It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
It's Personal Stories is a podcast series highlighting the inspiring career journeys of prominent leaders in the hospitality industry. The series features over 200 interviews, with new ones added weekly. Each interview presents the unique personal story and insights of C-suite executives, educators, and other industry professionals. Guests share their experiences, including overcoming self-doubt, achieving work-life balance, facing challenges, public speaking, taking risks, networking authentically, developing leadership skills, and more. Through these deeply personal stories, you are encouraged to dream big and confidently pursue your personal and professional goals.
Founded in 2022 by industry veterans David Kong, Dorothy Dowling, Rachel Humphrey, Lan Elliott, and Huilian Duan, It’s Personal Stories has been recognized by the International Hospitality Institute as a top hospitality podcast each year since it launched. To watch or listen now, visit www.ItsPersonalStories.com.
It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
Elie Maalouf, CEO, IHG interviewed by Lan Elliott, DEI Advisors
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David Kong
Elie shares the 6 attributes he looks for in leaders - one of them is joy! – and how mastering the skill of persuasion is essential to your career. He discusses the importance of successful companies being more intentional in having mentors seek out mentees, rather than leaving it to chance. On overcoming obstacles, Elie believes it’s important for teams to share the mindset that they can make things better, by identifying the issues, breaking them down into their core problems, and coming up with solutions.