Xin Tao is a leader among the few women in China's male-dominated luxury hotel industry.

The general manager of Traders Hotel, Beijing, who started as a secretary at Beijing Jinglun Hotel in the early 1980s, says it wasn't an easy climb to the top.

"Sensibility paved my way to success," Xin says.

Her university tutor convinced her to switch her major from French to hotel management, believing it offered greater career potential for the forward-looking young woman.

But few people supported her decision at first.

"Narrow-minded people believed such lowly service work was the task of workers rather than of university graduates," she says.

While she was somewhat uncertain about her career at the beginning, she quickly found the work to be suited for women, too.

"We are always particular about small details," she says.

"And we are more ambitious to develop our careers, because there are fewer women in the field."

Xin's workdays begin at 6:30 am and last up to 14 hours. The rigors of her schedule require her to plan her time well.

While Xin exudes confidence, she says there were times she nearly lost faith in her ability to manage the slew of problems that emerged.

The biggest challenge was bridging the cultural gap in a joint venture. She recalls that a worker was once nearly fired for telling his supervisor to "be careful" when he meant, "take care".

To better understand Western culture, Xin did her postgraduate studies in England while working as deputy general manager of the China World Hotel.

"Most of my colleagues are from the United Kingdom, so it's really helpful to adapt to their management culture," she says.

Service quality is another sticking point.

Xin's colleagues say "affinity" is the key to her success. Her approachable and patient disposition wins over guests, and many of her friendships have lasted for decades. She makes it a point to meet up with them for coffee when they visit Beijing.

She recalls a South Korean guest once asking her to help him with his flight delay problem.

"He is the kind of guest who complains about imperfect service," she says.

"We welcome such guests, because their complaints show how we can improve."

Xin says balancing her family and career isn't a problem.

"You just don't view these two things as opposites," Xin says.

She has learned how to blend these two parts of her life. She learned how to cook exceptional meals from the hotel chefs and she takes inspiration from the hotel's dcor when decorating her home.

And she puts the accomplishments of her 25-year-old son, who works as a mechanical engineer for Singapore Airlines, before her own.

She doesn't consider herself to be an "intellectual woman".

"I think Yang Lan, one of China's top TV hostesses, could live up to this word," Xin smiles.

Xin prefers to be thought of as "kind-hearted".

"This is the most appealing trait a woman can have," she says.

"Being kind-hearted is not a weakness. It wields an unbreakable power - that is, a hardness and a softness."

(China Daily 10/17/2009 page8)