Hospitality Leadership Skills

👑 "First 90 Days Action Plan for a New GM"🪑 1. Understand the Business - Review P&L (Profit & Loss), budgets, RevPAR, ARR, GOP, labor costs. - Study last 12 months’ performance reports (occupancy, guest satisfaction, audits). - Meet with the owners/management company to clarify expectations. 2. Know Your Property - Do a property walk-through: rooms, back of house, kitchens, engineering, public areas. - Understand your USP (unique selling points) vs. competitors. - Check service gaps and maintenance issues immediately. 3. Build Relationships - Meet all department heads (Front Office, F&B, Housekeeping, Engineering, Sales). - Spend time with line staff — they’ll tell you what really happens. - Connect with regular guests, local community, and key clients. 4. Set Priorities - Identify quick wins: small improvements in guest experience or operations that show your leadership. - Focus on quality, cost control, and staff morale. - Start building a guest-centric service culture. 5. Lead by Example - Be visible in the lobby, restaurants, and during check-in/out peaks. - Handle a guest complaint personally to set the tone. - Show fairness and consistency in decision-making. 6. Develop the Team - Assess your managers: who are your performers vs. weak links. - Implement daily briefings and weekly HOD meetings with clear agendas. - Encourage cross-department collaboration. 7. Drive Revenue - Work with Sales & Marketing to push occupancy in low season. - Introduce upselling and cross-selling culture (rooms, F&B, spa, banquets). - Monitor OTA reviews and reputation management closely. 8. Compliance & Standards - Ensure legal licenses, safety audits, fire drills, hygiene checks are updated. - Align with brand standards (if chain hotel) or set your own SOPs (if standalone). 9. Communication with Ownership - Send weekly updates: revenue, guest feedback, staff issues. - Don’t hide problems — present them with solutions. 10. Personal Growth - Stay calm under pressure — staff will copy your behavior. - Build a network with other GMs in your city/region. - Keep learning (hospitality trends, tech, guest expectations).

In March 2020, Marriott was collapsing. Its CEO, Arne Sorenson, was battling cancer. What he did next redefined leadership accountability: Most leaders think accountability means consequences. When performance drops, they tighten control. When projects fail, they add oversight. When mistakes happen, they hunt for someone to blame. Then they wonder why their best people leave. March 2020. Marriott faces the worst crisis in 100 years. Hotels are shuttering. Thousands face furlough. And Arne Sorenson is undergoing cancer treatment. Most CEOs would’ve delegated the message. Sent a memo. Protected themselves. Not Sorenson. He sat in front of a camera, hair thinned, visibly weakened, and spoke directly to Marriott’s global team. He delivered the hard news. Took full accountability. Announced he and Bill Marriott would take no salary. The executive team? 50% pay cuts. Employees didn’t just hear the message. They felt it. Many returned when the company recovered, despite every reason not to. Why? Because Sorenson understood: Accountability isn't about blame. It's about ownership. Fear-based accountability focuses on control. Ownership-based accountability builds commitment. The difference shows up in a crisis: • Fear-based cultures protect themselves. • Ownership-based cultures protect the mission. Here’s what Sorenson did that most leaders don’t: He chose truth over spin. No euphemisms. No sugarcoating. He trusted people with the reality and gave them a plan. He made sacrifice visible. Pay cuts weren’t a cost-saving tactic. They were a statement: Leaders go first. That’s how you earn the right to ask others to follow. He gave teams control. Instead of dictating execution, he co-created solutions. People commit more when they help design the path forward. The result? Even under pressure, Marriott stayed aligned, committed, and resilient. Here’s the shift most leaders miss: Traditional accountability enforces standards. Transformational accountability builds capability. One makes people cautious. The other makes them better. Want more research-backed insights on leadership? Join 11,000+ leaders who get our weekly newsletter: 👉 https://lnkd.in/en9vxeNk

