Reaching the level of director of human resources for an international chain of luxury hotels is no easy feat, and the people in such positions can pride themselves on the fact that they have overcome challenges in their career by implementing good management techniques.
Diana Chik, director of human resources for Langham Hotels International, has been in the business for over 18 years, and she has shown in her career that she has what it takes to succeed in her area of the fast-moving international hotel business. She has plenty of good advice for anyone making the transition to managerial level.
'At [managerial level] you become more part of a team. The processes become more integrated and this means you have to work in a methodical way - but this is liberating as you are part of the team and also the team leader. From this perspective, you can only learn more.'
Successful managers must 'open their minds, ask questions and never be afraid to learn', Ms Chik said.
On top of this, they must be willing to stand up and not be afraid to ask questions about things they may not fully understand. 'No one ever got shot for asking the wrong question,' she said.
Learning from experienced colleagues, especially in an international setting, was vital to the future success of middle managers, Ms Chik said.