Four Lessons from Four Seasons
In July 2019, I started my full-time position as Assistant Manager in the food & beverage division at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco. Now, as July 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to take some time to reflect on my journey with the luxury hotel brand and share a few of what I have learned during my time at this union hotel.
Lesson 1: Read the Union Book!
On my first day, I was given a pocket-sized, red union book and was told by my boss, Bridget, to memorize everything in it. I thought she was joking, only to realize that every other manager in the hotel said the same thing. When I started reading it, I realized how extensive yet clear the union structure was and the importance of it. It took a solid three months of training and learning from my own mistakes to understand most of the book.
The book was just the foundation for a complex operations, like the FS San Francisco property, as there were so much more to the union than what was in book. I learned even more about working with and managing the union throughout my time there and am so grateful to have gone through that experience! It has definitely made me a stronger and wiser manager.
Lesson 2: No Room for Ego
Anna, a veteran in food & beverage who worked alongside me as assistant manager, taught me that ego keeps managers from improving in a union environment. And ego was exactly what caused me to struggle during my first three months. Although I had little experience in food & beverage operations, I felt that I could use my experience in hospitality and rooms operations to be an effective manager. That tactic failed and I had to start from the basics and learn from ground up.
Having worked at another hotel for four years before Four Seasons, it was a tough realization that I had to start from the very basics. I felt disappointed and ashamed, mostly due to my ego. But Anna helped me realize that I needed to let that part of my ego go. Through mentorship and encouragement from her and fellow managers, I slowly became more comfortable in my role and took on more responsibilities. I learned that was more important than my ego.
Lesson 3: Tailor Your Mentorship and Management Styles
The union environment allowed me to work with people from diverse backgrounds. There were veterans who have been working at the property since Day 1 and youngsters who were recently hired. Such dynamic group of employees taught me more on how to tailor my mentorship and management approach based on their personalities, histories, and work styles. One size definitely does not fit all.
I made mistakes along the way but learning from my errors and using them as opportunities to learn more about my employees was definitely challenging yet rewarding. It’s important to read your people and find ways to help them understand your work as a manager.
Lesson 4: Foster Your Community
Moving to a new city and property was daunting. Ashanti, who was the property’s Chef de Cuisine, taught me the importance of reaching out, finding my own community, and establishing that sense of belonging.
Ashanti introduced me to different people within the hotel and we slowly started to grow our community. Not only was my community helpful during times when work was stressful, but it also showed me unique parts of San Francisco through our night outs, walks, and adventures. Although we all went our own separate ways with new jobs and locations, we are all still connected with our memories, love for each other, and passion for hospitality. I truly can’t thank the people I met (especially Ashanti, Jimena, and Damane) enough for helping me realize the importance of a community and shaping my time in SF.
