Housekeeping Didn't Come
Lessons from the road, the classroom, and the minibar.
Welcome to Housekeeping Didn’t Come — where hospitality, adventure, and a little chaos all check in for the night.
Hosted by Rob W. Powell, former casino exec, improv comic, mountaineer, and hospitality professor (aka the Indiana Jones of hospitality education), this podcast dives into the wild, weird, and wonderfully human side of the hospitality world. From luxury lodges to national park cabins, cruise ships to classroom chaos, we explore what it really takes to deliver unforgettable guest experiences—and what happens when things go hilariously off script.
Whether you're a student, a hospitality pro, a curious traveler, or just here for the stories, you'll find something to love. Expect candid interviews, bite-sized insights, unforgettable blunders, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from years in the trenches (and a few nights without housekeeping).
So grab a coffee (or a cocktail), and join Rob as he unpacks the business of making people feel welcome, even when the bed isn’t made.
Housekeeping Didn't Come
The Humble Compass: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders S1E7
The compass serves as a powerful metaphor for leadership and decision-making, offering reliable direction without the complications of modern technology. Rob Powell explores how this simple tool can teach us about avoiding strategic drift and making small corrections to stay true to our purpose.
• Compasses work without batteries, Wi-Fi, or updates - they simply point north
• Even a few degrees off course (magnetic declination) can send you miles in the wrong direction over time
• "Strategic drift" happens when businesses gradually stray from their original mission
• Leadership isn't always about big moves but small corrections that keep you aligned
• Direction matters more than speed - you can move quickly while heading the wrong way
• Regular compass checks mean asking if decisions align with goals or are just distractions
• Making small corrections now prevents explaining poor choices later
Find your compass and if you're heading in the wrong direction, at least do it with snacks or a good cup of coffee.
All right, let's talk about one of the most underrated tools on earth. And no, it's not a Keurig, although I do respect the caffeine gods. I'm talking about the compass, that's right, a tiny spinning needle that somehow still matters in a world where your fridge can send you a grocery list and your watch judges your sleep habits. Now look, I'm not anti-technology. I love a good map app as much as the next lost dad. But there's something about a compass no batteries, no Wi-Fi, no Siri SaaS that feels reliable, grounded, almost like it's too old school to lie to you. I collect compasses. I keep one in my go bag and another in my backpack, not because I'm expecting to be dropped into the hunger games, but because they work always and they're humble too. A compass doesn't try to impress you with real-time updates or sponsored ads. It doesn't say in 400 feet, make a slight left onto Chaos Avenue. It just says this is North. Do with that what you will. And that, my friends, is leadership.
Speaker 1:Let's get nerdy for a second. Have you heard of magnetic declination? That's the small difference between magnetic North and true North. It sounds like something you'd learn in scouts right before eating a burnt marshmallow. But here's the kicker Even a few degrees off can send you miles off course over time.
Speaker 1:In business, that's what we call strategic drift. You start with a mission statement, a purpose, maybe even a laminated vision card, and then slowly, thanks to quarterly panic and shiny object syndrome, you're off building something no one actually wanted. Suddenly, you're the gluten-free pickle startup, and you were supposed to be a software company. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but you get the idea. So how do you avoid becoming the metaphorical guy who took the wrong trail and ended up explaining his life choices to a tree? You stop, you breathe, you pull out the compass and you ask what was I trying to do again, does this decision actually align with my goals or is it just the loudest thing in my inbox?
Speaker 1:Sometimes leadership isn't about big moves. It's about small corrections, tiny turns that keep you on track, kind of like choosing not to reply to that 2 am email, which is truly a bold act of resistance. Now let me be clear. I carry a compass because I lead teams, climb mountains and occasionally get lost in a Bass Pro Shop. It reminds me that direction matters more than speed. You can be moving fast and still be wildly off course. Just ask anyone who's ever sprinted through an airport toward the wrong gate. A compass doesn't care how fast you're going, it just quietly points the way. It says hey, bud, north's that way. If you're heading south because someone on LinkedIn made it sound sexy, that's on you.
Speaker 1:So if you're feeling off track and your team's running in circles or your life's turned into a weird corporate scavenger hunt, don't download another productivity app. Put out your metaphorical compass. Recheck your values, your mission, your why, then? Make one small turn, because even one degree of course correction. Now that could save you from explaining to your board or your spouse why you spent the last six months chasing digital pet NFTs. That's a true story. It's not mine. All right, that's it, for today's episode of Housekeeping Didn't Come where we clean up nothing, but we do try to make sense of the mess. I'm Rob Powell. Find your compass and if you're heading in the wrong direction, at least do it with snacks or a good cup of coffee.