It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast

Monique Lee, Group Vice President, Sales, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Interviewed by Dorothy Dowling

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Monique Lee, Group VP Sales,  at Wyndham Hotels, shares her career journey from unforgettable childhood hospitality experiences to leading roles. She emphasizes the impact of mentors and the importance of intentional, authentic leadership. Her story highlights resilience, balancing work-life challenges, and leveraging AI for success in today's dynamic sales environment.

Dorothy Dowling:

Greetings. I'm Dorothy Dowling, and welcome to its Personal Stories, a hospitality podcast dedicated to empowering professionals through the lived experiences of in inspiring industry leaders. This is a space for honest conversations where we talk about the moments that shape us, the lessons that teach us, and the people who help us find our way. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming someone whose leadership and grace have inspired so many across our industry. Monique Lee Group, vice President of Sales at Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. Monique is known not just for her incredible commercial acumen, but for her generosity of spirit and the way she lifts others around her. Monique, thank you for being here and for sharing your personal journey with us today.

Monique Lee:

Thank you. I'm excited to be here.

Dorothy Dowling:

Wonderful. Let's get to it. So I'm wondering, Monique, if we can start with your story in terms of how your journey began in hospitality and what drew you to the world of sales and leadership?

Monique Lee:

Oh, I love that question. Very unconventional. I'm gonna go all the way back to when I was a little girl. And honestly, my, me and my grandmother were never separated. She was my best friend and everything, and she absolutely loved hotels. Any weekend it would be a takeoff, a staycation. And this is, I'm gonna date myself, but this is early in the seventies when hotels were a big deal and, I just absolutely loved it and she was enamored with it. Her 50th birthday party had to be at the Hyatt Regency. We lived in Boston at the time, and I just, I, I. At looking at how much she loved it and loved hospitality itself. And she was just always just a servant of people. She just loved everything. So that was actually my first my first fondness. And then I think with several of us starting out I started working at 15 years old and fast food and the. The act of serving others and just those small things in, learning my very first job, just the smile you can bring to somebody with something very simple, right? And I think that was, that had to be the first things that really stood out to me, Dorothy, is just that being with people and hospitality is just in everything in every industry that we have. But there's something special. About our hotels.

Dorothy Dowling:

So for you it was really about enjoying the experience as a customer and really understanding the joy that experience brings. And then. A frontline server. There's no better way to really be in front of the customer and understand how you can delight people through just some of the humanity you bring to the conversation. So that's a great start. I'm just wondering if you can talk a little bit about defining moments or crossroads that really shaped you in terms of your leadership and your entry obviously into, business development and sales.

Monique Lee:

Yeah. Defining moments for me are it's always been about the people that I have had the utmost respect for, to work with and or to be mentored by and defining. Moments often come when you don't. Whether they see something in you, they really want to give you what they've learned. And there's several people that has stand out in my mind, and one defining moment was an opportunity that, that came just from a conversation with somebody and that truly defined exactly what I wanted to do opening myself up to lead others within this industry. And she was just such a, such a. A person of such a person of integrity and she was such a person of truth that anything she said, I just hung onto it. And definitely a defining moment was she had seen an opportunity and was talking to me about it and it was nowhere on my radar, Dorothy, and it was probably the best thing that has changed everything of where I ended up now today.

Dorothy Dowling:

That is a thread that we hear from lots of leaders. It's people that see something in us that we haven't yet acknowledged ourselves. And I think being open to listening to others and then having people in your circle, like you referenced Monique, that Just brings so much leadership to you that you trust their kind of advice. And you obviously went through the door when she recommended that, so that's amazing.

Monique Lee:

Yeah.

Dorothy Dowling:

I'm wondering if there's been any thread in terms of personal mantras or beliefs that's really anchored your career journey that you might share with our audience today?

