Managing up (in Hospitality)
Want to fast-track your career in hotels? Get noticed for promotions? Earn more freedom and trust from leadership? There's one skill you absolutely must master...
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Want to move up in Hospitality? Learn to manage up.
They say hard skills get you in — but soft skills get you up.
Nowhere is that more true than in the hotel world, where every shift is a mix of urgency, precision, and people.
In hospitality, promotions don’t just go to the hardest workers — they go to the most visible, reliable, and strategic team players. If you want more trust, more freedom, and more opportunity, there’s one soft skill that quietly sets rising stars apart:
👉 Managing Up.
Managing up isn’t flattery, and it’s not office politics. It’s leadership — from any level. It means anticipating needs, communicating clearly, and making your manager’s job easier before they even ask.
Do it right, and you become the person leadership turns to when it matters — not just when it’s convenient.
Ready to stand out for all the right reasons?
Here’s exactly how to manage up like a pro — with real-world hospitality examples you can put into action today.
🛎 1. Communicate proactively (and strategically)
In a fast-paced hotel environment, silence isn’t golden — it’s invisible.
Your leaders are juggling dozens of priorities. If you’re not actively communicating your wins, your roadblocks, and your focus areas, they won’t magically notice. You won’t get credit, support, or momentum.
The solution? Don’t just communicate — manage expectations, signal ownership, and frame solutions.
✅ Action step:
Send a concise weekly update that covers:
✅ Key outcomes from the week (results, not just activity)
🔄 What you’re currently focused on
🚧 Any blockers where leadership support is needed
✅ Example:
A Front desk manager sends the Director of rooms a Friday snapshot:
Summary of VIP guest experiences
Weekly upsell performance
Quick pulse check on team morale and guest feedback
That manager consistently gets faster responses, more autonomy — and is first in line when leadership looks for promotable talent.
💡 Tip:
Dont think like you’re not “bothering” your boss — you’re making their job easier.
Clarity earns trust. And trust earns opportunity.
Keep it short, structured, and forward-looking. The best way to manage up? Lead with visibility and value.
2. Set Expectations — Before they set you up
In hospitality, vague commitments are career quicksand.
Saying “I’ll take care of it” without clarifying how, when, or with what puts your reputation on the line — and leaves too much room for misunderstanding, disappointment, or burnout.
Managing up means getting crystal clear before you commit.
✅ Action step:
Whenever you're handed a task or initiative, confirm:
📅 Timeline: When is it truly due? What’s the urgency?
🧰 Resources: What support, staff, or tools are required?
🎯 Quality bar: What does “success” actually look like?
✅ Example:
An F&B Manager is asked to launch a new sunday brunch.
Before diving in, she aligns with leadership on:
Staffing requirements and kitchen load
Expected guest volume and check averages
Ambience, menu style, and service goals
The result? A smooth, high-revenue rollout — not a scrambled fire drill.
💡 Tip:
Assumptions kill alignment.
Clarify early, and you not only protect yourself — you build credibility as a leader who thinks ahead.
⚖️ 3. Think in trade-offs (not in tasks)
In hospitality, flexibility is vital — but blind agreement is a trap.
Top performers don’t say “yes” to everything. They say, “Yes, and here’s what that means.”
Because real strategy isn’t about doing more — it’s about making smart trade-offs.
✅ Action step:
When a new request lands on your plate (especially last-minute), take a moment to assess and communicate:
⏳ What gets delayed or deprioritized?
❌ What must be sacrificed or adjusted?
💡 What’s your recommended path forward?
✅ Example:
A Revenue Manager is asked mid-week to slash weekend rates.
Instead of immediately executing, they highlight the risk of upsetting contracted group blocks and propose a blended rate strategy that protects volume and value.
Leadership sees them not just as an executor — but as a strategic thinker.
📋 4. When plans shift, lead the reset
In hospitality, the only constant is change: VIPs arrive early, events run over, maintenance issues pop up.
But what separates chaos from control isn’t the change itself — it’s how visibly and proactively you respond to it.
✅ Action Step:
When new priorities land on your plate:
🔄 Reorder your plan — visibly and intentionally.
📋 Share the updated priorty list with your manager.
❓ Ask: “Given the new situation, would you adjust anything?”
✅ Example:
A Housekeeping Supervisor gets hit with a wave of early arrivals.
Instead of silently scrambling, she pauses, reprioritizes the room list, and sends her manager a quick update:
“We’re shifting focus to 14 early arrivals. Standard rooms will be delayed by 30 mins. Let me know if you’d like to redirect team support.”
That 30-second update builds trust — and demonstrates calm, confident leadership under pressure.
💡 Pro tip:
Managing chaos isn’t just about action — it’s about visibility.
When you keep your manager in the loop, you control the narrative, reduce second-guessing, and position yourself as a reliable operator.
🌟 5. Master the job you have — Then earn the one you want
The most underrated managing up move? Crush your current role so completely that asking for more becomes a formality.
When leaders know you own your responsibilities, they’ll gladly hand you bigger ones.
Before you ask for stretch assignments or promotions, prove you’re not just capable — you’re indispensable.
✅ Action Step:
💯 Deliver consistently high-impact results — no reminders needed.
🧠 Take initiative and solve problems before they escalate.
🚀 Look for small, meaningful ways to go beyond the job description.
That level of care doesn’t go unnoticed. It builds trust, and trust leads to freedom — the kind that unlocks promotions, autonomy, and leadership opportunities.
💡 Tip:
Excellence is the most persuasive form of ambition.
If you want to grow, start by making yourself the person your boss can’t imagine losing.
🎯 Final thought:
Done right, manging up will:
Grow your influence
Expand your opportunities
Make you the obvious choice when leadership roles open up
Own your work. Communicate relentlessly. Think ahead. Deliver beyond expectations. That's how you don't just survive in hospitality — you thrive.
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