What Aren’t You Hearing?

I used to think being a good listener meant keeping my door open, returning phone calls, and paying attention when someone had something to say. Those things matter. But after years of leading a destination marketing organization (DMO), I came to understand there’s a difference between listening to people and having a system that allows you to hear what you need to know.

Every CEO develops a circle of people who talk to them. Board members call. Hotel general managers speak up. Elected officials have our numbers. Attractions, restaurateurs and community leaders know how to reach us. We see many of the same people at meetings, receptions and community events. Before long, it can feel as though we're hearing from the community.

But are we?

I think one of the most important questions a DMO CEO can ask is: Who isn't talking to me? The front-desk employee at a hotel probably knows more about the visitor experience than I do. So does the server who hears visitors complain about parking, the Uber driver answering questions about what there’s to do tonight, and the attraction employee who watches families arrive confused because the information they found online was outdated. They’re part of our destination intelligence system, whether we recognize it or not.

The same is true of residents. Small-business owners. Younger professionals. Neighborhood leaders. Artists. College students. Newcomers. People who don't attend tourism meetings and may not even know what a DMO does. Some of the most useful intelligence about a destination exists outside tourism's traditional circle.

That's why I believe CEOs need to intentionally build a listening system. It doesn't have to be complicated. Have coffee with people who have never been invited to a tourism meeting. Spend time at the visitor information desk. Walk through a hotel lobby and talk with employees, not just the general manager. Visit locally owned businesses without an agenda. Ask younger staff members what they're seeing that leadership may be missing. And occasionally ask a very simple question: What are people saying when we're not in the room? That question can be uncomfortable. It can also be invaluable.

CEOs need to recognize another danger. The longer we lead an organization, the more filtered information can become before it reaches us. People naturally tell the CEO what they think the CEO wants to hear. Staff members solve problems before they reach our desks. Community partners sometimes soften criticism because they value the relationship. None of that’s necessarily intentional. It's simply what happens around leadership. Which means the CEO has to work harder to hear the unfiltered version.

A good listening system isn't about collecting complaints or conducting another survey. It's about constantly expanding the number and variety of voices helping us understand our destination. Because the biggest threat isn't always hearing something we don't like. Sometimes it's never hearing it at all.