Monique Lee:

Absolutely. And this actually is a mantra that I use throughout my life all the time. I even tell my kids this. And one thing that's always very clear is every decision you make affects the rest of your life. It is a decision to be authentic. To be to be a leader, to be an example. It's a decision that we make every single day. And whether it's big or small, it has a ripple effect on your life. And that is definitely, it's a very small, simple mantra, but it is extremely extremely. Important to me. And if my kids were here, that's exactly what they would say to you. So mom says this to me all the time, and it's very true.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think that element of intentionality and being very thoughtful of the decisions you make and thinking through each one in terms of impact is really good advice to everyone, particularly when it comes to when you're thinking about your career. But certainly our whole lives influence how people perceive us and. Obviously like the woman you referenced early, earlier about her integrity and her reputation, that was built through both her personal and professional interactions with you,

Monique Lee:

correct? Yes.

Dorothy Dowling:

Yeah. So I'm wondering if we can talk about change and the environment that we're all in because the past few years and certainly today are just requiring so much of leaders in both their personal lives and in their professional lives. I'm just wondering if there's any guidance that you can offer audience in terms of how you built your own resilience in terms of navigating through all these things.

Monique Lee:

Exactly. I am always aware of being very in, in our industry of being very franchise focused. When I think of resilient and. To your point, these times different things have changed. Things that we not necessarily have control over, and being very stakeholder focused and being resilient to our business, to my team, to leadership is a must. And it's something that we have to deliver, that I have to deliver every single day. We have our franchisees across all brands. Have invested sometimes their life savings, and this is what they do every single day. And they believe in us. They depend on us as leaders, as sales professionals to help support their their properties and hotels every day. So to not be resilient is not an option, right? So it's having that extra care for those stakeholders, for those franchisees, for those people that we work, essentially for every day. And that really is what keeps me going because if I'm not resilient, it has a true effect on so many people and families and lives.

Dorothy Dowling:

Yeah I think that understanding of ownership and how much they put on the line in terms of their own investments and how it is their family's entire financial wellbeing in some cases, and just understanding the dependency that they have on you and always bringing your breath self, I think is really good guidance. I also think just as leaders about. What we show up and deliver has a domino effect on everyone around us. So we have to be very thoughtful that we bring our best to, to any of those opportunities to make sure that we uplift others around us. So I appreciate that. I. I wonder if we can talk a little bit about your team.'cause you have a very large team, they're very geographically diverse. You have to travel a lot in your role and certainly to be with them. I'm just wondering how you, yourself, you say, centered and continue to fill your own cup when you're running at such a high pace and com commanding such an impressive travel schedule.

Monique Lee:

Yes, that is a great question. One of the many. True passions and loves that, that I love to do is relaxing in the kitchen. And I know that sounds probably like a bit of that's odd. You don't relax in a kitchen, but cooking to me is the absolute best thing. I have a a dream that one day I'm gonna be on beat Bobby Flay and I'm gonna beat him on my, one of my special dishes, one of my family dishes that I've done. And honestly, Dorothy I just love to just, that is my downtime. I love to I'm an extrovert, so sometimes I like to reenergize myself around people. So for me to have a dinner party, for me to have a friend over and impromptu, hor d'oeuvres and just have a good time. Truly cooking is something that I'm very passionate about. It's something that I've always shared with my team as well, whether it is having team building events in one of those family kitchens and the entire team gets together and it's it's an amazing thing that when you can share a meal, something just so humble with others, how that makes you feel.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think that's a brilliant narrative in terms of sales because we often think about when we do break bread with people, it just builds relationships at a different level. So I think your hobby of loving to be in the kitchen and to cook, but also just the understanding of how that really bridges relationships and opportunities to learn about people, I think is really. Fantastic. I'm just wondering about when you think about your team,'cause I think sales is the hardest job in the world. You deal with a lot of no's and not as many yeses. So I'm just wondering how you help your team navigate all of the challenging situations that they face and how you help them find their footing and how you keep them focused on purpose.

