It’s true, there’s a talent shortage in the industry, and general managers certainly aren’t excluded from that, plus many hotels live by the philosophy of promoting within, and because of this, many hotels are managed by former departmental managers with limited experience.

Being a hotel general manager requires flexibility and dexterity. This enigmatic role requires the ability to manage all departments from food and beverage to the front desk. If you’re finding that you are working with a general manager that is unable to adapt, you need to start asking yourself why.

Are they aware of their weaknesses?

This broad role requires someone capable of seamlessly bouncing from various departments and assisting as needed. However, many managers insert themselves in areas beyond their expertise. While there is the requirement of being capable of overseeing various departments, your GM should still be aware of their personal strengths AND weaknesses.

You don’t just want to hire a manager; you want to hire a leader. Leading is often found through delegation, even if it requires the manager providing the initial training.

Do they communicate?

Does your General Manager have communication skills? A good GM will keep their staff up to date on what’s going on throughout the hotel. If your staff isn’t updated on policy changes, events, maintenance issues or new processes, mistakes will inevitably happen.

Make sure your GM is meeting with the staff on a regular basis. Staff meetings can help everybody get on the same page, even when it comes to small changes.

Do they listen to guests?

Nobody has a better perspective on what can be improved than your guests. Everybody else, including your staff, has a limited and possibly tainted view. Your guests will help you identify areas of weakness. If your General Manager uses complaints to fix issues, you’ll see consistent improvement in operations. However, if your General Manager brushes guest feedback under the rug, the problems will continue to add up.

Are they flexible?

Working in a hotel means that problems often arise at the most inopportune times. Flexibility and adaptability are necessary skills that help managers make decisive and well-informed decisions. This goes beyond having a back-up plan. Successful hotel managers do not cave under pressure when it gets rough. This is the time when management must step up and adjust based on the current situation.

Do you have managers that are simply not getting the job done? Is the local talent pool dried up? Joseph David International is consistently one of the top-ranked hospitality recruiters because we work hard to find the ideal fit for both the managerial candidate and the client. For more information about hotel recruiting services please click here.