Hospitality leadership demands the right mix of technical abilities and communication skills. Great executives excel not only in the measurable qualities of their profession but also in their ability to relate to people and build rapport with employees and customers. What kinds of leadership qualities make for a great hospitality leader?

What Is a Hospitality Manager?

First, what exactly is a hospitality manager? A hospitality manager is an individual who holds a position of leadership in a hospitality-based organization. Common examples can include:

• Restaurant manager
• Hotel manager
• Event planner
• Tourism coordinator

Hospitality managers, therefore, play a role in driving the success of the organizations they serve, as well as empowering employees to do the same.

Hospitality Management Skills

What does true leadership look like in the hospitality industry? Here are just some of the features that make a great executive within hospitality-based businesses.

Collaboration

Nearly every hospitality business is a team-based enterprise. Restaurant or hotel management demands a group of people all working together to serve customers and deliver a satisfying experience. 

Therefore, strong hospitality leaders place great priority on collaboration and delegation. Working together as a team will ensure that each guest has a well-rounded experience, and appropriately delegating tasks will empower team members while saving time for management staff.

Decisiveness

Leaders make well-informed decisions with confidence and thoughtfulness. This doesn’t mean making impulsive decisions, but it does mean looking at the facts and then charting a clear course of action.

Too many leaders suffer from the “paralysis of analysis,” which means they struggle to make a decision because they’re too busy to commit to a definitive solution. But, a survey of employees shows that decisiveness builds confidence among the other staff, which can lead to a more cohesive organization.

Adaptability

Hospitality businesses are affected by many competing trends. Changes in the U.S. economy or consumer choices can have a dramatic impact on hospitality-based organizations. One of the most critical restaurant or hotel manager skills is the ability to adapt to a changing cultural landscape.

For example, hospitality managers might quickly identify a problem facing their business and then identify the ways in which their current strategy simply isn’t working. The leader will come up with something altogether different, all the while measuring the success of this change. 

For example, shifting your marketing strategy to engage more customers can have a measurable impact on business revenue. Leaders should, therefore, remain flexible and have the courage to embrace change.

Communication

In the hospitality industry, communication ranks among the most important leadership skills. Managers should strive to be excellent communicators to their staff. By conveying the company’s mission and values to their team members, employees will be better equipped to carry out this mission and understand their contribution to the broader vision.

Similarly, managers should have the communication skills necessary to connect with customers and clients. In fact, showcasing these skills can be a valuable way to teach your employees by modeling strong customer service skills.

Connecting to Hospitality Leadership

Admittedly, finding strong company leaders isn’t as easy as finding your next front desk manager or line cook. Many of the best executive leaders aren’t even looking for another career opportunity. That’s why it helps to partner with an executive search team that can seek out these passive candidates and generate interest in a career shift.

One Haus can do just that. Our experienced team works diligently to find leadership candidates who match the needs of your industry and align with your company culture. Contact One Haus today to start your next search.