Monique Lee:

Yeah. So much of what we do, you're absolutely right. We have a very hard job and we, we hear no all the time. But when we hear those yeses, man, we celebrate, don't we? We have great time and we know the art of negotiation and the kill. But when it comes to the team to, to your question. For myself the biggest foundation, the most solid foundation that I can have for my team is culture and culture. The word culture has really taken on almost a buzzword effect, but it really is the foundation of of exactly how. You show up every day, you're authentic. And I create an environment of safety, of there's, the old adage of an open door policy. It goes beyond that. You have to truly open the door sometimes and not wait for folks to come to it. And one book that I have used for several years it is the most simple book, and it is by the author John Gordon, and it is called The Energy Bus. Highly recommend it for someone who is taking on a new team members, anything like that. But what that does is it tells you and teaches you that you are in charge of the energy that you bring, the positive energy, your mindset, and it's having that growth mindset and positive energy and then inviting people on your bus. And that truly has honestly just helped just support my team in such a way that they feel. And they understand that I am there for them. We'll get through the hard times, the tough times, we'll celebrate, and if there's energy that doesn't belong on your bus, let's move on from it, right? And let's refocus and stay, stay the course. But really it is really defining culture and standing on it every single day.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think that's a very important message, and I do agree with you. I think culture has become a buzz word and it really is a foundational element for teams. And I love the analogy of the bus. I think that's a really great thing about inviting people onto the bus and you being that energy driver. So that's a really interesting perspective for leaders to bring to a conversation. I wonder if we could talk a little bit about mentorship, because, we're all asked to do more in this space, and I'm sure many people ask you to take them on as a mentee. So I'm wondering, if you can talk to our audience about how do they encourage or get someone to make that investment in, in, in them. So what would be the guidance that you would offer that is how you make a decision on how to invest in someone.

Monique Lee:

Absolutely. Every day we mentor every single day. As a leader, I mentor my team every single day. When I think of my counterparts and we have interactions with each other's teams, you're mentoring every single day. When you have a, when you're in a leadership role it is probably the most fulfilling thing that I that I have ever encountered and to understand. The gravity of an effect or positive effect that you could have on someone making a career decision, a life choice, or just them feeling comfortable in what they're doing. And my, one of my very first mentee mentees, she just wanted to understand how do I manage my every day and be as productive as I can be? And that sounds like such a small. It's simple task, I should say. Not small, a simple task, but depending on what side you're on and what you're doing. She was in food and beverage, which was very reactionary and she had a really tough time with that. And just working with her every single we met every other week. That was the first time I got bit by the bug Dorothy. And from there I just absolutely love it. And leading to even today, mentoring, for our. Excuse me, for our Mike Diamond Scholar award winner Maggie Thompson. And it's just fulfilling. It's just anything that I can do that I can hand somebody to help maybe shorten the runway for them, give them a little guidance, and help them understand that there is a person that's here that you can talk to and confidence and will share, experiences and, and try to help you out along the way.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think that guidance in terms of that lived experience is an important part of why we do these podcasts because I think for many, we often think we're the only person that might be in this situation. So hearing that we aren't, and just sometimes having someone that can listen and offer some practical advice and hopefully center us, which is what I heard,

Monique Lee:

right.

Dorothy Dowling:

You talk about with a woman that was trying to manage just her daily and keep it within a manageable, timeline for her. I'm just wondering if there's anyone in your life that has been an important mentor as you've grown in your career that you might share some stories with us about?

Monique Lee:

I do. I'm actually going to go back to the woman that saw an opportunity. For me. I had this was. In the part of my career where we moved from California and moved to Chicago and moved into a whole new area. And, and you're really trying to find your, you're trying to find your footing in new markets and new areas and you don't know anybody. And, I had met her through LinkedIn actually, and we became, just fast LinkedIn friends, professional friends, and just through conversations and my experience, she had offered an opportunity for me and said, hey, is there an opportunity? I need somebody with your leadership skills, with everything that you bring that could build a new team, get through a$15 million renovation, and I, and he, the owner's a challenging owner, but you have this personality that you can really rally him and you can work together. The only thing, Dorothy, is that it took me from moving from Chicago to Dallas. To be able. Oh boy. That was a defining for sure, a defining moment of someone who a saw an opportunity that I would never have saw for myself. B thought so much of. Our relationship and and my ability to be successful that I went on Faith Dorothy and went to Dallas and had the best experience ever and that really. Having that confidence from somebody else just lit a fire in me to even further mentor others, see opportunities in others that maybe they don't see. And just be that person that I had in my life that made me feel like, I, I can. Pretty much stand and I can do anything. Here's what it takes to do it. And I had to share that story with you.

