The Most Admirable Hotel General Manager I Know
Over the years, I have worked with many Hotel General Managers.
Some were commercially brilliant. Some were operationally exceptional. Some were charismatic. Some were disciplined. Some were feared. Some were respected.
One in particular remains in my memory.
Not because he was the most analytical, or achieved the best KPIs.
And certainly not because he was the most demanding.
In many ways, he is my opposite. His teams genuinely love him.
Not merely respect him. They love him.
There is a difference.
He is approachable, patient, and genuinely interested in people.
He remembers names, families, birthdays, concerns, and successes.
People naturally want to do well for him.
I admire that. Because – even if our worldview is the same – I could not do it the way he does.
My instinct has always been different. I gravitate toward structure, numbers, expectations, analysis, and systems.
When faced with a problem, I look for causes.
He looks for people first.
Yet over time, something interesting happened.
He became increasingly curious about the commercial and operational logic behind the business.
Not because he wanted to become more analytical, but because he wanted to become more effective.
He started asking different questions.
Questions about profitability. Questions about assumptions. Questions about consequences. Questions about why things worked the way they did.
And then he did something important. He did not abandon who he was. He incorporated what he learned into who he already was.
The result was remarkable.
The warmth remained. The humanity remained. The connection with his teams remained.
But now there was additional clarity, additional discipline, and additional understanding.
Eventually he was promoted.
The promotion surprised nobody. Least of all me.
What impressed me was not the promotion itself.
It was his evolution. He did not become somebody else. He became more complete.
Perhaps more.
He taught me that leadership is not merely about achieving better numbers.
It is about becoming the best version of yourself. The numbers are often a consequence rather than the objective.
His path happened to be different from mine. And that was precisely why it was valuable.
Reflection
This article is about how authenticity taught me that leadership begins with understanding who you are.
This is the tenth of a series of articles – “What hospitality taught me about myself” – in which I share lessons learned throughout my professional and personal journey, and how those experiences have shaped my thinking and led me to develop my own principles.
Throughout my career, I have encountered many leaders who tried to imitate others.
The successful ones rarely did. The strongest leaders usually possess a deep understanding of who they are.
They then build upon that foundation, not by replacing their strengths, but by complementing them.
The most memorable Hotel General Manager I know taught me a lesson I continue to carry today.
People do not follow perfection. They follow authenticity. And authenticity becomes more powerful when combined with curiosity and a willingness to keep learning.
I hope it has provided some food for thought, encouraged curiosity, and inspired you to keep learning.
Curiosity, humility, and continuous learning remain among the most valuable tools we possess.
About the Author
Raoul Gransier is a Senior International Adviser and owner-focused hotelier with more than 25 years of operational and advisory experience in hospitality, tourism, governance, and performance improvement.
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