Your First Day as a Hotel General Manager

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.

Next, I review the key figures. Not because I doubt the revenue manager or the accounting team, but because in hotel management, numbers are the vital pulse. Actual occupancy versus forecast? ADR and RevPAR? Has a large group cancelled at the last minute? It is not enough merely to look at the numbers; you need to understand their causes and consequences. A decline in online bookings? It may be due to a competitor’s rate adjustment. A delayed group? Housekeeping may need to be adjusted to avoid check-in issues. And while all this is happening, your phone is already vibrating with the first message from the owner or regional director.

This is when you realise that strategic vision and day-to-day management are intertwined in every minute of your working day. And while the General Manager role requires a broad perspective, today, on your first day, what will make the difference is your ability to put out small fires without losing sight of the overall direction. A difficult but necessary balance. Because at the end of the day, beyond reports and budgets, you are the leader who must inspire confidence in the team and reassure the ownership. And that is a task that begins, without exception, on day one.

Some principles I always keep in mind, and which will be useful to you:

• Focus on people: Numbers are essential, but it is the team that makes them possible. Earn their respect through actions, not speeches.
• Be consistently visible: Do not lock yourself away in the office. Be present at breakfast, walk the rooms, speak to guests. The impression they form of you today will be difficult to change.
• Make decisions quickly, but with the right information: Do not fall into analysis paralysis. Sometimes making a sound decision on time is better than seeking perfection.
• Project calm, but act with energy: Your first day will be chaotic. Accept it. What the team will watch is how you manage that chaos.
• Build alliances from the outset: Identify those key colleagues—the assistant housekeeper who knows all the hotel’s secrets or the head chef who has been there for 15 years—and make them your allies.

Remember: your first day as General Manager is not measured by successes, but by the relationships you begin to forge and the trust you inspire in others. That will be your true scorecard.

Set your goals, document them and start measuring the results.

The obvious goals are guest and employee satisfaction, effective communication and positive financial results. Remember, you are now the General Manager and you have a team of managers with their own talents and specialised knowledge. Make use of these capabilities by communicating your goals and asking your team to set out their own goals in support of those you have established.

It sounds simple, does it not? This is where your day begins. You are now leading people who may have been your peers yesterday. You will have to live with resentment and envy. How will you set the tone for your team and create an environment that supports their expectations?

A mission statement is a good place to start.

What expectations were set for you? How do you want the team to operate? At a hotel I led, we developed the following mission statement: To be the leading family holiday destination, exemplifying relaxed elegance and service of unparalleled warmth and sincerity. Can you articulate something like this and develop what is needed to make it happen?

The real test of your leadership comes with the first decisions you make about operational priorities. Your team is watching you. What will you tackle first? Impeccable room cleanliness? The quality of service at the front desk? Or perhaps that food and beverage offering that could be improved? Choosing those first battles wisely will send a clear message about what you value and what you expect from everyone.

Then there are the initial meetings with department heads. It is easy to make the mistake of turning these meetings into monologues about your expectations. My recommendation: listen first. Ask them to tell you how they see the hotel’s current situation, what challenges they face and what ideas they have. Most importantly, ask: “If you could change just one thing tomorrow, what would it be?” That question reveals more than you think. It also builds trust because it shows that you value their judgement.

Finally, do not underestimate the power of quick, visible decisions. I am not saying you should rush, but some things require immediate action. If you see that staff uniforms are worn out, decide to replace them. If you notice constant complaints about the pillows, start making a change. These are decisions that send a powerful message: you care about detail and you care about everyone’s experience, both guests and employees.

Some guidelines that have helped me in those early days and may be useful to you:

• Prioritise what is visible: Your first actions should reflect your values. Do you want an impeccable hotel? Let people see you inspecting rooms. Do you care about warm service? Greet guests yourself.

• Win allies quickly: Identify those key people, whether formally or informally positioned, who influence the team. Invite them for a coffee, understand their motivations and make sure they see you as someone who adds value.

• Find quick wins: Changing small details that have an immediate impact on the guest experience creates positive momentum. Do not underestimate the power of fresh flowers at reception or better coffee at breakfast.

• Communicate your decisions: Acting is not enough; the team needs to understand why. “I have changed this because I believe it will improve your comfort and that of our guests.” Let them see that every decision has a purpose.

70% of an employee’s engagement depends directly on their immediate manager. This means that your leadership will be, from day one, the biggest factor in determining the workplace environment and, therefore, the hotel’s performance.

Your first day as a hotel General Manager is not merely the start of a management role; it is the planting of a culture. Every decision, every word and every gesture shapes the perception the team will have of you and of what you can achieve together. So walk with confidence, but with humility. Observe, listen and act with intention. Because that will be the foundation on which your success—or failure—will be built. And believe me, in this industry, the corridors speak faster than emails.

Now you have to lead. How will you support the mission statement?

You need to get the team engaged. You will be surprised how easy this is. I have developed a set of core values to show how we want to operate and what our roadmap looks like:

1. Anticipate and exceed guest expectations with genuine sincerity.
2. Maintain a professional team with the highest standards through ongoing training and development.
3. Treat every guest and employee as a member of the family, with respect, honesty, appreciation and care.
4. Protect and promote the financial wellbeing of the property and your team.
5. Carry out all tasks safely, legally and ethically.
6. Strive continuously to improve the product.
7. Respect and care for the property and its aesthetic image.
8. Communicate positively about the hotel, both within and outside the property.

