Redefining Leadership from the Margins: A Vital Vision for Hospitality’s Future
Traditional hospitality leadership has often prioritised results while placing people development and culture in the background. This article explores the value of marginal leaders: professionals in non-core functions who are reshaping hotel leadership through a more human, sustainable and transformational approach.
We are often told that leadership means standing out, taking control and organising effectively to achieve results. And if we follow traditional manuals, we might think that leadership in hospitality is, above all, about operational efficiency, dashboards and measurable targets. But those of us who have experienced the intensity of day-to-day hotel life know that this model is no longer enough. Because hotels are, above all, human communities. And that is where the paradox begins.
I remember my first years leading teams perfectly. I focused on results, ratios and output. Every target achieved was cause for celebration... until, little by little, I began to notice cracks: talented people becoming demotivated, teams operating mechanically but without soul, meetings where we spoke more about KPIs than people. We had learned how to deliver, but not necessarily how to grow.
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