Dorothy Dowling:

I'm telling you, you must had enormous trust to make a move like that, because that is a big transformational decision. But I, the other part that I really liked about that story, Monique, was that you talked about LinkedIn being a tool in terms of connection and really building a bridge in terms of relationships. I do think it's really important that people think about LinkedIn. It's not just a one way channel to build brand. It is a way to really build, network and connection. Thank you for sharing that.

Monique Lee:

Yes.

Dorothy Dowling:

I'm wondering if we can move on because the conversation of the today is around AI and how disruptive it is and how it's really changing everything that we do. I know some say that, in 24 months, 70% of what we know will be irrelevant. When we think about sales, obviously there's a lot of native AI apps now that are built in a lot of the tools. But I'm just wondering if there's anything that you might be able to share with the audience in terms of how AI is shaping the sales environment in terms of how teams connect, communicate, create value, and how it's going to continue to unfold in the world that you live in.

Monique Lee:

Yeah. I think of, ai, I've really become a person that embraces ai. I keep it in its space, of course, but you embrace it in such a way because I have seen cross collaboration between my team and other disciplines of our business. Being able to have truly truly. Meaningful meetings and be able to, within our virtual world, we're on camera all the time, and sometimes you just don't have that connection that human connection and. Ironically, AI can bring that to you, right? If you're using it in the right way, with from collaborating and detailing and recording meetings and recapping, helping you connect better with your customer in a more timely way. And I say in a timely way because. I think of way back in the day, we had to remind our, we had a red book, number one. We put our notes in. We had to remember things. There were so many things on our calendar sometimes, and AI can be that tool that helps you remember all of those things. Helps you recap quickly and be able to send. Emails out, rescheduled meetings and different things like that. Being a global organization with Wyndham we sell in emea, we sell in latam, we sell across the globe and it can really help you with that. And that language and translation as well. It is, it's something that I definitely definitely embrace. It helps people create. Thoughtful emails, but at the end of the day, we cannot lose sight of that human piece, that everything has to be authentic. And you may start out something in ai, but you have to bring that human piece and you still have to show up in those emails, in those meetings, and in those recaps, you still have to have that person, that personal part to it. But yeah.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think the way you're framing in terms of how it's taken away, a lot of the administrative burden and just it's driving efficiencies and productivity and I do love the way, we can record meetings and we get recaps and it keeps everybody on track in terms of project management. So there is an awful lot that it really does empower us to be much more effective. I'm just wondering with your teams, if you're facing any kind of resistance or seeing any kind of issues around embracing technology, using it properly and still bringing obviously the human element that you referenced I'm wondering if there's anything there from a leadership side that you can offer to other leaders that might be listening as to how you guide your team.

Monique Lee:

Absolutely. There's a fear is something that I think we all have when it's something new, right?

Dorothy Dowling:

Yeah.

Monique Lee:

And there may be a lack of trust in something new in a system, and it starts with baby steps and not necessarily jumping all into the AI world. For, I do have some team members that were a little apprehensive and it's just using it a little at a time and sometimes it can be. Something as simple as, we had a training last year at our sales kickoff that was helping them get, helping sellers get used to even going into ai and saying, planning a vacation. Something simple like that kind of helps them get through that. And it's starting out with those baby steps as far as technology and for them to get used to it. And, just a little at a time, but it doesn't replace anything. And that's what I really wanted our team members to know. AI does not replace what we do. We have a human touch. We are we build relationships. We truly, we nurture them. And AI cannot do that, right? So there's still that human element that although it's something new and can be a little nervous for people. You are here. You matter. And embracing it doesn't mean that you're going to lose any control of things. It actually gives you more control.'cause the more you understand, the better you feel.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think there's a couple things that I really liked what you offered Monique. One is. Just getting in and experiencing like a customer.'cause I do think us understanding how a customer might plan a trip and book a trip and the kind of information that's being delivered through the various LLMs, that's critical because I think we all have to be better at that in terms of understanding that we have to be as good as we can be in that space. But I also just think the element of. Understanding that we're strategic advisors, so the information that we can garner through a lot of the different AI products just makes us much more effective as being that strategic advisor to our customers. But it is step by step, and it is, I think that's the advice that we're all hearing today, is that we have to embrace it and we have to get in and we have to learn because that's why we say that 70% of what we know today may be irrelevant. So we're on a big learning journey.

