Gustavo’s Secrets to Leadership and Service Excellence

Gustavo Sanchez started in an entry-level position. He now manages a team of 40 people.

But like a coach of soccer, his favorite sport, Sanchez learned to lead. The Director of Food and Beverage for Hotel B Unique in Cozumel, Mexico, tells GEM Journal how he learned to coach a team. His secret to success is a culmination of lessons learned from nearly two decades of working from the bottom to the top.

“The secret is starting off in a lower position,” Sanchez tells GEM Journal. “Knowing how people feel, from the waiters to the kitchen staff in the back. You need to understand their worldview.”

Understanding the ins and outs of every position helps him better understand his employees. As he says, people are what make good hospitality.

Below is a breakdown of Sanchez’s top-secret game plan.

A hands-on approach

Sanchez starts every day at 9 a.m. He likes to knock out paperwork and emails early so he can focus more time on the floor with his team.

He gathers the team together for a meeting before the bar and restaurant open.

“We go over what happened in the previous shift,” Sanchez. “Then we get everything in the bar and kitchen stocked.”

Going over previous shifts gives Sanchez and his team a better idea of the problems they encountered. History has a tendency to repeat itself in the hospitality industry, so identifying those issues early on helps set a game plan for the next time.

It’s a hands-on meeting for Sanchez. Hotel B Unique is known for its unique mixology. The drinks require fresh, locally sourced, hand-squeezed juices.

The cocktails are an important part of the company culture, which leads to Sanchez’s next step in the recipe.

Teach the company mission

During his tenure, Sanchez has learned the importance of educating his team on the mission of the company. If that’s to have the freshest juice for cocktails to enjoy with a tropical view, then the staff needs to learn that laidback vibe while on the clock.

Bringing guests an experience unique to Cozumel, Mexico matters. Even if the staff is short a sous chef and stress is at an all-time high in the kitchen, servers need to keep their cool on the floor. This mindset and working philosophy start with leadership and trickles down to every staff member.

“People make the decision to work here. Once they make the commitment, it’s up to me to train them,” Sanchez says. “We have a lot of guests from other countries, new to here in Mexico. We have to be experts in that Mexican experience. It’s up to us to answer our guests’ questions on the country – and truly bring an authentic experience.”

Sanchez values leadership and compassion. He teaches his team soft skills focused on communication. Anyone can learn to cook and make drinks, but to him, a true talent in hospitality comes down to communication skills.

Sanchez’s biggest advice to serving staff is to always make eye contact and always show your authentic care.

There are times when staff members have to move on for various reasons. Some may leave due to conflicts of interest, but others are simply filling a void between the next step in their careers. When that happens, Sanchez feels it’s important to learn how they feel about the working experience.

“We don’t just interview the staff when they get the job – we do an exit interview, as well,” Sanchez says. “It’s important to find out what they believe guests enjoy about the experience most. You know, we work with our hands. But really, in this business, we work with our hearts.”