Meet Melissa Tang | 2023 General Manager Finalist
Welcome to the Stelliers General Manager Finalist Interview Series, where we explore the dynamic world of hospitality leadership. Join us as we dive into the inspiring journey of Melissa Tang, General Manager of Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, as she shares her experiences and insights on how success is not only about the path we follow but also the impact we make on others and the world around us.
Can you share a brief overview of your career journey to date?
I pride myself on being a dynamic, passionate, and highly motivated hotelier. With approximately 27 years of experience, I am a true advocate for guest-centric values and a dedicated team player, constantly striving for excellence through my unwavering commitment to craftsmanship and people.
My career in hospitality began with international luxury river cruises, to which I dedicated 12 years of my life. During this time, I made a significant shift in my career, moving from an operational role to the position of Director of Human Resources. Fuelled by my career aspirations, I transitioned back into operations as Director of Rooms in 2016 at Four Seasons Guangzhou. My dedication and expertise eventually led to my promotion as Hotel Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Langkawi, Malaysia. In 2018, I embarked on a pre-opening venture with Capella Sanya, which the team achieved many successful milestones during my three and half years with the Capella team!
Through dedicating my knowledge, passion, and resilience to the hospitality industry, my dreams came true when I was appointed as the General Manager of Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain! We define luxury and hospitality differently. Hospitality is never just about a place to stay. We want our places and spaces to help people reconnect and explore what it means to be mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally happy.
With genuine actions that merge the two platforms of wellness and sustainability to promote personal health and the health of our planet, we allow our guests to experience something out of the ordinary. To feel more alive. To be part of a community, play, and ultimately reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around us. Our properties blend into the contours of the natural landscape, incorporating local cultural and design elements. The focus is on creating healing spaces and structures, where each detail carefully considers the holistic senses to provide balance and harmony. You can retreat, reenergise, and restore your inner calm in places that enable positive energy dance and flow.
In this role, I have the pleasure of leading the team in initiating and curating the Six Senses Guest Journey – such as Sleep with Six Senses, the Wellness Festival, the Dirty Wellness concept with a focus on sustainability, Eat with Six Senses, Sustainability Camp, and a local sensitivity program that combines a Six Senses Wellness and Tai Chi Wellness Series. These initiatives enrich the guest experience at Six Senses with sustainable wellness elements.
I believe that the true test of success is not merely the journey to achieving it, but rather what we do with success once we find it, and the impact one has on others and the world around us. My career has been a happy and fulfilling one, and no matter what we have to go through, we stay motivated and energised. I view my team as a close-knit family, and I cherish every opportunity to work together to create memorable experiences for guests at each of the hotels I have worked at. We all feel so proud to work together as part of the Six Senses family; I consider it a privilege to have been able to turn my passion into my career and daily inspiration and I feel even luckier to be working at one of the world’s renowned hotels!
What challenges have you faced throughout the 2023 recovery, and what best practices can you share with us for facing such challenges?
In 2023, we are witnessing a period of uncertainty and rapid market changes. These changes have been brought about by the lifting of travel restrictions, shifts in guest booking pace, and evolving trends in market dynamics and guest behavior. Notably, one of the most dynamic aspects of this change is in guests’ travel behaviour; people are paying more attention to their travel experiences, product quality, and package content, and staycations and immersive experiences have become the prevailing trends in this evolving landscape.
What’s more, there has been a notable shift towards wellness, which is reshaping the market. Both new generation and experienced travellers are increasingly prioritising their physical and mental health, and it has become natural for them to allocate funds for their health, which includes improving physical fitness through quality sleep, dietary supplements, exercise, and fostering a healthy mindset through practices like meditation and sound healing. Leveraging the core pillars of Six Senses, including Eat with Six Senses, Sleep with Six Senses, and Wellness at Six Senses, we have developed different programs to meet guest expectations.
Our packages revolve around health-related classes and activities. They also provide access to nutritious dietary options. This approach not only enhances the guest experience but also drives revenue growth through the creation of related products and services.
