Twenty years ago, standing in the marble-cooled lobby of the Maurya Sheraton, "Yes" was a reflex of pure grit.
I remember running through the New Delhi heat to hunt down sold-out movie tickets for a guest, or staying hours past my shift to ensure a large group felt like they were the only people in the hotel. In that world, "Yes" was a mandate. It was about the "Hero" moment—personal sacrifice to ensure the guest was king.
But my journey didn’t go straight from the heat of Delhi to the snow of Calgary. It took a detour through the cobblestones of Scotland.
Standing on Calton Hill, looking down at the spires of Edinburgh, I felt a different weight to the air. In Scotland, I learned that "Yes" wasn't just about effort; it was about Standards. Whether it was the precision required on the Old Course or the expectations of a high-tier group, I learned to build service as a system. It was here that I stopped being a "Hero" and started being a leader who set the bar so high that the "extra mile" became the baseline.
Then, I stepped out of the lobby and into the quiet of a classroom.
For a decade, I traded the concierge desk for a whiteboard. As a trainer and executive coach, I stopped doing the work and started deconstructing it. I learned that a team’s "Yes" is only as strong as the psychological safety of the room. I wasn't just a hospitality guy anymore; I was a student of human behavior.
Now, I’ve boomeranged back. I’m in a corporate leadership role in the Calgary Rockies, and the "Yes" I say today sounds different.
In the 40-degree heat of a Delhi summer, "Yes" was about Grit.
In the shadows of the Highlands, "Yes" was about Standards.
In the crisp air of a Calgary winter, "Yes" is about The Bottom Line.
Today, my challenges are more complex. It’s no longer just about the guest’s smile; it’s about navigating food costs, beverage margins, and how every operational decision rolls up to the P&L. My time as a coach taught me that you can’t lead a team on adrenaline alone, and my role in Calgary has taught me that a "Yes" must be as financially sound as it is hospitable.
I’ve moved from Command and Control to Observe and Empower.
The journey from a Kolkata classroom to the Rockies—via the winds of Scotland—wasn't just a change in geography. It was a 20-year translation of what it means to lead.
Are you navigating your own career "boomerang" or moving from the front lines to the boardroom? Drop the word "EVOLVE" in the comments. I’d be happy to share some of the frameworks that helped me bridge the gap between "Hospitality Heart" and "Corporate Strategy."