Great decision-making is where efficiency meets inclusion. When I work with clients, I emphasize that true leadership goes beyond simply making decisions—it’s about making the right decisions in the right way. This requires a delicate balance between inclusion and efficiency, two forces that, when harmonized, create a powerful synergy. I’ve captured this in the matrix, which I use as a tool to help leaders reflect on their approach: 1️⃣ The Soloist This is a leader who operates in isolation, relying heavily on their own judgment. While this can sometimes lead to quick decisions, it often misses the mark because it lacks the richness of input that diverse perspectives provide. The Soloist may find themselves struggling with blind spots or overlooking critical factors that others might have caught. 2️⃣ The Commander Such leaders focus on efficiency, sometimes to the detriment of inclusion. This leader makes swift, decisive moves, which can be effective in certain situations but often leads to disengagement within the team. Without a sense of ownership or shared vision, the decisions of a Commander might falter in execution or lead to resistance. 3️⃣ The Consensus-Seeker It represents a leadership style that values inclusion, perhaps to the point of over-collaboration. While this approach ensures that all voices are heard, it can lead to decision paralysis, where the quest for consensus slows down the process and results in diluted outcomes. The challenge for the Consensus-Seeker is to find a way to be inclusive without sacrificing decisiveness. 4️⃣ The Collaborative Leader It is the gold standard—someone who excels at both including diverse perspectives and driving efficient, effective decisions. This leader knows that inclusion is not a box to be ticked, but a dynamic process that fuels creativity and innovation. By creating psychological safety and encouraging diverse viewpoints, the Collaborative Leader harnesses the full potential of their team, leading to decisions that are not only sound but also have strong buy-in and are well-executed. 🔎 Why does this matter? Because the success of a leader is not just measured by the decisions they make, but by HOW those decisions are made and implemented. A leader who can navigate the complex terrain of inclusion and efficiency will not only achieve better outcomes but will also cultivate a more engaged, innovative, and resilient team. 👉 👩💻 If you’re ready to explore how you can enhance your decision-making approach in your company and move towards a more inclusive and efficient leadership, let’s connect. Together, we can unlock the full potential of your leadership journey.

The Ultimate Guide: 🧿What Every Hotel General Manager Must Know to Excel🧿 In today's hyper-competitive hospitality industry, a Hotel General Manager (GM) isn't just a leader — they're a strategist, operator, motivator, and often, the heart and soul of the property. To succeed in this role, one must wear many hats and juggle multiple responsibilities — all while delivering outstanding guest experiences and driving profitability. Here’s a comprehensive checklist of what every aspiring or current GM must master: 🏅Core Strategic & Financial Knowledge 🚩Hotel KPIs (RevPAR, ADR, Occupancy, GOP, etc.) 🚩Business Plan development and execution 🚩Budgeting and Forecasting accuracy 🚩Projection Plans for financial and operational growth 🚩CAPEX & OPEX planning and control 🚩P&L Statements understanding and optimization 🚩Revenue Management techniques and tools (dynamic pricing, segmentation) 🚩OTA, STR, SynXis platforms for distribution and benchmarking 🏅Operations & Planning 🚩Manning Guide creation for efficient staffing 🚩SWOT Analysis to identify internal strengths and weaknesses 🚩Market Surveys and Rate Structures to stay competitive 🚩Organisation Charts for clear reporting lines 🚩Food Costing, Food Cycle Management 🚩Low Current or MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) awareness 🏅Sales, Marketing & Branding 🚩Marketing Plan & Media Plan implementation 🚩Branding strategy alignment 🚩E-commerce & digital marketing to boost online visibility 🚩Business Development for tapping into new markets 🏅Quality & Safety 🚩Quality Control standards 🚩Food Safety & HACCP compliance 🚩Ongoing guest experience enhancement 🏅Leadership & Critical Thinking 🚩Strategic and Critical Thinking for fast, informed decision-making 🚩Leadership & Planning to align teams with vision 🚩Delegation, Performance Analysis, and Task Management 🚩Stakeholder Reporting and effective communication The Role in Action A Hotel GM leads day-to-day operations, ensuring every department — front office, housekeeping, F&B, maintenance, sales — functions like a well-oiled machine. Here’s a snapshot of what the job really looks like: ♻️Reviewing daily revenue reports before breakfast ♻️Walking through the property to check quality standards ♻️Coaching department heads on service issues ♻️Approving CAPEX proposals for new equipment ♻️Meeting with marketing to strategize a weekend package ♻️Engaging with VIP guests while handling a staffing issue ♻️Analyzing monthly P&L in the evening Yes, a jack of all trades — but also a master of balance, execution, and impact. #HotelGeneralManager #Leadership #HospitalityExcellence #HotelManagement #RevenueManagement #Ecommerce #HospitalityIndustry

