In moments of uncertainty, the best leaders don’t just protect business—they protect people.
That’s the leadership lesson Certified Hospitality Professional Dr. Manida Xongmixay-Lau learned during one of the most devastating events in modern history: September 11, 2001.
“I vividly remember the day 9/11 happened,” Dr. Manida told Financial Adviser PH. “At the time, I was a Human Resources Coordinator at HTH Corporation in Hawaii.”
Almost overnight, hotel occupancy across their three properties in Oahu and the Big Island plunged from 95% to just 10%. The company was forced to cut hours and lay off nearly 60% of its workforce.
But instead of leading with fear or rigid protocol, Mr. H.T. Hayashi, the late founder of HTH Corporation, led with compassion. And that decision left a permanent imprint on Dr. Manida’s leadership style.
“He responded not with panic, but with compassion,” she said. “He established a small grocery store on one of the hotel properties, stocked with essentials like diapers, infant formula, rice, and canned goods.”
Laid-off and furloughed employees were able to convert lost hours into grocery points to redeem items for their families. That store operated for 18 months.
Compassion isn’t soft—it’s strategic
The result? Loyalty that contracts couldn’t buy. According to Dr. Manida, two of Mr. Hayashi’s original hotels remained non-unionized for over 45 years—a direct result of the trust and empathy he built.
“This story is one of the greatest legacies I learned, cherish, and continue to share,” she said. “Leadership isn’t just about strategy—it’s about humanity.”
Today, Dr. Manida leads by those same values—prioritizing dignity, transparency, and people-first leadership in every crisis she encounters.
Her message is clear: leaders who center humanity in uncertainty don’t just survive—they build cultures that last.
