5 Qualities of a Great General Manager
A great manager has the fundamentals down pat, and they’re also constantly working to grow and evolve along with their brand. Here’s our list of tips on how to help your team and business reach their full potential.
1. Conflict Management Skills
This is one of the most important qualities of a great general manager. It goes hand in hand with strong negotiation skills. Stay aware of your communication tactics when it comes to negotiation. Creating a solution that is beneficial to all parties involved sometimes takes creativity and a bit of convincing. Your tone of voice and body language in these situations is important, as is the ability to stay direct. Keep the focus on your problem and solution.
Conflict is not something you should brush under the rug. It’s an opportunity to grow and improve in terms of experience and knowledge. Start by finding the root of the conflict. Everyone on your team will have disagreements and differences, but you can use it to your advantage. Use the diversity of perspectives to leverage and expand the thinking behind your brand while finding common ground. New perspectives bring creativity and opportunities for growth.
2. Strong Communication Skills
As a general manager in the hospitality industry, you know strong and open communication skills are important. By forming personal relationships with each of your employees, you’ll create a work environment sense of trust. Your employees will know and feel that you value their assets in the workplace. Pair these skills with great active listening. Your team wants to be heard as much as they need instruction. Over-communicating is always preferable to a lack of communication, but remember to be direct, transparent, and thoughtful in your phrasing and messaging.
3. Interpersonal Skills
This is one of the most impactful qualities of a hotel general manager. Each person is uniquely themselves, and you hired them for a good reason. By creating a personal relationship with them, you’ll learn their personality as well as their professional assets. Once you know your team’s strengths and weaknesses, you can organize them so you can best capitalize on their skills. The result will be the creation of the strongest team possible.
This process could reveal that an employee may have a personality or skill set that would be best for a different position within the company. A strong team isn’t only about finding the right people but also putting them in the role in which they fit best. If your employees are thriving, your business will also thrive.
4. Visionary Qualities
To be a great leader, you must be clear in your vision for your brand. Details in your marketing plan are just as important as the grand picture. You also have to express this plan clearly and motivationally to your employees. Inspiring your team is half the battle because you aren’t able to be successful without your workforce. And by showing your expertise, you’ll help them become more confident in your leadership. You must always look towards the next step so you and your team are prepared for what is to come.
5. Ability to Support Your Employees
Make sure your team knows that you’ve got their backs. Provide consistent support for your employees and make yourself available if they need help. Becoming truly involved with your employees and offering them feedback and ways to improve allows you to help and support them professionally.
When employees feel supported by their managers, they feel more comfortable taking responsible risks. These calculated actions will allow the company to grow and thrive as an evolving business. In the meantime, your employees will develop into more successful workers who will support you as you supported them.
Contact Us
If you’re ready to take your leadership from good to great, Main Street Hospitality is here to help. Interested in partnering with us? Contact our group for more information and tips on hospitality jobs and ways to best lead your team.