Make it a habit to respect people without knowing their qualifications, title, or position. In leadership, this is not “nice to have.” It is fundamental. Too many organisations teach hierarchy before they teach humanity. We ask: What’s your title? What’s your level? How many years of experience? What’s your background? But rarely: Who are you? What do you think? How can I help you succeed? The best leaders I’ve worked with in hospitality — from luxury hotels to independent properties — understand one simple truth: 👉 Respect is not earned by position. 👉 It is given because someone is human. When respect is conditional, culture becomes political. When respect is universal, culture becomes powerful. In a hotel environment especially: The night porter deserves the same respect as the GM. The commis deserves the same dignity as the executive chef. The intern deserves the same attention as the director. Titles define responsibility. They do not define value. Real leadership means: • Listening before judging • Speaking without condescension • Acknowledging effort at every level • Creating psychological safety When people feel respected, performance follows. When they don’t, disengagement is silent… but expensive. As leaders, educators, and managers, we don’t build culture with strategy slides. We build it in everyday interactions. Respect first. Always. _ _ _ _ Follow Robertson Hunter Stewart for more on leadership and management.

𝑰𝙛 𝙮𝒐𝙪𝒓 𝒗𝙤𝒊𝙘𝒆 𝒊𝙨𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝙣 𝙩𝒉𝙚 𝙧𝒐𝙤𝒎, 𝙢𝒂𝙠𝒆 𝒔𝙪𝒓𝙚 𝙮𝒐𝙪𝒓 𝒊𝙢𝒑𝙖𝒄𝙩 𝙞𝒔. As leaders in quick service restaurants (QSR), we all have days when our names aren’t on the rota. Those are the days our teams show whether we’ve led for ourselves or others. The literature on servant leadership reminds us that the most effective leaders centre their teams. Scholars note that servant leaders go beyond vision and financial metrics by focusing on three core attributes: 𝙩𝒓𝙪𝒔𝙩, 𝒂𝙥𝒑𝙧𝒆𝙘𝒊𝙖𝒕𝙞𝒐𝙣 𝙤𝒇 𝒐𝙩𝒉𝙚𝒓𝙨 𝙖𝒏𝙙 𝙚𝒎𝙥𝒐𝙬𝒆𝙧𝒎𝙚𝒏𝙩. They build 𝙝𝒖𝙢𝒂𝙣 𝙤𝒓𝙞𝒆𝙣𝒕𝙚𝒅 𝒄𝙪𝒍𝙩𝒖𝙧𝒆𝙨  where investing in people creates a social exchange; employees feel valued and repay the organisation with commitment and creativity. According to the 2025 Hospitality Training 360 Report, ongoing training for hourly restaurant employees has dropped to just 1 hour/ month, forcing operators to maximise efficiency while still investing in core service skills. Yet the same report notes a “back‑to‑basics” movement, 61 % of operators are prioritising basic job skills and career development. Succession planning is equally important. Even though only 35 % of organisations have a formal plan, proactive succession planning can increase company valuations. Effective plans build a pipeline of potential leaders. The goal isn’t to create clones of ourselves; it’s to nurture people so that the business thrives even when we are absent. I learned this lesson in a rather humbling way. Years ago, while helping a fledgling fast‑food brand expand across the Midlands, we were scaling faster than any of us expected. Labour shortages forced us to cross train everyone, from FOH to BOH, and I spent countless shifts coaching team members on why their decisions mattered more than their positions. One day, an emergency kept me away from a critical store opening. My phone was off for most of the day, and I prepared myself for disaster when I turned it back on. Instead, I saw a flood of messages from my team, photos of the ribbon‑cutting, notes of thanks, and most of all, pride. They had staffed, opened and run the entire day without me. Customers were happy, the numbers were solid, and the brand’s reputation grew. It was a moment when I realised my voice wasn’t in the room, but my impact was. That experience taught me that our real legacy is not the restaurants we open or the profit reports we sign, but the leaders we grow. When your team delivers excellence in your absence, that’s when you know you’ve planted seeds in a garden you may never get to see. As you move through your day, ask yourself: "If I couldn’t be here tomorrow, would my team have the knowledge, confidence and trust to step up?" If the answer is no, start investing in them today. Train them, mentor them, challenge them and believe in them. Because when your voice isn’t in the room, your impact should be.

