Leadership in Heels and Deck Shoes: Building Diverse Talent in Hospitality L&D.

In hospitality, leadership often shows up in unexpected ways—and in unexpected shoes.

I've seen the power of a sharp blazer and stiletto heels leading a pre-shift meeting. I've also witnessed flip-flops and rolled-up sleeves steering multi-million-dollar guest experiences with quiet confidence. In both cases, leadership was present, potent, and deeply human.

As a Learning and development professional, I've come to realize that diverse leadership isn’t just about representation—it’s about redefining what leadership looks like in our industry.

Too often, our pipelines are built with templates: traditional leadership traits, conventional backgrounds, expected pathways. But hospitality thrives on adaptability, empathy, creativity, and grit—qualities found in many forms, languages, genders, cultures, and shoes.

That’s why, as we evolve as an industry cumulatively, we’re actively reimagining how we identify and grow talent:

We need to look beyond resumes to evaluate lived experience and emotional intelligence.

We must create L&D programs that reflect diverse voices, not just diverse topics.

We have to champion flexible leadership models—allowing talent to bring their whole selves to the role, whether that’s in heels, deck shoes, or anything in between.

Because leadership isn't one-size-fits-all. It's not a look, it's a presence. It’s time we design our development strategies to reflect the future of hospitality—diverse, inclusive, and ready to lead from every level.

To my peers in L&D and HR: How are you making space for untraditional leaders? What does your leadership pipeline look like in 2025?

Let’s continue building what’s next—together.

#LeadershipDevelopment #DiversityInLeadership #HospitalityL&D #LearningAndDevelopment #WomenInLeadership #InclusiveLeadership #TalentStrategy #FutureOfWork #HospitalityLeadership #HRLeaders #VPHR #CHRO #DirLearning #VPLearning #L&DLeadership