It is officially your turn. You have finally achieved what you have been working towards throughout your career—the jackpot: you are now the General Manager of one of the major hotels. So,
what comes next?
No matter which positions you have held to reach this goal, you now have a role of great responsibility and
you must earn it and prove yourself day after day. Full responsibility for the profit and loss account, and for the success of the entire hotel operation, is in your hands.
This is your opportunity to lead the team in delivering on the expectations the ownership has entrusted to you. Whether it is an independent hotel, part of a business group, or affiliated with a brand or chain, bear in mind that someone will always want answers.
What do they expect? Is it profits, indirect returns, five-star service, or a happy environment that serves as a playground for the ownership and its friends? What performance criteria matter most to the company? Ask yourself these questions and you will be on the right path to developing their objectives—the blueprint for their future success.
From that moment on, the day has begun and, believe me, your internal clock is already running at a different speed. The first few minutes in the office are revealing: this space is now your operations centre and, over time, it will come to reflect your style and character. But today, everything feels unfamiliar, although you cannot allow it to show. Your decisions begin to shape the hotel’s future from the moment you turn the key in that door.
The first thing I always do is listen. To everyone. From the executive housekeeper updating you on out-of-order rooms to the chief engineer muttering about a possible boiler fault. Do not forget the front desk team, whose faces will tell you more about the previous night than any report. This first contact is vital because you are not only gathering information; you are beginning to build trust. Your team needs to feel that you are present, that you care about what they say, and that you are also capable of acting quickly.
