Daily Schedule
Saturday, March 7
Sunday, March 8
Monday, March 9
Spotlight Stage: Innovation Feature - RobotLAB
Meet RobotLAB - from food delivery to cleaning and guest service, our robot servers & solutions help improve speed, efficiency, and hygiene. Implementing automation cuts labor costs, boosts server tips, and provides a modern, high-tech experience that attracts customers and increases satisfaction. Check out their demo on the Spotlight Stage or visit them in Ballroom Booth #2002.
Keynote Winning Conflict - Dr. Bryan Deptula
WINNING CONFLICT
FINDING THE ‘WIN’ IN EVERY CONFLICT
WHY THIS TOPIC? In the hospitality sector, conflict is inevitable and ranges from front desk guest engagement and contract disputes with vendors to the frequent employee-boss friction that drives turnover. When left unmanaged, these disputes trigger an anti-learning cycle where defensiveness stifles collaboration and performance.
The best leaders recognize that they have a responsibility to know how to lead through these moments because their leadership identity is directly tied to how they handle the "unknown unknowns" of a crisis. Because people "quit their bosses, not their jobs," mastering the art of winning conflict is the single most effective strategy for retaining top talent, negotiating better contracts with vendors, improving employee performance, and elevating the guest and client experience.
In this keynote, Dr. Bryan Deptula—author of the book and presenter of the viral TEDx Talk "Leaders Are Born To Be Made"—reframes conflict as a necessary engine for organizational health. Conflict is not a static event but a contagious and dynamic process that creates energy. This session explores the "C" (Conflict) in the Leader M.U.S.C.L.E. model, shifting the goal from merely "handling" disputes to "Inviting Good Conflict". You will learn to harness the energy of disagreement to drive innovation and team synergy.
Dr. Bryan Deptula is a Maker of Leaders who delivers Pain Relief for Businesses. Bryan is the most down-to-earth PhD, Speaker, and Entrepreneur in the hospitality industry. He's the only hospitality consultant with a 6-inch facial scar from a knife fight, who went from being the 'King of Spring Break' to the 'Hospitality Business Physician.'
Dr. Bryan Deptula, a leadership and organizational strategist; and Ben Gray, an Executive and specialist in hotel operations and systems recently launched Henlopen Hospitality. Services include Franctional CEO, Sales. Operations. Systems, Leadership Development & Coaching, M & A Exit Strategy.