I recently had the privilege of hearing Will Guidara speak at a leadership event — and his presentation was outstanding.
Will isn’t your typical leadership voice. He’s not from Silicon Valley or a boardroom. He’s from the hospitality industry — best known as the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, one of the world’s top fine-dining restaurants.
Under his leadership, Eleven Madison Park went from a solid brasserie to being named the #1 restaurant in the world. And it wasn’t just because of the food. It was because of the experience.
That’s what Will Guidara brings to the leadership conversation: a reminder that how people feel matters.
What makes Will’s message so compelling is that it’s deeply human. He’s not trying to turn every leader into a Michelin-starred operator. He’s asking us to pause and ask:
Are we present?
Are we intentional?
Are we making people feel seen, valued, and taken care of?
And he’s not just speaking to customer-facing roles — he’s speaking to anyone in a leadership position.
Here are the core principles that stood out:
1. Unreasonable Hospitality Starts with Presence
Will calls it unreasonable hospitality — the act of giving people more than they expect, especially in the moments that matter most.
But the foundation of this isn’t extravagance — it’s presence.
"Every time someone interacts with your business, you have an opportunity to create a memory."
Whether you’re managing a team or meeting with a client, presence is the leadership superpower we often underestimate. It’s the difference between checking the box and truly connecting.
2. Culture Lives in the Details
At Eleven Madison Park, the team obsessed over the smallest details — from plate alignment to how pre-shift huddles were conducted.
"The way you do one thing is the way you do everything."
Culture isn’t defined by values on a wall — it’s shaped by the behaviours leaders model and the standards they uphold. The micro becomes the macro. The small moments are the big message.
3. Hospitality Is a Strategy, Not a Department
Will believes every organisation is in the hospitality business — because every organisation deals with people.
"Hospitality is how you make people feel — and that applies in every industry."
When we shift our mindset from product or service delivery to human experience, everything changes. Clients stay longer. Teams perform better. Trust deepens.
4. One Size Fits One
In a world addicted to scalability, Will pushes back: what if the path to growth is personalisation?
He tells the story of buying a $2 hot dog for a guest who casually mentioned they wished they’d had one before flying home. Will went out to the hot dog stand, convinced his chef to present it on a plate and presented it to guests. That moment — spontaneous, inexpensive, deeply personal — became the highlight of their trip.
Leadership isn’t about uniformity. It’s about understanding what makes people tick, and then meeting them there.
5. Empower Your People to Surprise and Delight
At Eleven Madison Park, every staff member had permission to go the extra mile. They weren’t just executing — they were creating.
"Great leaders don’t just lead; they empower others to lead in moments."
That means building systems that allow for generosity. Encouraging creativity. Trusting your people to do what’s right, even if it’s not on the checklist.
Will’s book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, captures all of this — and more.
It’s not a book about restaurants. It’s a book about leadership, presence, culture, and the art of creating unforgettable experiences. It’s about crafting a workplace where people don’t just show up — they care.
For anyone who leads teams, builds culture, serves clients, or wants to leave people better than you found them — this is essential reading.
Will Guidara reminds us that leadership is not about being the smartest in the room. It’s about being the most present.
It’s about noticing the small things. Taking the extra moment. Creating an experience where people walk away not just impressed — but moved.
In an age of AI, automation, and constant change, human-centred leadership isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s our biggest competitive advantage.