Why visibility—not talent—is the missing link for underrepresented groups in hospitality leadership
Hoteliers today are grappling with significant operational challenges, from rising labor costs to the need to adjust operations strategies to continue exceeding guest expectations. During times like these, hospitality leaders must look for new ways to be disruptive, starting with their people and how they support them. Hoteliers have an opportunity to set themselves apart in a market hungry for skilled workers by celebrating the strengths of our industry and by elevating the women and underrepresented leaders who already support it every day. Many are simply waiting to be seen. All it takes is a shift in perspective and the intentionality to make their growth a priority.
The data underscores the opportunity. Women comprise nearly 60% of the hotel workforce, according to the AHLA Foundation, yet hold only 25% of leadership roles. Representation narrows further as roles become more senior. This is not a limitation of talent. It is a limitation of visibility, both in who organizations recognize as leaders and in whether potential leaders can see themselves reflected at the top.
Visibility does not just expand opportunity. It shapes how people view their potential.
Across the industry, women and underrepresented groups often demonstrate leadership long before they receive any formal title. They stabilize operations during peak pressure, strengthen service culture and solve issues before they ever reach a guest. Yet, these contributions are frequently overlooked because traditional hiring norms lean on familiarity, such as who has the right background, who has been present the longest or who speaks up most often.
Leadership has never been about volume. It is about impact.
When employees look upward and do not see people who reflect their identity or leadership style, advancement feels distant. Research shows individuals are significantly more likely to pursue leadership roles when they see people like themselves already in those positions. Representation is not symbolic; it is directional.
Believe in your people
As hospitality leaders, it is our responsibility to recognize the people who are already demonstrating capability. The first step is identifying those who consistently bring a hospitality mindset to their work. The next step is helping them overcome the self-doubt that often follows talented but untested team members. When leaders offer training, context and support, emerging leaders begin trusting their own judgment and contributing with greater confidence and autonomy. Teams feel the shift. So do guests.
The truth is simple. Our future leaders already exist within the hospitality ecosystem. They do not need to be discovered; they need to be developed.
Clear, structured pathways help turn potential into progress. Hospitality often celebrates opportunity, but too many associates are left to navigate advancement on their own. When organizations define what leadership looks like, what skills matter and how to progress, ambition becomes attainable.
This is why structure matters. If representation depends on one person’s discretion or a lucky moment, it will never be sustainable. Embedding representation into how we grow, evaluate and prepare talent, ensures visibility is not left to chance. Organizations that invest in real structure benefit from road maps that make advancement believable and development that equips people before they step into new roles, not after.
Flipping hiring fundamentals
Building leadership pipelines for women and underrepresented groups requires rethinking how we recognize leadership. That means:
Look at behaviors, not just backgrounds. Leadership shows up in judgment, influence and consistency.
Prioritize trajectory over tenure. Potential often emerges long before it is titled.
Name potential out loud. One conversation—“I see leadership in you”—can change a career.
Make leadership visible at every level. People cannot aspire to roles they can’t see.
Hold managers accountable for visibility. Advancement must rely on demonstrated leadership, not familiarity.
These principles are an important part of shaping how we grow as hospitality leaders. Young growing companies are encouraged to intentionally build a leadership culture with visibility in mind.
This did not emerge from a checklist or a program. It evolved naturally from choosing to look at talent differently and elevating the people already influencing our culture. Hospitality leaders know our systems will continue to evolve, and we expect our approach to keep advancing as we scale, but our commitment is clear: We aim to create an environment where advancement is transparent, leadership is accessible and future leaders can genuinely see themselves reflected at every level.
— Amanda Wickham is VP, people, culture and communications at Ivy Hospitality.
Let us know what you think. To comment on this piece, or to voice your own opinion about pertinent topics, please email Christina Trauthwein, VP, content & partnerships, at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you and share your point of view.
