Why Being Great at the Job Isn’t Enough Once You’re Leading Others

There’s a pattern I’ve seen play out again and again in clubs and hospitality.

We promote people for all the right reasons. They’re reliable, they know the operation inside out, they step in when things go wrong, and they’re often the ones holding everything together when pressure hits. So when a leadership role opens up, they feel like the obvious choice - and in many cases, they are.

And yet, this is often the point where organisations usually get stuck.

Not because the person isn’t capable, but because we don’t always acknowledge that the skills which make someone a great operator don’t automatically translate into strong leadership.

Operators succeed by doing. They fix problems quickly, stay busy, jump in, and keep things moving. That approach is valued in hospitality, and rightly so. But leadership asks for something different, and this is where many newly promoted managers start to struggle.

Not because they lack commitment or care, but because the shift has never really been explained to them.

Under pressure, operators instinctively move faster. They respond quickly, fill the gaps, and keep control of the details. Leaders, on the other hand, often need to do the opposite. They need to slow things down - not because nothing is urgent, but because how they show up under pressure shapes how everyone else responds.

In hospitality, we often confuse speed with competence. We mistake quick reactions for confidence and constant activity for authority. But in reality, it’s often how leaders communicate under pressure that sets the tone, long before the work itself does.

This week on The Michelle Pascoe Hospitality Podcast, I spoke with Michael Kelly about leadership presence and communication, and one of the things that really stood out was how much teams read into a leader’s pace, certainty, and presence - sometimes before a single instruction is given.

Leaders who take their time, speak clearly, and project calm certainty are often perceived as more capable and more senior, especially in high-pressure environments. By contrast, rushed communication, constant firefighting, and reactive decision-making can signal uncertainty, regardless of how competent the person actually is.

For many managers, the shift from operator to leader begins with one simple, uncomfortable change: slowing down.

Slowing the response. Taking a moment before speaking. Clarifying the message instead of filling the silence. Trusting that the space you’re taking as a leader is not only justified, but necessary.

This isn’t about doing less work. It’s about leading differently.

When managers stay in operator mode, they often become the bottleneck. Decisions sit with them, teams wait for direction, and pressure concentrates instead of spreading. Over time, that becomes exhausting - for the leader and for everyone around them.

But when leaders communicate clearly and consistently, something else starts to happen. Decision-making distributes. Confidence grows in the team. Accountability becomes shared rather than carried. People start to step up, not because they’re pushed, but because they’re clear.

This is one of the most critical transitions we work through inside our Middle Management Movement programs, because leadership isn’t just about what you do. It’s about what your presence, your pace, and your communication signal to others... especially when things feel urgent.

So as we close the week, here’s the question I’d encourage you to reflect on:

👉 When pressure hits, are you showing up as the person who fixes everything or as the leader who creates clarity, certainty, and direction for others?

Because in hospitality, leadership isn’t defined by how busy you are. It’s defined by how well others can perform without you having to step in.