People Support What They Help Create: an insight into Hospitality Leadership.

"The best leaders don't just manage people. They make people feel they're part of building something."

Over the years, I've worked with all kinds of leaders.Owners. General Managers. Assistant Managers. Head Chefs. Team Leaders. Some were incredibly tough. Some were incredibly supportive. Some believed every decision should come from the top. Others gave their teams almost complete freedom. If I'm honest, I don't think there has ever been one "perfect" management style. I've seen different approaches achieve good results. I've also seen different approaches fail. But looking back over my career, there is one thing I believe separated the leaders who earned genuine respect from those who simply held authority. They made people feel included. People rarely commit to a vision they had no part in creating.

Inclusion isn't about giving away control

Inclusion doesn't mean everyone gets a vote on every decision. It doesn't mean every suggestion becomes policy, and it doesn't mean standards become negotiable. A leader still has to lead. Sometimes the answer will be yes. Sometimes it will be not now. Sometimes it will simply be no. But there is a huge difference between making a decision for your team and making a decision after genuinely listening to your team.

Your team sees things you don't

No single person sees everything. The kitchen sees problems the front of house doesn't. The dishwashers notice things the Head Chef never will. Supervisors often hear concerns long before they reach the General Manager. Your most experienced team members carry years of practical knowledge. Ignoring that knowledge isn't leadership. It's waste. Some of the best operational improvements I've seen haven't come from managers at all. They've come from the people doing the job every single day.

People don't want to be pieces on a chessboard

One mistake many businesses make is treating people like resources that simply need to be moved around until the roster works.But people aren't pieces on a chessboard. They're individuals who want to feel that what they do matters. When people feel included, when they're asked for their opinion, and when they understand why decisions are being made, something changes. The business stops feeling like your business. It starts feeling like our business. That's where ownership begins.

Ownership changes behaviour

People who feel included don't just complete tasks. They notice problems before they become disasters. They protect standards when nobody is watching. They suggest improvements. They help new staff succeed.They care.Not because they're forced to. Because they feel they're contributing to something they helped build.

The sweet spot

I don't believe the goal is to become a strict manager, a relaxed manager or a manager who's everyone's best friend. I think the sweet spot is somewhere else.High standards. Clear accountability.Strong leadership. But with a culture where people feel heard, respected and genuinely included in improving the business. Because when people help create the culture, they're far more likely to protect it.

Final Thought

A management style may influence how efficiently today's shift runs. An inclusive management style influences how your team thinks long after you've gone home. In my experience, the businesses with the strongest cultures aren't always the ones with the loudest leaders. They're the ones where people genuinely believe they're part of building something worthwhile.