Monique Lee:

Exactly. Exactly. But you hit the nail on the head, Dorothy. It is being a strategic advisor, and that, and it really does make you stronger.

Dorothy Dowling:

Oh, for sure. I love perplexity because I love dropping in everyone's queue, their quarterlies into it, and then just understanding the kinds of questions that are important to the investors, important to the ownership. It's,

Monique Lee:

yes,

Dorothy Dowling:

it just helps us really understand contextually what others might be thinking.

Monique Lee:

Absolutely.

Dorothy Dowling:

We're talking about learning and embracing learning. I would love to hear what you do in terms of keeping yourself up in terms of all of the new and, just continue to polish in terms of your capabilities. What do you do to stay on top of the game?

Monique Lee:

We had mentioned LinkedIn earlier. That is definitely a avenue that I try my best to take advantage of. There are so many training opportunities snippets that are available to, to keep you sharp, to hone in on different skills, everything from people leading to technology, to actual sales and different things like that. I am an avid reader and learner of things, so anything that I can put my hands on I just truly enjoy. I love it so much that I always have to share it like I was sharing the energy bus book, right? So anything that I can do from that standpoint, I take full advantage of even something of a TED Talk that can resonate with you, right? Something that somebody shares that can motivate you. To me, that's learning. I'm learning every day through all the different avenues as well as even from my team members, right? I have an amazing team that have, they're subject matter experts in several different things, and I can learn from them. So I have to say that I have to stay sharp every day, but it's something that I truly enjoy.

Dorothy Dowling:

Yeah. I think that idea of using LinkedIn in terms of. Some of the short training op opportunities is really impactful. And then I, like you I love reading and I like how it pushes you.'cause I think it's a little more reflective than potentially engaging with video. But in any case, I do think it's a matter of us making time for it and making sure that it's an important part of our day so that we keep growing and being able to offer our learnings to others. I'm just wondering if we can talk about your professional engagement with. An organization, and of course we know both in terms of our work with the foundation, but HSM AI has been an important part of your story. You're very engaged with the industry overall. Can you talk a little bit about why that investment in trade associations has been part of your journey and why it's important to you?

Monique Lee:

Absolutely. And what, I'm gonna go back to the previous education, hSM ai I used. Really want to share that the level of education and and trends that we are able to. That I'm able to have access to. Yes, being involved with such an amazing foundation but as an association itself is just a a tremendous thing because it gives you industry insights. Those are all important to what we do every single day. And connecting with peers, sharing strategies, sharing just all of the things that. Whether it's cross-functional revenue management to sales and marketing. This whole community that we have that is extremely important to me. The next organization that is extremely important to me from a growth standpoint, from being connected has to be GBTA. That is, really one of our, one of our foundational organizations that I belong to, and they've always been very important to me just from a connection standpoint, from relationship standpoint, and just building those. Those relationships, but also finding mentors, within these groups you find some amazing mentors that that really help to, grow you,'cause you're always growing and I can't speak enough about it for sure.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think when you talk about the formal education that happens with those trade associations, that's of high value to all of us. And then the informal that comes from just some of the networking and the peer community that you build and the advice that they can extend to, I think is really something that many people don't understand until you get there. And it's such an amazing gift. I also think, when we think about GBTA, which of course has been important to both of us as well it's being engaging with customers. So it's not just suppliers, it's around hearing the voice of your customer in other contexts. It just helps all of us elevate our game. Those are really important things and I don't know if there's any advice that you would offer to our community.'cause I'm a big believer that what you give, you get back many times over, but I'm, I don't know if there's any words of wisdom that you would offer back to our community on why you think it's important for people to get engaged with organizations such as those.

Monique Lee:

Yes, absolutely. I echo what you say. You give what you get, you don't know. You don't know what you're missing out on. It is such a a profound thing and I'm really trying to find the words because it's just so important that you are involved and you just it helps you show up. It helps you show up in a different way and helps you have f fulfillment that you would not. Even think of if you weren't involved. It's great.