Now that you have shared these values with the team, you need to translate them into daily action. This is where the real challenge begins. Because leading is not only about inspiring; it is about ensuring that everyone understands how their individual work contributes to the shared purpose. And that, believe me, is not achieved through speeches, but through a combination of consistency, leading by example and daily conversation.

Start by aligning every department with the mission and these core values. Every department head must be your extension on the ground. Their role goes far beyond assigning tasks: they must be ambassadors of the mission, able to explain to every team member how their work, however small it may seem, is key to guest satisfaction.

For example:

• The waiter serving breakfast does not simply fill coffee cups; they begin the guest’s day with a smile that will shape their perception of it.
• The executive housekeeper overseeing the rooms does not simply check that they are clean; they ensure that the space invites rest and tranquillity, fulfilling the hotel’s quality promise.
• The receptionist handling a complaint does not simply seek to resolve a problem; they turn a potential negative review into a recovery story that builds guest loyalty.

For this approach to work, there are three principles that have proved effective for me:

1. Purposeful operational meetings: Daily “alignment meetings” are not for delivering battle reports, but for linking each day’s tasks to the impact they will have on the guest. Spend five minutes sharing real stories of moments when the team exceeded expectations. That creates pride and a sense of belonging.

2. Visible follow-up and recognition: Assess performance not only through hard KPIs such as occupancy or ADR. Introduce qualitative indicators linked to your values: How many guests mentioned a team member by name in surveys? How many times did we manage to “pleasantly surprise” someone this week? And recognise every achievement publicly, however small.

3. Lead by example: Culture is communicated more through what you do than what you say. If you demand attention to detail, let people see you pick up a piece of paper from the floor. If you ask for empathy towards guests, let them see you personally handle a complaint with patience and respect.

Set the stage. Now focus on the experience

How will you engage with staff, and how do you expect staff to treat guests? Every time you come to the hotel, you are stepping onto the stage. Describe the performance you expect from everyone. In doing so, almost without realising it, you will have designed a set of service expectations:

1. Anyone who receives a request from a guest owns it. Ensure that all special needs are met positively and promptly, and that follow-up is carried out with the guest.
2. Anyone who receives a guest problem owns it. Ensure the team shows genuine concern, apologises graciously, resolves the issue and follows up with the guest.
3. Ensure that every guest within three metres is acknowledged with eye contact, good posture and a smile. Offer a positive, friendly greeting within two metres.
4. Make sure guests are escorted to their destination. Giving directions is not enough.
5. Ensure that guest needs are recognised by opening doors, offering the right of way and setting aside personal conversations when a guest approaches.
6. Ensure guests are addressed by name and that their name is used at every opportunity, whether in person or on the phone.
7. Answer telephone calls appropriately within three rings. Ask permission before placing a caller on hold and announce transferred calls.
8. Ensure that uniforms and personal appearance are immaculate.
9. Take responsibility, together with your entire team, for the orderliness and cleanliness of the facility. Pick up rubbish where necessary, reposition furniture and seek to prevent damage.
10. Ensure professional language is always used. Avoid slang and hotel jargon in front of guests.

Remember, the team needs direction, and they need it every day. Set the tone and create the desired atmosphere by leading through your example. Do not underestimate the value of every team member: they are watching you constantly, so treat others as you would like to be treated and as you want them to treat guests.

Now spread the word

It is like a campaign. Spread your message through every communication channel: all-staff meetings, staff meetings with their managers, departmental meetings for more intimate settings, and daily alignment meetings. Make the expectations clear and hold everyone equally accountable for meeting them.

Manage your time and talent

On a typical day as General Manager, you will have contracts to sign, new managers to mentor, suppliers to negotiate with, forecasts to meet, guest issues and controls to monitor. Interruptions are common. You need to read the reports you have requested and respond to them. As you deal with people, your phone rings and email keeps bombarding you with things that probably have nothing to do with you. At the end of the day, can you keep your head straight? Do you feel overwhelmed?

Hotel management is about using your brain, not your muscle. As you can see, your day can consume you. Do not let it; do not give up. That said, surround yourself with the best talent possible and set high expectations.

You can spend the day getting involved in every detail that arises, or you can find and develop the talent that can help free up your time. Take pride in helping others learn how to handle situations so that you have time to focus on the direction you have set.

Build your knowledge

Read trade magazines and newspapers. Keep up to date with community matters. Stay abreast of the latest management and innovation trends. Seek out the latest food and beverage trends.

Know the competition. Anticipate trends and act confidently as you go, based on everything you learn. Show your passion; it is what will define your leadership style.

Use your marketing team to research advertising opportunities and every option at your disposal that can help you achieve results. Listen to the experts.

Make yourself available to the sales team, not the other way around. It is extremely important that you understand that your own results and the success of your management depend largely on their work. Motivate, encourage and offer support; do not micromanage. Your success depends on theirs.

Try always to be available, active and engaged. The team needs to be energised to sell. They need to believe in your direction and vision as much as you do.

Remember that you represent your hotel, and always act accordingly.

Do, and let others do.

The ultimate success will be your own, so do not become too distracted or think that, just because you have reached this point, you have achieved everything in life. In the end the results you achieve will speak for you and will be what judge your management, along with your own team, who have seen others hold the same position before you.

Stay focused and enjoy it. You have earned it!