What best practices do you follow with regard to hiring and retaining talent?
Achieving Hiring Excellence and Success:
In pursuit of hiring best practices and success, we place a strong emphasis on building a company and team culture rooted in learning, positive energy, and inclusive team spirit! To achieve this, we have implemented a range of best practices, including:
Expanding recruitment channels
Collaborating with HTM Schools
Strengthening our referral programs and succession plans
Initiating brand days for hiring promotions
Leading Six Senses Mission Wellness and Responsible Host Program, which includes our monthly sustainability training and activities – an iconic program experience for our employees,
Engaging with the local community for hiring, recognising that many individuals prefer to work close to their homes and families.
Retention:
Retaining talent is paramount to our success in the industry. We do invest in our team members in a variety of ways:
Recognition programs that celebrate success, including success parties
Initiating reward and incentive programs to motivate and appreciate our team
Friday Dining Festival in the staff cafeteria
Career development and succession planning
Overseas task force and exposure program, which launched right after travel restrictions were lifted
Empowerment and Engagement:
Our leadership style is adaptable and flexible, enabling us to embrace diverse talents and engage with them effectively. We can communicate through various means, including face-to-face and through the use of WeChat.
We actively engage in activities such as the General Manager Chit Chat Program, Mission Wellness, sustainability activities, sports, and team-building activities.
We make it a priority to speak the same “language” when interacting with our hosts, addressing their unique needs and adapting our approach accordingly. We set clear career development paths, conduct Career Talk sharing sessions to exchange and share insights and take the time to understand and accommodate the needs of our talent.
How have guest expectations changed in 2023, and how have you addressed the change?
Guest expectations have evolved across various dimensions. They now seek high-quality services and products, are more inclined to experience outdoor activities that bring them closer to nature, and value the experience of connecting with family and friends. Wellness, immersive cultural and tourism experiences, sustainable activities, and participating in responsible travel have become significant areas of concern too.
To create more extraordinary experiences for our guests, we follow Six Senses values, placing a heightened focus on service details to engage our guests with enthusiasm. In pursuit of this, we host social events every Friday and Saturday night; a Six Senses Moment that aligns with our values of local sensitivity and global sensibility. During these gatherings, we serve drinks with local characteristics to welcome our guests and share the unique stories of the location and architectural features of the resort. These meticulous and innovative ideas are consistently shared with each host and, as a result, the resort has introduced more fun and quirky guest experiences, including camping areas, children's playgrounds, outdoor landscaped pools, and distinctive dining options: dining by the farm and dining by the pool.
In line with our commitment to sustainability, we prioritise caring for the local community and the environment. Initiatives such as the Panda Project and the Taoist culture-sharing courses are gradually being implemented. By creating moments where nature and culture coexist, we establish stronger connections with our environment and heritage, leading to a wealth of unique Six Senses moments.
What book or podcast have you recently read / listened to that inspired you?
The Culture Code is one of the books that left a lasting impression on me and offers lots of insight for today’s team leaders. In The Culture Code, author Daniel Coyle delves into some of the world’s most successful organisations, including the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six, IDEO, and the San Antonio Spurs, unveiling what drives their success. For example, culture is not something you are – it’s something you do. The Culture Code puts the power in your hands. No matter the size of your group or your goal, this book can teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that can transform individuals into teams capable of accomplishing amazing things together.
A Woman Makes A Plan by Maye Musk is another inspiring book. In this book, Maye shares her life experiences, offering hard-earned wisdom and frank, practical advice on career, family, health, adventure, and more. You can't control everything that happens, but you can live a happier, healthier, and fun-filled life at any age. All you have to do is make a plan.
Finally, a podcast that has recently inspired me is “Grit – The Power of Passion and Perseverance”. Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York Public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating successful students from those who struggle. Here, she explains her theory of “grit” as a predictor of success.
What is a motto that you live by?
The mottos I live by for self-motivation and the secret to success are:
“Live and Learn” and “Be competitive, be stronger”.