james houran
Mobile Technologies to Drive Operational Focus and ROI
James Houran | January 28, 2022
By James Houran, Thomas Mielke Odds are that your organization has relied on – or presently uses – two traditional business tools: (a) Psychometric Assessments for hiring, training, and development with mission-critical roles, and (b) Annual Team Member Surveys to monitor the engagement of organizational talent and the effectiveness of its leadership. However, many organizations do not suitably link these two approaches in a way that promotes operational excellence. This article therefore reviews the aims of these tools and suggests a simple step-by-step implementation that produces a crafty self-reinforcing loop of ongoing calibration...
Company Cultures and Residual Shockwaves From 2020
February 3, 2021
By Thomas Mielke, James Houran Social and economic disruptions often shift people’s behaviours — sometimes in small ways, other times more seismic. On this point, AETHOS conducted a ‘COVID Gap’ analysis for the C-suite within hospitality organisations at the end of last year. The results were sobering. Particularly, we found several significant changes across these team’s Execution, People, and Cognitive skills: “Overall, management teams were more tactical and short-term focused, but also much nimbler in their thinking. Strategy alongside established protocols and processes were thrown out the window. Aspects relating to tea...
Mind the ‘COVID’ Gap
Thomas Mielke | December 3, 2020
By: Thomas Mielke, London | James Houran, Ph.D., Dallas There was a collective sigh of relief in early November when Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and the Oxford-AstraZeneca team announced in rapid succession their news of vaccines with 90%-plus efficacy rates. However, business leaders in the hospitality industry understand that these positive developments are not a ‘silver bullet’ to solving pressing problems in the here and now. Neither will be the breaking news of the now UK-approved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that coronavirus vaccines might be deployed, at scale, early to mid-2021. Challen...
What Paranormal Tourism Reveals About the Human Psyche
James Houran | October 15, 2020
By James Houran, Ph.D., Dallas October is ‘Halloween season’ – a fun cultural holiday for many people worldwide. It represents a socially sanctioned time of year when children and adults alike can escape to a realm of fantasy and mystery that involves the simultaneous expression of the ‘lighter’ and ‘darker’ sides of human nature. In addition to carving pumpkins, dressing in costume, and the nightly ritual of trick-or-treating, a favourite activity this month for many people is the psychosocial phenomenon known as ‘paranormal tourism.’ In fact, these excursions are very popular throughout the entire year. Over the past de...
Key Questions on Employees’ Minds Right Now, Part II/II
James Houran | July 2, 2020
By James Houran & Matt Peterson Many hospitality students and professionals around the world recently participated in AETHOS’ series of development webinars. These sessions offered attendees the opportunity to complete the 20|20 Skills™ assessment to gain a personal SWOT analysis to help them navigate these challenging times of occupational crisis and change. Interestingly, the attendees consistently voiced certain concerns and follow-up questions. We wanted, therefore, to address these issues publicly for the benefit of business owners, leaders, and HR professionals who are eager to understand the issues presently on the minds ...
Key Questions on Employees’ Minds Right Now, Part I/II
James Houran | May 28, 2020
By James Houran, Matt Peterson Many hospitality students and professionals around the world recently participated in AETHOS’ series of development webinars. These sessions offered attendees the opportunity to complete the 20|20 Skills™ assessment to gain a personal SWOT analysis to help them navigate these challenging times of occupational crisis and change. Interestingly, the attendees consistently voiced certain concerns and follow-up questions. We wanted, therefore, to address these issues publicly for the benefit of business owners, leaders, and HR professionals who are eager to understand the issues presently on the minds of th...
Is Your Business Hard-Wired for Panic or Innovation?
James Houran, Ph.D., Dallas | April 2, 2020
By: James Houran, Ph.D., Dallas | Keith Kefgen, New York The COVID-19 pandemic has now become the most disruptive event in our lifetime. Understandably, virtually all organizations are bogged down in “immediate” decision-making. It is all tactical right now, because there is no place to run and no place to hide; there is no safe haven. But once the immediate circumstances settle, will your organization be hard-wired for panic or innovation? This pandemic offers two critical lessons for leadership thinking. First, psychologists have often emphasized mindfulness to a purpose. Living in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally as an app...
Politics to Steer Hospitality Landscape in 2020
AETHOS Consulting Group | December 17, 2019
(December 17, 2019) - AETHOS Consulting Group's UK and US Managing Directors have gathered their collective thought leadership and now share predictions, concerns and issues for the hospitality industry in 2020. For this monumental year, the issues, unsurprisingly, relate to finding labor, particularly in light of politics across the globe, and technology. Some of AETHOS's observations include: Development Programs Should Deliver More Predictable Talent Pipelines and Consistent Organizational Bench-Strength. Says AETHOS Managing Director and head of the firm's workplace psychology and 20|20 Assess survey and assessment practice, Jame...
