General Manager – Sendirian di Puncak Hotel
Jabatan General Manager (GM) sering terlihat sebagai posisi paling nyaman di hotel. Kantor sendiri, keputusan final, dan nama yang dikenal semua departemen. Namun di balik itu, GM justru sering menjadi orang paling kesepian. Ia harus berdiri di antara kepentingan pemilik, karyawan, dan tamu—tiga pihak yang jarang sepakat dalam satu waktu. Saat semua berjalan lancar, GM jarang dipuji; saat ada masalah, namanya yang pertama disebut.
Secara akademis, peran GM sangat menentukan kinerja hotel. Enz (2019) dalam Hospitality Strategic Management menyebut bahwa seorang GM hotel rata-rata mengambil lebih dari 100 keputusan operasional setiap hari. Data STR Global (2022) menunjukkan bahwa gaya kepemimpinan GM berpengaruh langsung terhadap tingkat okupansi, loyalitas tamu, dan stabilitas tim. Artinya, keputusan GM tidak hanya berdampak jangka pendek, tetapi membentuk budaya kerja hotel.
Budi Santoso, General Manager hotel di Surabaya (wawancara, 2023), menyatakan bahwa tantangan terberat bukan mencapai target okupansi, melainkan menyatukan ego antar departemen. Pernyataan ini sejalan dengan penelitian Northouse (2021) yang menekankan bahwa kepemimpinan transformasional lebih efektif di industri perhotelan dibandingkan kepemimpinan otoriter, karena mampu membangun kepercayaan dan komitmen jangka panjang.
Kesimpulannya, menjadi General Manager bukan tentang kekuasaan, melainkan tanggung jawab. Di puncak struktur hotel, GM berdiri sendirian bukan karena ingin, tetapi karena harus. Kepemimpinan yang baik di hotel bukan diukur dari seberapa keras perintah diberikan, melainkan seberapa seimbang keputusan diambil demi manusia dan bisnis.
TIM
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GENERAL MANAGER: LONELY AT THE TOP OF THE HOTEL
The position of General Manager (GM) is often perceived as the most comfortable role in a hotel. A private office, final authority, and recognition across departments seem to define the job. In reality, the GM is often the loneliest person in the organization. Standing between owners, employees, and guests—three parties that rarely share the same interests—the GM absorbs pressure from all directions. When operations run smoothly, praise is minimal; when problems arise, the GM’s name surfaces first.
Academically, the GM’s role is critical to hotel performance. Enz (2019), in Hospitality Strategic Management, notes that a hotel General Manager makes more than 100 operational decisions daily. Data from STR Global (2022) indicates that leadership style directly affects occupancy rates, guest loyalty, and team stability. Thus, GM decisions shape not only short-term outcomes but also long-term organizational culture.
Budi Santoso, a General Manager of a hotel in Surabaya (interview, 2023), explained that the greatest challenge is not achieving occupancy targets but aligning departmental egos. This aligns with Northouse’s (2021) findings that transformational leadership is more effective in hospitality than authoritarian approaches, as it builds trust and long-term commitment.
In conclusion, being a General Manager is not about authority but accountability. At the top of the hotel structure, a GM stands alone not by choice but by responsibility. Effective hotel leadership is measured not by how forcefully orders are given, but by how balanced decisions are made for both people and business.
THE TEAM
