If you are lucky enough to work, at some point in your professional life as a Housekeeping Assistant Manager, alongside one seasoned and capable mentor for at least 2 years, your growth, capabilities, tactics and systems will develop 5x faster than through 8–10 years of solo work experience.
Why? Because you get to work alongside someone with decades of experience — and you get to observe, in real time, how they react under pressure, how they plan, how they manage workload, and how they navigate personnel challenges.
But the real magic happens when your mentor holds you accountable without suppressing you. When they set the standard but give you the freedom to act, to make decisions, and yes — to make mistakes. That balance is rare. And when you find it, you thrive.
That is the true effect of a great mentor.
I was fortunate enough to have a great mentor who showed me that you can turn around any situation — no matter how difficult — with the right system, the right plan, and the right organization. And yes, with long hours.
Millennials may disagree with me on that last part, and I respect that. But as an old-school professional, I have to be honest with you: long hours come with the territory in Housekeeping Management. Not always — but most of the time, they do.
Planning, execution, inspection, staff empowerment, supervision of large teams — it adds up. And somewhere along the way, you realize that managing a housekeeping team of 40–50 people feels less like running a department and more like raising a large family. You look after them. You make sure they are happy, safe, and productive. You make sure they don’t Clash with each other.
You are the one who holds it all together. Not quite the alpha wolf — but not far off either.
At some stage, your mentor will move on — perhaps to another property — and you will need to hold it all together. I am speaking especially to Housekeeping Assistant Manager stepping up into the Housekeeping Manager role for the first time.
That moment will feel like everything is landing on your shoulders at once. But you will stand on your own feet. You will keep everything that is already working, and you will put your own mark on the department.
Here are the tools that, in my experience, always help teams thrive — in order of importance:
- Lead by example — be there from the start of the shift until after it ends
- Empathy — understand your team as people, not just as workers
- Fairness and professionalism — non-negotiable, every single day
- Training — continuous, practical, and on the floor
- Praise good work when it happens — immediately and sincerely
- A sense of ownership and camaraderie — make them proud of their department
- A friendly yet professional environment
- Humour — used wisely, it builds trust faster than any policy
- Team building — invest in the group, not just the individual
- Act quickly on red flag staff — delay costs the whole team
Each of these qualities can be supported and accelerated with the right tools — and that is one of the reasons I created this series of housekeeping operational resources.
One final note before I close this episode. In my work journal, I keep a page I call The Lessons Ledger — a private list of things that went wrong, and what I did wrong. Not what others did. What I did.
One entry that stayed with me for years: I once replied too quickly — and not very politely — to a fellow manager. That email followed me around the organisation for six months. All I had to do was wait, breathe, and reply later. The message would have been the same. The damage would not have existed.
No matter how experienced, how successful, or how well-intentioned you are — you will have a list. Everyone does.
Write it down. Visit it often. It is not a list of failures. It is your most honest teacher — and in many ways, the greatest mentor you will ever have.
Free to browse — Explore the training library →
0 comments