Posted: 8 March 2021

This week we’re shining the spotlight on our General Manager. Find out what it’s like working in hospitality in her own words.

Your name

Renata Homer

Your job title

General Manager

Tell us about your time working in hospitality 

Still, after thirty years in hospitality, some memories feel like they happened yesterday.  It was a passionate, no-fuss female GM (ok, and maybe a little frightening) that inspired me to join this industry when I was still a teenager.  In a people industry, it is not unexpected, that looking back at what has shaped me are the managers who have either encouraged and mentored me or inadvertently given me the hutspa to take a different path. Ultimately what I have learnt from the last 30 years is that you listen, you learn, and you take the parts that resonate with you.  Each of my managers has highlighted a skill or behaviour that has stuck with me over these 30 years and here are my top takeaways:

  • Keep high standards across the board and lead by example. Consistently demonstrating, in both behaviour and attitude, that high standards are important is a good legacy.
  • Deal with stuff then and there.  It lightens the workload instead of procrastinating on tasks big or small and helps lessen your stress bucket. Get it done and move on.
  • Celebrate the wins. Whether they be yours or a team effort. Recognising success puts a little deposit in the bank of job satisfaction.
  • Choose your battles. You can’t be passionate about everything. Make sure your voice is heard when it really matters.
  • No one is perfect.  We are by nature self-critical and easy to criticise others.   Continually beating yourself up for mistakes and flaws is not healthy.  Accept, learn and try a different approach.  Ultimately it is progress that counts.

Balance is so important to me.  My team are individuals with their own needs and paths to take and I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by an amazing bunch of men and women.  I hate it when they move on but I would like to think that I have helped shape them in a positive way to carry them forward in their next challenge.  I am still learning and growing into my role but I’m satisfied, with my positive outlook, that so far I’ve done my best and maybe inspired a few others along the way.