Slipped into Leadership

Where leadership development meets employer branding

Leadership today is more than a new title on a business card. It means holding more complexity than ever. Different generations in one team, new technologies, pressure to innovate and a high level of self-reflection.

Many people who step into a leadership role aren’t fully aware of this. The promotion and the line in the CV are visible; the inner work and responsibility behind it are not. Making this transparent is also part of good leadership.

In hospitality, a lot of leaders “slip” into leadership because they’re excellent in operations. At some point, “Manager” appears on the card and suddenly it’s less about tasks and more about people.

Here a quiet gap opens up. The career page promises a strong culture, but the everyday experience of leadership doesn’t always keep up.

In “Slipped into Leadership” I explore why promotion doesn’t automatically mean preparation, and why we so often lead the way we were led. As long as the operation runs, few people ask how leadership really feels for the team.

Leadership doesn’t have to be perfect, but it needs a simple frame: honest feedback, short and regular check-ins, and a safe space to ask questions about one’s role.

Once we look at it like this, the question changes: not “Why are our leaders weak?” but “How do we support them better?” Anyone who takes employer branding seriously has to start exactly there.

Enjoy the read!