Managing Up Without Burning Out: A GM’s Guide to Owner Relations

Let’s talk about managing up. Because let’s be honest, owners have expectations. Big ones. The kind that come wrapped in spreadsheets, sprinkled with buzzwords like “RevPAR growth” and “margins,” and usually followed by, “Can’t we just charge more?”

They want record-breaking revenue, glowing five-star reviews, and full occupancy, even in the off-season. Oh, and while you’re at it, cut labor costs.

But here’s what they’re not seeing: the broken boiler that flooded three rooms, the front desk running on fumes, and the guest trying to check in with an emotional support ferret despite your clearly stated no-pets policy.

So how do you manage up without lighting your career or your patience on fire?

Start by speaking their language.

Owners speak ROI, not “we’re overwhelmed.” If you're short-staffed, don’t just vent. Show the data. Quantify missed upsell opportunities, delayed service times, and the ripple effect on reviews and repeat bookings. Translate operational problems into financial outcomes, and suddenly you're not complaining. You're consulting.

Set expectations early and repeat them often.

If an owner wants premium ADR, they need to understand it requires premium service. And that costs money. You can’t run a boutique experience with a skeleton crew and a coffee machine that predates your front desk agent. Be firm. Be honest. Don’t let them believe a luxury product can be delivered on a limited-service budget.

Choose your battles, but never back down on the ones that matter.

If an owner suggests skipping background checks to save time or nudges you to keep staff off the clock “just for a few minutes,” that’s a no. A hard no. Fight for guest safety, employee wellbeing, and legal compliance like your job depends on it, because it does.
But if they want to cut back on breakfast to save $20 a day? Smile, nod, and let the guest feedback speak for itself.

Managing up doesn’t mean saying yes to everything.

It means guiding decisions with facts, context, and a grip on reality. Owners don’t always understand what happens behind the scenes, and that’s okay. That’s your job. The key is bringing them into your world just enough to help them make smart decisions, without dragging them into the weeds.

Get this right, and you’ll become the kind of GM owners trust, teams respect, and guests remember for all the right reasons.

Have you ever had to push back on an owner’s unrealistic demand?
How’d you do it without losing your cool?