Dorothy Dowling:

I agree. It's a fulfillment and sometimes it's a grounding.'cause I think hearing your customer's voice sometimes in a non specific situation when you're in an environment. I just, I think it offers you a different level of learning that can help you connect dots at different levels. So I echo your point of view. I'm wondering if we can talk a little bit about leadership now, because you've obviously have a very important role at Wyndham leading the global sales organization. I'm just wondering if there's any lessons, leadership lessons that have stayed with you through the years in terms of. How to lead with confidence, compassion, and other attributes.

Monique Lee:

Yeah. People appreciate a leader who who is authentic, who shows up every single day. They have to, you have to be trusted. They, and it's about earning that trust. It's not about your title. You can have every title known to man, but it's really about having that trust and that trust is built when your words turn into actions. And it's not just something that is empty on paper. You celebrate their wins, you own any mistakes, right? That is huge. And then you create space for others to be heard. And and that, for me, that's is the foundation of leadership is I wanna be that person that that shows up every single day. And yes, you can trust me, but I can't tell you those words. That's something that I have to earn every single day. So in coming to this role and embracing this new team and, just with different moves, it was every day just being my true, authentic. And understanding that I care with all my heart and I am not afraid to look at my team member and say, Hey, you have a great day today. Or not even have a great day that I truly care for you. And my feelings are very genuine for every person and their families. And, starting out with we start meetings out with all personal. How's. How's the family? How's the kids? How's mom? Because that's authentically how we connect as people. And the leading comes naturally, right? Once you gain that trust with people.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think that personal engagement in terms of understanding people's lives and what's important to them is something that is a. A thread that's a leadership thread, but it's also a customer thread, Monique, because I do think when you understand your customers personally, it's a relationship, it's a quality of the relationship. And I do agree with you. It's something that has to be earned. Because it's not just saying the words, you have to show up and really demonstrate that kind of commitment to others. But I appreciate you saying that because I do think that. Many of us at different times. I know certainly in my career when people had a big title, you thought they knew it all. But yeah, you came to appreciate over time the people that truly brought leadership to a conversation where those that had earned it and really shared their journey with me in different ways. So we're coming up to the end of the interview, Monique, and we always like to ask every advisor that joins us. If you were sitting across the table from yourself, maybe a little beyond when you were visiting hotels with your grandmother, but the kind of advice that you might offer to that young person starting their career or maybe early in their career, the kind of encouragement, any kind of cautions that you would extend, what would you say to that, Monique, in her early career days.

Monique Lee:

In early career days, I would say build your village sooner than later. And I say that we were just talking about different associations to join and giving back to not only community, but also yourself. Because when you're involved with different groups, you gain a lot yourself. I say build your build your village sooner. Don't rush things. And trust the process, right? Some things you learn lessons as you go. You understand that no, just means no right now. May not be no forever, right? And and just being your true self every day, just being your true self every single day and everything, like I said, every decision you make will affect the rest of your life and just moving forward through that.

Dorothy Dowling:

I think that lessons of having more patience and really thinking about our journey with a lot more intention and just the value. Value. I love the way you framed up a village.'cause I do think it is building the network.

Monique Lee:

Yes.

Dorothy Dowling:

I've always believed that your network is your network worth, Monique. And but sometimes when we're early in our careers, we don't fully appreciate what that. Value will bring to us later in our journey. Exactly. If I may I would just love to thank you for sharing so much of your authentic leadership and the advice to our community.'cause I know it's things that they will really value and I really appreciate you giving us a window into your role.'cause I do think that sales is a tough journey and it does require a lot of wisdom and grace and you have always epitomized that to me. So I thank you for spending time with us today, Monique.

Monique Lee:

Oh, I thank you. Thank you so much for the opportunity and our conversation. I always enjoy our times together, thank you

Dorothy Dowling:

so much. Thank you. And to our audience, I'd like to thank you for joining us and if today's episode resonated with you, I hope you will explore more stories@itspersonalstories.com, where you'll find conversations with remarkable leaders like Monique across our industry, people who are charting bull paths, building meaningful careers, and reminding us all that leadership is deeply personal. We hope to see you there. Thank you.

Monique Lee:

Thank you.