The Myth of the Natural Leader: How to Actually Develop GMs

There’s this idea floating around in hospitality that great General Managers just sort of... appear.

Like leadership is some magical quality you either have, or you don’t. And if we’re lucky, one will rise from the ranks, fully formed, ready to lead the team and save the day.

Spoiler alert: that’s not how it works.

You don’t get great leaders by waiting around. You grow them. You challenge them. You coach them. And if you’re not doing that intentionally, then don’t act surprised when you’re stuck scrambling for a GM the minute one quits.

I’ve seen it too many times. A solid front office manager or director of housekeeping gets thrown into the GM seat because “they’ve been here a while” and “they know the building.” Don’t get me started about a maintenance man. I once watched an owner promote the engineer because “he’s been here forever and knows where everything is.” Great, so does the front desk. That doesn’t mean they’re ready to lead operations, manage a budget, or hold a team accountable.

Leadership isn’t tenure. It’s training. It’s a mindset. It’s seeing the big picture while still walking the floor.

If we want real succession planning in hospitality, we have to stop calling it a hope and start treating it like a system.

Start by spotting potential early. Not just who’s reliable or who says yes to every shift. Look for people who ask good questions. Who stay calm under pressure. Who speak up when something isn’t right. That’s leadership in its raw form.

Build a bench with intention. Don’t just wait for someone to step up. Assign mentors. Crosstrain. Put your up-and-comers in situations that stretch them. Let them sit in on budget meetings. Ask them how they would handle a guest issue or a staffing shortage. Give them practice before the pressure is real.

Teach the stuff no one talks about. Conflict resolution. Owner relations. Strategic planning. Vendor negotiations. Don’t assume people just figure it out when they hit the GM desk. Teach them how to run the business, not just the building.

Make it clear that leadership isn’t a reward, it’s a responsibility. I’ve had people ask to be promoted because they deserve it. That’s not the bar. I want to know who they’ve trained, who they’ve mentored, and what they’ve done to make the team stronger. If you want the job, show me you’ve already started doing it.

The truth is, the best GMs I’ve worked with weren’t born leaders. They were made. Through coaching. Through trial and error. Through honest feedback. Through someone believing in them before they believed in themselves.

So, let’s stop waiting for unicorns.

Let’s build leaders who are ready.