Page 18 - KZN Top Business Women 2022 Powed by DRG & BusinessFit SA

SAMANTHA CROFT, DIRECTOR OF KZN, challenge because there’s not much influence they have their degrees, they should become
DIRECTOR
REGIONAL
OPERATIONS, SOUTHERN SUN, you have over those things. You’ve just got to managers straight away. Her advice is that
EVEREST STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS.
KZN REGION try and get your team to work around those your degree on paper means that you have
obstacles as best as they can.” the knowledge, it doesn’t mean you know how
to implement it yet and you need to do your
AMANTHA CROFT is the Director of Samantha is also the chairlady of the Tourism
Operations for Southern Sun for the Forum of the Durban Chamber of Business time in the trenches.
KZN region, and she also looks after the and Commerce. She was requested to join the She commented, “It helps you along the way
Sresorts in South Africa. organisation by the CEO Palesa Phili. Samantha because sometimes you may have staffing

“I’ve been with Southern Sun pretty much all said, “I am very excited for this journey and to issues where staff can’t come to work because
of my career,” says Sam. “I trained with Protea see how the Durban Chamber has grown and of taxis that are not running etc. Your operations
Hotels; I had a sabbatical and went to Sun started using relationships and collaborations still need to work and if you don’t learn how
International at Sun City for eighteen months to get things going in this city.” to do the menial tasks like checking in a guest
and came back to Southern Sun, so I’ve worked INSPIRATION FOR THE JOURNEY or cleaning out of rooms, you’re not going to
my way up through the ranks.” know what to do. Whereas if you learn along
Speaking of who inspires her, Samanatha says the way, this knowledge clicks in automatically.
The position Samantha had before this one, that because she meets so many different We have a saying that you need to do your
was as the general manager of Southern Sun people, there are various people that have 10 000 hours and those really are your building
Elangeni & Maharani. Her big project there was motivated her and inspired her on her journey. blocks. I always say to people be patient and in
to join the two hotels and create one big iconic Early on in her career, she was influenced by time your turn will come.”
hotel, which was launched in 2012. In 2018 a lady who back in those days, when there
Samantha was promoted to regional director were very few female managers, or senior DAILY EXERCISE
of operations. managers, was probably the first person in In order to unwind Samantha exercises every
such a role. day. She lives in Ballito and drives to Durban
DAILY CHALLENGES quite early in the morning because she goes to
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cry, and yet she
Samantha spends her days working with people gym. She says, “Four days a week I run and one
– both guests and employees – so she says her is a softy. So, it’s not about being this hard- day a week I have a personal trainer, I also have
day comprises of people. Her daily challenges iron lady, it is about being able to portray the a running partner.”
are then related to guests or sorting out service strength that you have. And not being one of
delivery issues and sometimes staff. those ladies that turn to tears and hopefully Samantha has just recently learnt to body
someone will feel sorry for you and that’s how board and is overcoming her fear of the ocean.
She says, “My big thing is to try and create an you get your way. But over time I’ve also dealt She has a huge respect for the ocean but loves
environment in which people can grow. I feel with many managers along the way from whom spending time on the beach. ‘I was always
that if you have that environment, people can you can also learn how not to be. Sometimes nervous of the sea and now I’m starting to
prosper, they are happier and are automatically people have quite bad traits in their leadership learn something new,” Samantha said.
more motivated, therefore, they deliver on style and when you go through the journey
your service promise.” you kind of remind yourself that’s how you In conclusion said Samantha, “This initiative is
shouldn’t be. It’s not always taking the best a great opportunity for women in KZN and I
In addition, currently a major challenge that out of people, but also ensuring that if you say KZN because I think we have had a tough
the hospitality industry is facing is that, think there is something wrong, that you try time over the last couple of years. We were
traditionally, they’ve had to deal with matters and focus on not incorporating that into your joking the one day saying that all we haven’t
within their control and matters within their leadership style.” had was the plague. Every time you think you
building. Samantha explains, “For example are overcoming something, another hurdle
your delivery of eggs doesn’t arrive. Now we Samantha commented that she finds that lands in your lap and I think that KZN has
are finding that we are dealing with external the youngsters of today, the millennials and overcome these. I think we have tenacity, so
factors; like the sewerage issue, the beaches Generation-X, are into instant gratification. I think this initiative will really help motivate
closing, and the rioting. I find that this is quite a As such the youth of today, feel that when women in our province.”

17