Nisha MacDougall, the general manager of Mercure Hotel Nelspruit, is big on promoting education in the workplace.
She encouraged staff to sign up for free online courses at the International Hotel School and partnered with Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust to host lectures for staff once a week.
MacDougall was nominated for Businesswoman of the year category at the Standard Bank Top Women Awards this year.
The awards recognise those organisations and individuals who uplift women in business and society. She obtained her Honours Degree in Hospitality Management from Thames Valley University in London and a National Diploma in Hotel Management in South Africa.
Her hotel experience spans over 20 years, from being a waitress at a Johannesburg hotel to managing hotels in the UK and Africa.
She prefers a hands-on approach to leadership.
“I prefer to lead by example and I try to help my staff when necessary. I look at every challenge as an opportunity.
“We are working towards the same goal and that is for our guests to have a perfect stay. We are big on the return guest = increased revenue philosophy,” says MacDougall.
When asked where she saw herself in 5 years, she says: “I am taking each day at a time. I am enjoying where I am now.”