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Meet George Glover. Practical, quirky, intelligent, down to earth and last but not least, chairman/CEO of BayStar Hotels, a company that develops, acquires, operates and sells hotels in the United States. In his over 30 years of experience, Glover has worked in several facets of the hotel industry, and has had jobs as a bellhop, desk agent, front office manager, assistant manager, food and beverage director, general manager, regional director of operations and finally, his current position as chairman/CEO. But, he says, he hasn't lost touch with what it's like to be on the bottom rung. "I guess you could say that as I climbed the ladder, I brought with me the knowledge as well as the positioning of the experience, which ultimately made me more cognizant of those who worked with me and the daily trials they were facing," says Glover. "One of the nicer things said about me one time was, 'Here's to being top banana -- without losing touch with the bunch.'" It's important not to let your sense of self-importance swell once you become a hotel manager , warns Glover. "I have a normal sized ego, I'm adaptable to new techniques and I still see each day as a learning experience." As far as what it takes to succeed, Glover insists that to become a hotel manager -- and a good one -- you must be a people person. "Surely the technical side of it is important, but this is a people business -- you serve people, you manage people, you listen to people, you solve people's problems, you try to attract more people to your hotels than the guy down the street. It ain't rocket science -- it's all about people and getting along with them!" he insists.So how does a college education come into the picture if you want to become a hotel manager? Glover attests to the value of a degree in securing a management position in the hotel industry. "I believe college is necessary for the business side of the equation, and some of the understanding of basic marketing, branding and the like. Many of the corporate positions come from the ranks of hotel school grads," he admits. However, he adds, a degree won't mean much if you don't make an effort to understand the people you'll be in charge of once you become a hotel manager in the hotel industry. "If you've never made up a hotel bed [or] cleaned a room upon checkout, there will be a huge gap between [you and] the people who do." And this, he says, will affect your ability to properly manage them. So, if you aspire to become a hotel manager, take Glover's advice -- study hard, don't forget where you came from once you get there, and never disregard the importance of the people working under you -- and you'll be on your way to success.
About the author:
http://www.collegesurfing.com/content
Elise B. Zito is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.
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