Lack of Initiative or Lack of Leadership? A Reflection on Frustration

In the world of hospitality, one of the most recurring—and least visible—challenges is the apparent lack of initiative among work teams. At first glance, it may seem that many employees simply “do the bare minimum”, waiting for instructions and avoiding making decisions on their own. For those of us who are passionate about this profession, that attitude can be frustrating and raise an uncomfortable question that echoes through management corridors: Is there really no personal initiative?

However, behind this lack of spontaneous action often lies something far more complex than simple apathy or disinterest. In many cases, hotels have been structured—consciously or unconsciously—to prioritise the flawless execution of processes, leaving little room for autonomy, creativity or experimentation. Initiative cannot be demanded; it must be cultivated. And to cultivate it, we must understand which conditions inhibit it and which ones enhance it.

This article stems from that concern, from that moment when one pauses in front of one’s team and wonders why there are not more proposals, more ideas, more willingness to go one step further. It is not about finding someone to blame, but rather critically reviewing our practices as leaders and opening the conversation about how to build a culture in which initiative is not the exception, but the natural habit of a committed team.

The question that comes up so often is, Is there really no personal initiative? And not because I have heard it so many times, but because I have asked myself that question more often than I would like to admit. When you lead a hotel, especially if you have created it from the ground up or transformed it wholeheartedly, it is natural to expect the team to respond with passion, vision and those flashes of autonomy that distinguish what is good from what is excellent. Yet often, that spark seems to have gone out—or simply never appears.

So why does this happen? Why does it seem that, in many hotels, staff wait for constant instructions without taking the initiative? After many years of observing this phenomenon in different contexts, I have identified several key factors that can inhibit or encourage initiative within a hotel team. I would like to share them with you:

1. Lack of clarity around the hotel’s vision or purpose
   When the team is unclear about why they work beyond earning a salary, they are unlikely to feel motivated to suggest improvements or take risks. Initiative emerges when people feel that what they do has a real impact and that they are part of something meaningful. Consistently and coherently communicating the hotel’s reason for being—beyond occupancy and ADR—is essential.

   

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2. A culture based on obedience, rather than participation
   In many hotels, hierarchical tradition has established a model in which the employee’s role is to comply, not to think. Changing this requires creating genuine spaces for listening, validating ideas even when not all of them are implemented, and reinforcing active participation through actions, not just words.

3. Fear of making mistakes or being judged
   Initiative involves risk. If every mistake is penalised or turned into a source of humiliation, the team will stop making suggestions. I have seen hotels where an employee stopped sharing ideas because, on one occasion, their manager said in public: “That makes no sense at all.” Sometimes a single sentence can destroy months of trust.

4. Lack of training or tools to innovate
   Initiative also requires skills. Many employees do not act because they lack the know-how: they do not know how to do it or whether they can. Training not only in operational processes, but also in critical thinking, problem-solving and collaborative leadership is an investment that pays off.

5. Lack of visible recognition for those who take the initiative
   In hospitality culture, those who step forward or think differently are often seen as “the rebel”. But if, instead of punishing them, we recognise them—even if their idea does not succeed—perceptions gradually change: making suggestions is not dangerous; it is desirable.

So, returning to the subject: Is there really no personal initiative? There is, but it is often dormant, hidden beneath layers of fear, routine, demotivation or silence. Our task as leaders is not simply to demand it, but to create the conditions for it to emerge.

As I like to remind my teams:

“The difference between a good hotel and an unforgettable one lies not only in its facilities, but in the freedom felt by the people who make it possible.”