My best counsel for overcoming obstacles is to always try to be a contributor, striving for excellence and always running the extra mile. Positive thinking, collaboration, and teamwork are all important.

I have been fortunate to have many mentors over the course of my career. There are three significant things I’ve learned from each of them, and I continually apply these principles to my career.

First, deliver what you promise. Set high standards for yourself and then deliver. Earn an unshakable reputation for excellence, integrity, and responsiveness.

Second, play to win. Develop strategies that can leapfrog you ahead of the competition. Again, it’s about setting high standards and goals that can help differentiate you and create the foundation for professional and corporate success.

Finally, master the art of successful risk taking. For example, the hospitality industry is incredibly fast-moving; to continue to lead our industry, my company has to consistently anticipate our customers’ needs and exceed their expectations. Success comes from being proactive, not reactive. That means that you need to be innovative, flexible, focused, and ultimately, accountable.

As a leader, I also take my role as a mentor very seriously. I firmly believe the pursuit of our business objectives must be balanced against the needs of our associates. We must all make it our responsibility to provide the support and guidance others need to grow and reach their full potential. This is how we can achieve the ultimate success.