Some people should not be in charge of other people. If you’ve worked in the hospitality industry for even a short amount of time, you already know this. The guy who yells at the kitchen staff because he thinks it makes him look like Gordon Ramsay? Not a leader.
But what actually makes a good leader in this industry?
The easy answer would be: someone who does it all. A leader who is a visionary strategist but also an excellent communicator, someone who inspires but also executes flawlessly. But here’s the thing – there aren’t a lot of those people out there.
Most hospitality leaders fall into two broad categories: the Communicators and the Strategists. The Communicators are the ones who know how to rally a team, build a positive culture, and make people feel heard. These are the ones who can defuse an argument between front-of-house and back-of-house with a well-placed joke and make even the most stressful shift bearable. But ask them to plan out a year-long business strategy, and suddenly, things get vague. They work off vibes and gut feelings, which, although important in hospitality, does not always make for a stable business model.
Then there are the Strategists. These are the operators who understand margins, efficiency, and long-term growth. They know exactly how many seconds each station should take to plate a dish and can predict inventory needs with weird precision. But ask them to handle an emotional meltdown from a server who just got screamed at by a customer, or to notice that the dining room’s lighting makes everyone look like they’re in a horror movie, and they’ll look at you puzzled.
The best leaders know what they’re missing
The trick is not expecting one person to be both. The trick is knowing which kind of leader you are (or which kind you’re working for) and filling in the gaps. This is why restaurants with a strong partnership between someone that is operations-focused and someone that is a charismatic floor manager tend to thrive (in family business, these roles often fall to different family members). One sets the direction, the other keeps the team and customers on board.
So, no, there is not one way to lead a foodservice business. Some people are great at talking and creating vibes but need a numbers person next to them. Some people are visionaries but need someone else to manage the daily chaos. The best leaders know what they’re missing – and they make sure to hire accordingly.
But what if you don’t have that luxury? If you’re leading a foodservice business solo, the key is self-awareness and development. Identify your weaker areas and work on them actively. Take a finance course if numbers aren’t your thing, or spend more time on the floor if you struggle with team dynamics. Surround yourself with mentors, read about leadership, and most importantly, listen to your staff and customers. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be willing to adapt.
Marius Zürcher
About the author:
The co-owner & founder of Millennial & Gen Z marketing and employer branding agency 1520 in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Marius Zürcher was a participant at FCSI’s ‘Millennials’ focused roundtable at INTERGASTRA and a speaker at FCSI workshops about industry trends.
