In my previous series, I showed you the reality of job searching in 2025—how to prepare, stand out, and succeed in interviews.
Many of you wrote to me saying it was the first time you felt the job market was explained without sugarcoating. However, as I mentioned earlier, getting the job is not the finish line. It’s just the start.
Your first 100 days in a new role will shape your career more than you think. People will decide quickly: Do I trust this person? Do I want to work with them? Do they add value? In hospitality, first impressions are not only for the guests—they are for you, too. That is why this new series is all about Thriving in the First 100 Days.
We’ll cover three key areas: entering with purpose, building strong relationships, and achieving early wins. Today, let’s start where it all begins: how you walk in the door.
A Lesson From My Mentor Klaus
During my years as F&B Director in Puerto Rico, my mentor Klaus Reincke, the GM of the El San Juan Hotel—gave me advice that has stayed with me ever since:
“When you step into a new role, particularly in a department or hotel you’ve never worked in, you need to prepare before you act. It’s like catching a moving train. You don’t just stand there and jump on. You run alongside it first, then step aboard.”
Simple. Powerful. True.
I realized this early and applied it to every stage of my career. Taking over a new department—or later stepping into a GM role, sometimes in a country where I didn’t speak the language—required preparation, observation, and strategy, while – at the same time – silently analyzing, identifying and documenting weaknesses in the new operation.
Trust me, even the most perfect hotel has it.
A title gives you authority at first, but it’s like ice cream in the sun—it melts away fast. What really matters is how you prepare, how you observe, and how you position yourself before taking action and to initiate potential changes. If you do this right, your team will appreciate change, if not, there will be resistance.
Even more important is how you connect with people—your team, colleagues, and peers. Respect, trust, and understanding don’t come with a title. They are earned, and they last far longer than any temporary authority. And here may be the biggest challenges you need to overcome if you work internationally. Culture and mentality run deep, and what works in one country will not necessarily work in another country. When moving from New York to the Caribbean, I attended a cultural seminar with the University of Puerto Rico, titled “What makes the Puerto Rican Tic.” – given by Doña Paula, an elderly University Professor.
Attending this seminar was a blessing that helped me to understand and quickly overcome the initial resistance in a team that had seen foreign managers coming and going.
And that’s precisely what the first 100 days are about. Don’t try to jump straight into the driver’s seat. First, you run alongside the train—learn the rhythm, see who is on board, and only then step in with purpose.
Do: Listen Before Acting
The most common mistake new and mostly young managers make is rushing to impress. They want to prove they belong, show fresh ideas, and leave their mark. The intention is good. The timing is bad.
In the early weeks, your most significant value is not solving problems but showing respect. Watch how people communicate, how teams interact, how decisions are made. Every hotel has a culture—sometimes visible, often hidden.
Think of it as running alongside the train. You match its speed before you step in.
Don’t: Overshare or Overpromise
Another classic trap is oversharing or overpromising. Oversharing sounds like this: “At my last hotel, we always did it this way…”
Overpromising sounds like this: “Yes, I’ll deliver that in two days!”—when in truth, it takes a week. Both create problems. One makes you look stuck in the past. The other makes you look unreliable.
Instead, frame your experience as a suggestion: “At my last property, we tried something that worked well—do you think it might apply here?”
Notice the difference. You’re inviting discussion, not pushing answers.
Respect the Silent Influencers
Titles don’t tell the whole story in hotels. Some of the most powerful people wear no suit and have no office. The senior receptionist who knows every VIP guest’s preferences. The housekeeper who runs her floor like an army. The banquet captain who knows which promises from sales are fantasy.
Ignore them, and you’ll stumble. Respect them, and they’ll open doors you didn’t even see.
When I was a young department head, I learned more from these “silent influencers” than from any handbook. They showed me how things really worked behind the glossy SOPs. If you’re smart, you’ll find them early and treat them with the respect they deserve.
Mistakes to Avoid
Your first impression is fragile. A few missteps can damage trust before it has been built. Watch out for:
- Talking more than listening. Nothing signals arrogance faster.
- Clinging to your old hotel. “At Hilton we did this…” gets old quickly.
- Choosing sides too early. Stay neutral until you have a clear understanding of the whole picture.
- Chasing visibility over credibility. Better to be respected quietly than noticed for the wrong reasons.
Final Thought
Your first 100 days are not about proving you’re the most intelligent person in the room. They are about showing you’re the right person for the room.
Remember the running train. Don’t try to jump in cold. Run alongside. Prepare. Listen. Respect the culture. That is how you build credibility before you try to make changes.
Do this well, and your first 100 days won’t just be about survival; they’ll be about success. They will be the launchpad for a long and successful career.
This was the first step in the “Thriving in the First 100 Days” series. In the following article, we’ll look at building the relationships that matter most—with your boss, your peers, and the hidden influencers who quietly decide if you succeed.
Until then I wish You a successful and pleasant week.
Helmut H Meckelburg