Contemporary leadership requires flexibility and adaptability because of the constant changes in the business environment. The purpose of this study is to discuss best practice example in leadership soft skills for managing human resources in Four Season Hotels, and the opportunities for their implementation in Bulgarian tourism organizations. First, the new leadership approaches and a new understanding of the leadership were outlined. Second, pointed out was the essence of the soft skills concept and its close relation to organizational leadership. The characteristics of human resource management in tourism organizations were described. Four Seasons Hotels good practice example was discussed, reffering the leadership soft skills application in successful tourism companies. Best practice implementation in Bulgarian tourism companies was suggested.
Bhanot, S. (2009), Importance of Soft Skills for an Employee and for the Organization. SIES Journal of Management, April-August, Vol.6(1):18-22.
Binsaeed, R., Unnisa, S., Risvi, L. (2017) The big impact of soft skills in today’s workplace. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, UK, Vol. V, Issue 1, 456-463. [Online] Available from: http://ijecm.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/5123.pdf [Accessed 06/09/2019].
Dabeva, T., Lukanova, G., Filipova, H. (2016) Comparative analysis of cultural characteristics of Bulgaria and Greece according to Hofstede’s paradigm. Cultural corridor Western transbalkan road: Cultural tourism without boundaries, International scientific conference, Meteora-Lefkada, Greece, 29.09 - 03.10, YUZU – Blagoevgrad, 1-13.
Four Seasons Hotels: a Forbes publication. [Online] Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/micahsolomon/2015/08/17/four-seasons-leader-isadore-sharp-treat-employees-right-so-they-treat-customers-right/#1fb8229c3303 [Accessed 21/05/2020]
Goleman, D. (1996) Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Goleman. D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Gregory-Mina, H. (2009) Four Leadership Theories Addressing Contemporary Leadership Issues as the Theories Relate to the Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership Model. Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, Vol.7, Issue. 3, Article 10. Available at: https://scholars.fhsu.edu/alj/vol7/iss3/10 [Accessed 04/11/2020].
Kazandzhieva, V., Lukanova, G., Santana, H. (2019) Challenges for Technological Innovations Implementation in the Bulgarian Hotels. Society and Sustainable Development : International Conference Information, 6th Edition, May 10 - 11, Targu-Jiu, Romania: Academica Brancusi Publ. House, 133 - 137.
Koleva, V. (2011) Kadrovi predizvikatelstva pred IT firmite i ikonomikata na znanieto, v konteksta na novite realnosti. International conference “Interaction theory - practice: key problems and solutions”, 24-25 June. Burgas: Burgas Free University, Vol. 1, 401-408.
Lukanova, G., Filipova, H. (2019) Factors Influencing the Timeshare's Application in the Hotel Product of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Strategic Management, XV International Conference on Strategic Management, IMCSM 19, Bor, Sebia, May, 24 – 26, Belgrade : University of Belgrade. Technical Faculty in Bor, 432 - 442.
Marinov, S., Yancheva, K., Dyankov, Т. (2019) Destination Bulgaria on the Silk Road - Opportunities and Challenges. Izvestia Journal of the Union of Scientists – Varna, Economic Sciences Series, 8, (3), 81 - 90.
McShane, S., Glinow, M. (2005) Organizational behavior: Emerging realities for the workplace revolution (3rd ed.). New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Meeks, G. (2007) Critical Soft Skills to Achieve Success in the Workplace. Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection. [Online] Available from: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations [Accessed 25/03/2020].
Mills, Q. (2005) The Importance of Leadership: How to Lead, How to Live. MindEdge Press. [Online] Available from: https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-How-Lead-Live-ebook/dp/ B00B14OHWG [Accessed 03/11/2020].
Narayan, J. (2016) Social Intelligence and Equality. Manchester University Press, Series: Theory for a Global Series: Theory for a Global Age. [Online] Available from: https://www.manchesteropenhive.com/view/9781526101020/9781526101020.00010.xml [Accessed 17/02/2020].
People Skills: the blog of Coates [Online]. Available from: https://www.2020insight.net/ PeopleSkills.htm [Accessed 17/05/2020].
Quang, Q. (2006) Communication Across Cultures. Tap chi Khoa hoc DHQGHN, Ngoai ngu, T XXII, So 4, Doctoral dissertation. [Online] Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/277199270 [Accessed: 22/03/2020].
Roehl , W., Swerdlow , S. (1999 ) Training and its impact on organizational commitment among lodging employees . Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research 23 : 176 – 194 .
Seetha, N. (2014). Are soft skills important in the Workplace? - A Preliminary Investigation in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, April, Vol. 4, No. 4, 44-56. [Online] Available from: http://hrmars.com/index.php/papers/detail/ IJARBSS/751 [Accessed: 18/04/2020].
Surji, K. (2015) Understanding Leadership and Factors that Influence Leaders’ Effectiveness. European Journal of Business and Management, Vol.7, No.33, 154 – 167.
Veleva, M. (2018) Upravlenie na promenite v turisticheskite organizacii chrez promyana na naglasite na sluzhitelite. Izvestia Journal of the Union of Scientists – Varna, Economic Sciences Series, Vol. 7 (1), 230-239.
Yancheva, K. (2017) Exploring the applications of ancient and modern recreational methods in spa and wellness tourism. Contemporary Tourism - Traditions and Innovations, 19 - 21 October 2017, Sofia, St. Kliment Ohridski University Press, 426 – 443.
