool that combines neuroscience and psychometrics to measure an individual’s thinking and behavioural styles. By understanding diverse cognitive styles and practices, our leaders are equipped to communicate and collaborate more effectively.

Finally, our leadership development programme features mentoring by experienced leaders from other hotels, individual coaching sessions, a project assignment and access to the learning management system Augmental. This AI-powered educational tool ensures a personalised learning path, enhances learner success, and fosters engagement, innovation and knowledge sharing.

We have asked some of the current participants to give us their opinions on the programme and their progress.

Paul Hobeika, Director of Rooms of La Maison Hotel Doha in Qatar, said, “The Aleph Leadership Development Programme has empowered me by improving my emotional intelligence, which strengthens my ability to connect with and inspire my team. I have also gained a deeper understanding of my leadership style, helping me become more effective in guiding others and navigating challenges. The programme has enhanced my self-awareness, confidence and adaptability while providing practical experience and constructive feedback. Also, I have gained access to a valuable network with leaders at other hotels across the portfolio, and, overall, I feel supported in my professional and personal growth.”

Kenneth Korir, Operations Manager at Boma Inn Eldoret in Kenya, commented, ALDP has been incredibly rewarding, especially in my transition to a more senior role. The leadership concepts and practical tools have boosted me as a leader, encouraging me to think strategically, and inspire others to perform at their best. I’ve particularly enjoyed the focus on coaching and self-awareness, and it has been enlightening to learn how to guide and support others effectively, fostering growth and development within my team. The programme cultivates a mindset of innovation and proactive problem-solving which has not only helped me improve processes but has also inspired me to implement new ideas that add value to my role and organisation.”

Jenny Wanza, Sales & Marketing Manager at Best Western Plus Westlands in Kenya, added, “I feel supported, guided and at the same time challenged, and this has helped me to grow as a leader and as a person. I have enjoyed getting into topics such as leadership maturity levels and Emergenetics, as these influence the way I behave and respond to situations, both personally and professionally. Through ALDP I have become aware that leadership is all about people and relations, not me. Overall, I feel empowered, more open-minded and able to tackle whatever comes my way, to identify opportunities, take calculated risks, and create value from the same.”

ALEPH’S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

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