CEO Corner by GLEAM Network
Deb Dziena, Recruiter HR/Global Talent Attraction At Royal Caribbean Group Shares Why Transparency When Developing Others Is So Important
Meet Deb Dziena - I’ve been in the F&B and Hospitality industry for over 20 years, in operations, leading teams in various multi-unit concepts domestically and internationally. I spent several years with Rosa Mexicano Restaurants, where I led operations at our Union Square location in New York City, while extensively traveling for new openings during our years of expansion. I moved to Miami, from New York, in 2008 to lead the Florida Region and Miami has been home ever since! After leaving Rosa in 2014, I spent a short period of time in other areas of the F&B space, including various consulting projects, but my deep passion for the employee experience is what drove me to make an exciting pivot to HR/TA in 2019. Today, I am part of the Global Talent Attraction team, at Royal Caribbean Group, supporting various Shipboard Operations Teams for recruitment needs, within the Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Brands.
Throughout my career, I have been extremely fortunate to have supported initiatives for Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace. I have trained, mentored and developed individuals from around the world, coaching many of them into senior management level positions. I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the personal and professional mentors in my life. Most importantly, for all of the incredibly talented young professionals who have inspired me to inspire them; all while doing what I love most, impacting change!
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. Can you tell us a bit more about your role? Talk to us about what you look for when attracting and hiring new talent. Both from the candidate side and the management/leadership side.
Thank you! I am deeply humbled to be sharing a bit of my story with you today. I am currently a Recruiter at Royal Caribbean Group, within the HR/Global Talent Attraction Team. I support Specialty & Management recruitment needs for but are not limited to the Beverage, Housekeeping & NextCruise Sales Shipboard teams, for the Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Brands.
While attracting and hiring new talent, I look for genuine, hospitality-driven individuals who have a passion to please. Most of our skills are transferable, yet the one thing we cannot teach is passion, for the guest experience, for delivering memorable moments. The same goes for our candidate experience. We should be giving our candidates the same experiences we give our guests. Our candidates should walk away having a memorable experience, every time!
In addition to talent acquisition part of your role is mentoring and development, often leading to leadership positions. Can you share advice on what makes a great mentor? And what advice can you share with those being mentored and developed to progress in their career?
Coaching and developing young professionals to identify their authentic management style is something I am deeply passionate about! Having been blessed with amazing mentors throughout my life, I strongly believe having transparent, direct conversations is the special sauce to being a great mentor. Set boundaries early on with your mentee. Empower your mentee to drive the experience. Truly listen to each other and allow yourselves to be vulnerable with one another. Most importantly, build trust and get comfortable with being uncomfortable!
Diversity and Inclusion are a top priority for corporations across the globe. Can you share with us how you are personally changing the conversation and pushing for a more diverse workplace?
The Hospitality, F&B Industry is one that has always been led disproportionately by male professionals. Changing the current landscape of the industry is something that is top of mind for me and always has been. Having worked my way up through all line-level positions, hired staff, trained staff, and managed at the Director level, I am fiercely committed to “walking the talk.” I am committed to sharing my years of personal & professional experiences, to inspire young leaders, while positively leveraging my networks and volunteering platforms to empower change for Diversity & Inclusion! I am in awe of the talent out there! We need to encourage hard conversations with each other, it’s the only way to impact true change. It starts with us as leaders! Change is slowly evolving, but there is a lot of work to be done.
How do you continue to infuse empathy in your work culture? What keeps the heartbeat?
Checking in on your teammates, showing compassion, and sharing moments of gratitude. Celebrate! Failures too, and know it’s ok, not to be ok!! Our people are the heartbeat, without our people we cannot do what we do!
Has your role changed from pre-pandemic?
Absolutely, it changes daily. We must be adaptable and stay in a positive space! However, it’s provided a perspective that we cannot take a moment for granted. We ALL are going through it! It’s a Global experience, an unspoken alignment!
What is the best career advice a mentor has given to you that still resonates with you to this day?
The best advice and one I truly own, you must have self-awareness. Emotional intelligence is paramount! Asking for constructive feedback and embracing that feedback is what has made me a better person, personally and professionally.
CEO Corner by GLEAM Network is a collection of short interviews with executives and leaders from nationally and globally recognized brands. The interviews are meant to inspire our GLEAM Community and those looking to advance their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry.
If you enjoyed Deb’s story and would like to connect with her directly, you can follow Deb on LinkedIn.
GLEAM Network is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose purpose is to provide access to mentorship and leadership development to underserved professionals in the restaurant and foodservice industry. With a bold vision to be a truly global, and the most effective, mentoring network for our communities in the industry, our organization provides low / no-cost access to all programs. At GLEAM, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to learn by engaging with others who are more experienced and to advance their careers by building expertise and developing themselves. Founded during the pandemic to serve the needs of an industry hard-hit by closures and rocked by an uncertain future, GLEAM Network is the only organization of its kind in the Restaurant/Foodservice Industry. Learn more about GLEAM Network, our mission, and our 1:1 Mentor Programs on our website.
