What Does a Hotel General Manager Do? Key Skills for Success

Sometimes people outside the industry (and even some within the hotel sector) do not understand what a hotel manager’s role involves, or the qualities a good professional needs to perform this job. A hotel general manager is, above all, someone who is self-confident, while also being approachable and adventurous. They are not afraid to try new things. They are excited to experience new cultures. And they understand the importance of teamwork. Hotel management comes with a range of responsibilities. They must be able to adapt to new challenges, support different departments and ensure that the hotel maintains a high standard of excellence. A hotel manager is responsible for oversight and must have a sound knowledge of finance, planning, service and organisation. Although they have a team of managers working alongside them, as a hotel manager they must lead rather than follow. They must also ensure their staff manage their time and departments efficiently, whether by improving monthly revenue or simply ensuring guest expectations are exceeded. They must have strong attention to detail, leadership and teamwork skills. In some hotels, depending on their size and type, they may have to carry out many more day-to-day tasks than at a more prestigious property. They may also have less contact with guests, but will spend time overseeing the business through regular meetings. A Hotel Manager must possess interpersonal skills to keep guests and employees happy. The general manager helps welcome and check in guests and handle their issues. They must address guest concerns with patience, tact and understanding, even in stressful situations. They must also motivate employees to do their jobs well, which requires leadership talent and an ability to understand problems and resolve conflicts. A hotel general manager must be a good listener. The hospitality world continues to expand. It is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and will create more than 80 million new jobs over the next ten years. The travel and tourism sector will account for one in every nine jobs by 2026. A hotel manager needs to know the industry’s current trends. They understand that their hotel needs to evolve and change to remain current. How do you stay up to date? "To succeed, you have to create emotions," said Philippe Tardivel. "What you create has to be extraordinary, and you have to go the extra mile."

To develop into a good Hotel Manager, you need to acquire a variety of skills and gain experience in different areas, having worked in  hotels of different standards, reputations and locations. An excellent experience for any aspiring hotel manager is taking part in a hotel opening. Whether it is the opening of a new chain hotel or an independent boutique hotel, seeing what it takes to launch a hotel gives you a genuine understanding of the overall operation of a hotel property. Unlike taking a job in an established hotel, where there are processes to learn and master, in a newly opened hotel you are responsible for implementing or even creating those procedures yourself. From registration cards to restaurant menus, both the smallest and largest elements that you would normally take for granted will need to be researched and created, all by the deadline. The skills you need include communication, teamwork and organisation. However, you must also understand and appreciate the challenges faced by each department. It is important to spend time working in or shadowing every area of a hotel, from finance to housekeeping. This ensures that you will have the knowledge and experience to support these departments when needed. Being a "leader" is not the same as being a "manager"; however, it is best when both roles are combined in one person. The difference is that leaders can be found at every level of hospitality ... you do not need to manage staff to be a leader. Managers have authority, but they may not have the ability to inspire, motivate and support their teams in the way a true leader does. Once you understand what it takes to be a strong leader, you are likely to be given a management role, as leadership skills create productive teams and positive results.

These are considered the "soft" leadership skills in hospitality:

1. Innovation : great leaders are open to new ways of doing things. They are always looking to improve themselves and the organisation, and they value quality over quantity. They are happy to take the initiative and are continually learning and refining their skills. They are also not afraid to take risks and surround themselves with people whose skills complement their own.

2. Vision: A leader must be able to establish and communicate the company’s goals and plans (its vision). Once everyone on the team understands the bigger picture of what they are trying to achieve, they can work together towards that goal. Leaders trust their employees to deliver the vision and give them the tools to do so.