Lisa J. Crawford

I attribute my success to genuinely enjoying people. I'm just a fun person, and I am who I am because I genuinely enjoy people. My mom used to say, girl, that's a gift, because a lot of people don't want to be bothered with it. But I don't really see a stranger, ever. And if people are very distant, I'm watching them, because I'm infectious. And if it's not going there, then I need to see what was happening with me or with them. But it does bother me because it makes me pay attention. And every time I have to pay attention like that, they either cannot perform the job or they're hiding behind something. And so that has helped me more than it should have. But it's helped me a lot. I pay attention to people - it could be a stranger - and see if there's any way I can be of assistance, and that may just be saying hello and being genuine with it.

The best career advice I ever received came from my mom, who told me to do something that you love and do what makes you happy. If you can do something that makes you happy as a career, not because you just gotta have a paycheck - and a lot of us are in that space where you just gotta have a paycheck and you have responsibilities - but my mom said, Lisa, find out something that you love, and when you love it, it's not a task. It's not gonna be easy all the time, but it doesn't beat you up. I had a bad experience with a director in the beginning part of my career, and when I tell you, I was in and at the hospital, I had panic attacks, they said I was depressed. It was powerful. But I allowed this person to do that to me. I'm not blaming him, but our personalities just - he was a shark and I was a dolphin and some babies. We just didn't get along. But then the things that he taught me after I matured myself, I started doing those things, and they were good things, but the communication on how he delivered them to me, or the lack of communication, it failed me at that time. But I still made Platinum Sales Manager, buddy. It is communication and doing something that you love, and be honest with yourself, because life is very short.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to observe more than you speak. Pay attention to the behaviors of others before you let yourself get emotionally involved in anything, because this particular industry could take you down because there's so much involved. But for me, I save myself because I watch people. In meetings, I pay attention to the behaviors of people. Are they really paying attention? You know? So when somebody comes for you - and they will definitely come for you - you will know how to deal with them, because they will definitely come for you. You will know how to handle them without hurting yourself. So just be mindful. It's a blessing to be able to speak less and look more. Also, be mindful of people that talk a lot. The ones that talk a lot and brag about themselves and what they used to do and all that, those are the people to bear watching, because if you pay attention to them, they're the ones who can't do their job. They think the fluff is gonna get you, but no, I need you to perform.

The biggest opportunity in hospitality is being able to find a place where you can travel to different places and learn about different people and experience those types of things. That's a great opportunity with hospitality, and I encourage anybody, especially young people, to go into it because that's how you perfect yourself in one area, and then you can go anywhere and get a job because you have these skills. The challenge is - and I'm old school on this - my thoughts of being in the hotel or being in this position is that you take care of your clients so that you can create a repeat customer. That's hands-on. That's not always an email. If they're in the building, you be visible. But the new school, the mindset is different. For example, the customer was in the building about to leave, and I said, ma'am, are you gonna go and talk to your client before he leaves? She said, I'll shoot him an email. I said, but he's right here in the building, and she wouldn't do it. Some young people, not all of them, but some of them come into this industry for the perks and being able to get the discounts, but to me, if your customer is in the building, that's your final opportunity to say, hey, how did everything go? I'm glad it went well. If it didn't, let's work on that, but please keep me in mind for future business. Send a handwritten note. But that's not what people think anymore. That's my greatest challenge.

The values most important to me are honesty, being intentional, and commitment. If you're gonna do it, do it. Keep your word. Also, if you're in a team, whether it's a family, a church, or whatever, and you've committed to something, finish it. Be committed to it, for real. And don't gripe about it, just do it. And if you can't do those things, that says a lot about you, to me. Be committed, and don't let other people's perceptions shape your own. If other people are talking about another person, don't let that be your perception of that person. You gather your own thoughts and form your own opinion.