Most people start with the plan. That’s why they lose the room. When you're trying to bring people along, it feels natural to show your thinking. Lay out the steps. Walk through the logic. But the how only works if people already believe in the where. If they don’t, you’re just explaining a plan no one asked for. Lead with the destination. Paint the picture of the world as it looks when you've arrived — specifically, compellingly, in a way that makes people think: 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. Once they do, the how becomes a conversation they want to join. No one gets excited about a plan. They get excited about what the plan makes possible. Here’s what makes a destination land: 𝟭/ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 Not "we'll improve X." Something specific: "A year from now, a customer can do in 2 minutes what takes them a day today." Specific futures are believable. Vague ones are forgettable. 𝟮/ 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 A destination without reasoning feels like wishful thinking. Briefly name what you looked at — the current pain, the patterns you observed, the alternatives you weighed. It tells the room: this isn't a dream. It's a conclusion. That's what earns the benefit of the doubt. 𝟯/ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 Cross-functional partners care about their priorities, not yours. Show them how the destination solves something they deeply care about. If they can't see themselves in it, they won't move toward it. 𝟰/ 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Once someone believes in the destination, they'll feel the distance between here and there. That tension creates urgency. You don't need to sell the plan — the gap sells it for you. 𝟱/ 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆 The how will change. It always does. If you're too attached to it, partners feel like they're being handed a plan to execute, not a problem to solve together. The destination stays fixed. The path stays flexible. 𝟲/ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 Most people rush through the vision to get to the plan. Flip it. The more vivid and compelling the destination, the less you'll need to sell the steps. If you want alignment, don't start with your plan. Start with the picture. Make it real enough that others can see themselves in it. The how will follow. What's one way you've seen someone paint a vision that actually moved people? --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for weekly Leadership and Career posts.

You’re not as objective as you think. (Even the smartest CEOs fall for these mental traps.) We all want to believe our decisions are rational. But your brain is wired for shortcuts (not strategy). These shortcuts are called cognitive biases. They help you move fast, but they don’t always lead you in the right direction. And in leadership, that can cost you. In time, money, and momentum. Here are 10 biases that quietly influence high-stakes decisions: 1. Overconfidence Bias You think you know more than you do. And act before validating. 2. Confirmation Bias You seek out data that agrees with your view — and ignore the rest. 3. Groupthink You go with the team’s consensus, even when it doesn’t feel right. 4. Authority Bias You trust “experts” without questioning their logic or evidence. 5. Anchoring Bias You latch onto the first number or idea, and can’t let go. 6. Availability Bias You overreact to what’s most vivid, not what’s most important. 7. Recency Bias You put too much weight on the latest event (and miss the bigger picture). 8. Status Quo Bias You stick with what's familiar, even if it's no longer working. 9. Sunk Cost Fallacy You keep investing in a losing path, because you’ve already sunk so much into it. 10. Survivorship Bias You study only the winners, and miss the lessons from those who failed. These biases don’t make you a bad leader. They make you human. But awareness gives you leverage. When you catch them in action, you give yourself a chance to Pause Reframe And lead smarter Here’s a simple question to ask before every big decision: “What might I be missing?” It’s not always about making perfect choices. It’s about building the habit of clearer thinking. Your best decisions start with better thinking. And better thinking starts with seeing your blind spots. P.S. Want a PDF of my Cognitive Biases cheat sheet + 100 more leadership resources? Get them free here: https://lnkd.in/eREr3V6A ♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more strategy insights.

