A Curriculum Offering from Wyoming, Outdoor Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality Initiative (WORTH) & the Center for Principle-Based Leadership & Ethics (PBLE)
The Western Hospitality Certificate is a continuing education program tailored to
meet the needs of hospitality professionals. Its primary objective is to nurture and
enhance crucial competencies vital to the industry. Rooted in the “Code of the West”
and the cherished ideals of Western hospitality, such as integrity, trustworthiness,
accountability, transparency, fairness, respect, sustainability, and innovation, this
program caters to participants seeking to enhance their skill set in this regard.
By embracing these values, participants will develop essential competencies for the
hospitality industry, while learning how to apply these principles in their daily
interactions with guests and colleagues. This unique approach ensures that
graduates of the program not only excel in their professional roles but also uphold
the enduring traditions of Western hospitality, creating memorable experiences for
guests and setting a high standard for the industry.
Participants have the flexibility to pursue the full certificate, encompassing all 21 competencies, or opt for individual badges (among 11), each of which focuses on one to two specific competencies, depending on their unique requirements.
Badge 1: Self-Awareness
Competency Workshop: Understanding and Developing Your Leadership Style
Participants will explore the intricacies of leadership by leveraging personality
assessment tools to identify their unique leadership style. Through expert guidance,
self-reflection, and interactive exercises, participants gain insights into their
strengths and areas for growth as a leader in the hospitality industry.
Badge 2: Personal Ethics
Competency Workshop: Personal Code of Ethics
Reflecting on the “Code of the West,” participants gain awareness of their own moral
foundation by developing their own personal code of ethics. Each participant’s code
will consist of a unique set of principles, which they will use as a framework for
making ethical decisions for themselves.
Competency Workshop: Principle-Based Decision Making
Integrating their personal code of ethics, participants gain awareness of strategies
for making principle-based decisions in their hospitality work. Participants are then
prepared to live and lead on principle through application of fundamental decision-making
principles.
Badge 3: Interpersonal Effectiveness
Competency Workshop: Above-Board Communication
Drawing on the various frameworks of humble and servant leadership, participants learn
how to compassionately listen for understanding, humbly receive feedback, and honestly
express their needs and intentions. Participants
will be equipped with the essential communication skills for building trust, fostering
collaboration, and achieving sustainable leadership excellence.
Competency Workshop: Group and Conflict Management
Integrating several interrelated frameworks for team effectiveness, participants are
exposed to the markers of team success and typical dysfunctions (e.g., communication
breakdowns, conflict, etc.) that prevent them from reaching
those. Participants then learn how to help their teams effectively address those dysfunctions
and become a cohesive unit.
Badge 4: People Operations
Competency Workshop: Talent Acquisition
Participants learn effective talent acquisition practices to align selection and staffing
strategies with business strategies in the hospitality industry. Participants will
learn how to create a compelling employer brand, employ innovative recruitment techniques,
and effectively evaluate candidates to build a skilled and diverse workshop.
Competency Workshop: Talent Management
Drawing upon various motivation and performance management frameworks, participants
learn how to effectively direct capable employees. Participants will gain expertise
on how to align talent management with business objectives, create robust succession
plans, and foster a culture of continuous learning and growth.
Badge 5: Operational Excellence
Competency Workshop: Lean Management
Participants learn the principles of total quality management and how to execute this
team-oriented, cohesive strategy in the hospitality industry. Through interactive
sessions and practical exercises, participants gain the skills to streamline processes,
optimize resource utilization, and enhance customer value.
Competency Workshop: Logistics of Customer Experience
Participants learn principles for strategic procurement and delivery of resources
needed to provide excellent customer results. Participants will equip themselves with
the tools and knowledge to create a seamless, customer-centric journey, enhancing
loyalty and driving business growth.
Badge 6: Fiscal Responsibility
Competency Workshop: Revenue Management
Participants learn pricing strategies and distribution channels in maximizing the
organization’s profitability. In this intensive program, participants will learn understanding
of pricing strategies, demand forecasting, and inventory management to optimize revenue
streams
Competency Workshop: Cost Control and Budgeting
Participants learn principles for strategic budgeting in order to keep costs in line
with strategic objectives. Participants will be guided through creating budgets that
align with strategic goals and implementing strategies to control and reduce costs
without compromising quality.
Badge 7: Event Management
Competency Workshop: Event Proposal and Contract Implementation
Participants learn to determine the overall objectives and goals of your event, use
data to determine your overall budget, ROI, contracts, and risk management. Participants
will learn to craft winning event proposals, negotiate contracts, and navigate legal
and logistical considerations.
Competency Workshop: Event Planning and Problem-Solving
Participants learn to determine event logistics, communication strategies, promotional
strategies, and how to problem-solve the unexpected. Participants will develop the
skills to design, execute, and adapt event plans effectively while
creating memorable and successful events.
Badge 8: Customer Experience
Competency Workshop: Professional Sales & Marketing
Participants learn principles of professional sales and how to effectively align marketing
and sales campaigns with corporate strategy. Participants will learn how to create
compelling marketing campaigns, target audiences effectively, and harness the power
of digital marketing tools.
Competency Workshop: Service Excellence
Participants understand the dynamics of service excellence in the hospitality industry
and determine their personal service philosophy. Participants will develop the skills
needed to exceed customer expectations, build lasting relationships, and drive customer
loyalty.
Badge 9: Organizational Leadership
Competency Workshop: Strategic Leadership
Participants are prepared to implement business-level strategic plans and organizational
change initiatives by exploring the mechanisms of change. They are also taught how
to align human capital management functions with the business-level strategy and talent
philosophy.
Competency Workshop: Entrepreneurial Leadership
Participants are prepared to address a practical challenge facing their organization
or unit through an experiential exercise during which they learn best practices of
entrepreneurial leadership, including the process of supporting organizational innovation.
Participants are also taught principles for implementing the process of integrating
new ideas, strategies, processes, and practices for growth.
Badge 10: Organizational Sustainability
Competency Workshop: Values-Driven Culture
Participants develop a plan for integrating their values into the organizational culture,
and then create a “higher-purpose” statement for the organization. This workshop will
equip participants to build a values-driven culture that enhances employee engagement,
fosters innovation, and drives long-term success.
Competency Workshop: Sustainable Operations
Participants learn how to effectively engage their people and resources around a long-term
vision and purpose. Participants will take a deep dive into sustainable business strategies,
covering topics such as resource efficiency, environmental responsibility, and ethical
supply chain management.
Badge 11: Leveraging Technology
Competency Workshop: Basic Applications
Participants gain exposure to and competence with cutting-edge technologies used in
the hospitality industry. This program is designed to demystify and harness the potential
of technology, empowering participants to utilize technology to streamline operations,
improve productivity, and drive innovation.
Competency Workshop: Improving Customer Experience through AI
Participants take an in-depth exploration into the future technological innovations
that will alter the hospitality industry and gain understanding how to prepare for
them.
Chris Haller, Director of PBLE
PBLE@uwyo.edu | (307) 766 - 6271
