Here at Hotel A some changes are happening, personnel changes, fairly dramatic personnel changes actually.
A change of GM can always be a disrupting event, questions run through everyone’s minds; the basic questions of “will they like me?”; “will we get on?”; “will we be able to communicate?”…these are standard and are probably the same in any company when the boss moves on.
For us mortals at Hotel A this change over is a little more challenging.
Our Fearless Leader has heard rumblings from the Mother Ship over the last few months. These rumblings have been telling him that it’s about time to start looking for a new job. Eventually he confronted the Mother Ship, only to be told that yes, the search was on for his replacement (he knew that already given that one of his friends had been summonsed to the Mother Ship for an interview for the Fearless Leader’s position).
The ensuing confusion has not been pretty, events have unfolded a little like this..
1. Fearless Leader announced to his Department Heads that the Mother Ship was going to replace him and he would be leaving at some stage…no dates, no times…no other information
2. Two days later the Fearless Leader goes on an unannounced vacation for a week or so
3. Fearless Leader returns…no further news
4. A week goes by…no further news
5. A brief mention in the morning briefing about booking a couple of rooms for Mother Ship visitors the next week.
6. A quick call from the Fearless Leader’s secretary to ask if we are available for the new GM’s orientation the following week – with a specified date and time.
So this is how we discover when we will have a new Fearless Leader.
Who they are, what their background is, what their Mother Ship instructions are – we shall have to wait and find out!
Change is never easy. I’m on the “Mother Ship” end of a transition at a hotel our company recently acquired, and I’m happy to say that with the exception of a departing “fearless leader” who had other reasons for relocating (his decision, not the “mother ship’s”) the management and front line team have been amazingly receptive to their new “Mother Ship.”
I’ve been where you are, though, and remember the anxiety, the unanswered questions, and the fear that the new management might have other plans for my position with the company. Best of luck to you all during this nerve-wrecking time. It’s been my experience that during these transitions, the cream really does rise to the top.
Comment by Don — July 4, 2008 @ 12:32 am
It has been an interesting transition and it was interesting to watch the stress and tension disappear out the door with the original Fearless Leader! In hindsight it has all been remarkably easy!
Comment by hotelier101 — July 6, 2008 @ 4:08 pm