Running a hospitality group through a regional conflict teaches you things no MBA program covers. Here is what the last few weeks built in me. Hospitality is one of the most volatile industries in the world. We get hit first and hardest. Covid shut us down overnight. Regional conflict empties dining rooms before most sectors even feel the pressure. No buffer, no grace period. So how do you survive intact? Your team comes first. Always. Before cash, before landlords, before anything operational, your people are absorbing fear, uncertainty, and exhaustion in real time. I spent more time in conversations about morale than about P&L during the worst weeks. That was the right call. A healthy balance sheet is not conservative thinking. It is survival infrastructure. Cash is not just liquidity. It is options. It buys you time to make good decisions instead of desperate ones. Companies that entered this period overleveraged did not come out intact. Manage your stakeholders before they manage you. Landlords and suppliers will remember how you showed up during hard times. Proactive communication, honest conversations, negotiated solutions. These build more trust than a decade of smooth sailing. Keep building. Even in the dark. When business slows, the instinct is to freeze. Resist it. The operators who come out ahead use the downtime to prepare. New concepts, new markets, new infrastructure. When the wave returns, you need to already be on your feet. The flip side of this industry is real. When things stabilize, people come back hungry. For food, for music, for each other. The operators who stayed ready don’t just recover. They lead.

“If your team can’t act without your approval, you don’t lead a team—you run a ‘Yes/No’ permission system.” In the hospitality industry, leadership is not about being the sole decision-maker; it’s about empowering your team to deliver exceptional experiences independently. A manager who insists on approving every minor action creates a bottleneck that slows operations, frustrates employees, and ultimately impacts guest satisfaction. Hotels, resorts, and restaurants thrive on agility. Frontline staff—from F&B servers to front desk agents—often encounter situations that require immediate judgment. A “Yes/No” permission system delays responses and sends a message that team members aren’t trusted to make decisions. This not only undermines morale but stifles creativity, initiative, and ownership—qualities that define high-performing hospitality teams. * Key Implications in Hospitality: 1. Operational Inefficiency: Waiting for approvals leads to slower service, longer guest wait times, and missed revenue opportunities. 2. Stifled Employee Growth: Staff learn best through experience. Over-approval prevents them from developing critical problem-solving skills. 3. Customer Experience Risk: Guests expect seamless service. When employees lack autonomy, small issues can escalate unnecessarily. 4. Leadership Perception: Leaders who micromanage are seen as barriers rather than enablers, affecting engagement and retention. * Effective Leadership in Hospitality Requires: * Empowering Decision-Making: Define clear boundaries and guidelines, then allow your team to act confidently within them. * Trust & Accountability: Encourage calculated risk-taking while holding the team accountable for outcomes. * Training & Support: Equip staff with the knowledge and confidence to make decisions aligned with brand standards. * Focus on Strategy, Not Micro-Decisions: True leaders delegate operational choices and focus on guiding vision, strategy, and culture. In hospitality, every guest interaction is a test of your team’s training, trust, and autonomy. If your staff are constantly seeking your nod, it’s time to ask yourself: are you leading a team, or merely operating a “Yes/No” desk? Empowered teams create empowered guests. Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about enabling action. #Leadership #HospitalityManagement #Empowerment #Teamwork #GuestExperience