The Real Job of a Hotel General Manager Isn’t in the Job Description
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get said out loud enough in our industry: being a hotel General Manager isn’t glamorous.
Sure, it looks great on LinkedIn and on a résumé. But most days? It feels like being the captain of a ship no one told you was taking on water, while also planning a wedding on the Lido Deck.
So, what really makes a great General Manager? I’m not talking about checking boxes on performance reviews or reciting brand standards from memory. I’m talking about the traits that earn loyalty, drive performance, and somehow keep your sanity intact.
The ones whose teams would follow them anywhere. The ones owners call during a crisis. The ones guests remember by name years later.
💡 Emotional Endurance
Most people think emotional intelligence is the gold standard. And yes, it matters. But in this business, it’s not enough to understand people, you must endure them.
That means staying calm when three departments are short-staffed, the boiler fails, and your front desk agent quits mid-shift because TikTok told her to “prioritize peace.”
It’s showing up with compassion and grit. It’s walking into the fire every day and still bringing warmth.
Great GMs don’t just manage stress. They absorb it, filter it, and turn it into something useful. They protect their team from the worst of it. They show up calm when everyone else is spiraling and they do it again the next morning. Not because they’re unaffected, but because they know they set the emotional tone for the entire building.
💡 Humility with a Backbone
You can’t teach this in orientation. It’s the ability to lead with authenticity, give credit, own mistakes, and genuinely care about people.
But it also means standing firm when needed.
It’s the GM who praises the housekeeper for noticing a wedding dress and sending champagne to the room. And the one who tells a pushy guest, with grace, that no, we’re not comping four nights because their dog didn’t like the carpet.
It’s kindness with boundaries. Compassion with clarity. And yes, it’s rare.
We’ve all seen what happens when someone leans too far either way:
The overly nice boss who gets steamrolled.
The authoritarian who burns everyone out.
A great GM walks the line with intention.
💡 A Deep Love for the Unseen
This is the overlooked quality that sits at the heart of great leadership.
Great GMs notice what others miss:
The dishwasher who’s limping.
The scuffed baseboard by the elevator.
The bartender covering shifts all week without complaint.
They understand that success lives in the margins. Clean ice machines, accurate payroll, quiet recognition. Details never found in a brand manual.
And it’s not just about noticing, it’s about honoring. Great GMs thank people for what most leaders ignore. They see invisible labor. And that builds trust in a way no bonus ever could.
Because when your people feel seen, they begin to see the guest with that same level of care. That’s where the magic starts.
🔎 What to Ask Instead
So, if you’re reading résumés for your next GM or mentoring someone for the role, skip the corporate script.
Don’t ask about KPIs. Ask:
When did you fix a morale issue without anyone noticing?
How did you handle a guest who was clearly wrong but still needed to feel respected?
When was the last time you made a front desk agent cry from joy?
You’ll learn more from those answers than any panel interview packed with buzzwords.
The Truth About Great GMs
Because great GMs don’t just run a hotel.
They lead people.
They build culture.
They carry the weight no one else wants and they do it with grace.
If this resonates with you or reminds you of a leader who fits the bill, tag them below. The industry needs more GMs like this.
#HospitalityLeadership #HotelGM #BeyondTheLobby #LeadWithHeart #HospitalityMatters