Burnout at the Top: Why Investing in Middle Manager Training Is the Key to Reviving Hospitality Culture
By Linh Pham, Alias Co-Founder & Partner
The Reality of Burnout
After decades immersed in luxury and lifestyle hospitality, I’ve seen the industry evolve. Some changes were necessary. Others have come at a quiet but devastating cost.
Today, hospitality managers are often expected to fill the gaps left by leaner line-level and leadership teams.
They are:
>> Working longer hours
>> Absorbing more responsibilities
>> Navigating higher expectations
>> Earning less.
Less compensation. Less support. Less recognition. The result is a mounting toll not only on individuals but on the culture of service we have spent years trying to protect and elevate.
Hospitality is not a transaction.
It is a human exchange—a moment of care, anticipation, and warmth if you strive to do it right.
But when leaders are stretched thin and emotionally depleted, how can they model or inspire genuine service to those closest to your guest?
The Forgotten Middle: A Critical Link
Organizations often invest in training for frontline teams while overlooking the middle tier of leadership.
These are the people expected to uphold both guest experience and employee performance.
They are tasked with:
>> Implementing vision
>> Managing conflict
>> Coaching the frontline
>> Interpreting brand standards
>> Staying consistently positive.
Yet, they are frequently underdeveloped and overwhelmed.
Skipping this group in your culture, building strategy is more than an oversight. It is a structural weakness.
The Hidden Toll of the Bottom Line Obsession
The relentless pressure to cut costs and increase margins has diluted service culture.
Leaders are expected to:
>> Engage teams.
>> Elevate guest experience.
All of this is expected while they work longer hours, with fewer tools, and tighter budgets.
I have watched passionate, talented managers begin to emotionally disengage. Not because they do not care, but because they lack support.
In environments like these, managers shift into survival mode.
That means:
>> Their days become consumed by triage, damage control, and putting out fires.
>> There is little time or energy left for planning, mentoring, or nurturing their teams.
>> When leaders are barely hanging on, your culture begins to fracture.
>> If your leaders are simply surviving, your service will too.
Emotional Intelligence Is Not Soft, It Is Strategic
Managers set the tone. They drive morale, shape communication, and carry the brand’s DNA into the guest journey. But without training in emotional intelligence, that leadership breaks down.
Emotional intelligence is not just about kindness.
Emotional intelligence is about:
>> Bandwidth
>> Self-regulation
>> Perspective
>> Connection.
It gives leaders the capacity to coach, communicate, and stay resilient in the face of pressure.
If managers are going to be expected to lead in environments defined by high demands and limited resources, which increasingly appears to be the new norm, then it is essential to arm them with the kind of support that comes from within.
Training in emotional intelligence is not optional. It is the internal infrastructure that makes sustainable leadership possible.
When you train your managers on emotional intelligence, service mindset, and hospitality leadership, they:
>> Shift from surviving to inspiring.
>> Become culture carriers.
>> Lead with clarity.
>> Motivate their teams with purpose.
A Team Is Only as Strong as Its Structure
Effective teams are built with strength at every level.
From executives to department heads to hourly associates, the most aligned organizations are those where:
Everyone is brought along.
Everyone understands the mission.
Everyone believes they are part of something larger than themselves.
You do not win by leaving people behind.
Training Is a Culture Investment
At Alias Creative, we design training that speaks directly to these gaps.
We do not believe in generic leadership development. We believe in highly curated programs tailored to the nuances of hospitality.
Our experiences are built to elevate emotional resilience, communication, and leadership impact in real-world environments.
When you invest in your managers:
>> Your culture begins to breathe again.
>> Your teams become aligned.
>> Your service improves.
As a result, your outcomes strengthen, not only in terms of profit but also through increased loyalty, stronger retention, and renewed brand energy.
The Path Forward
It is time to stop treating training as an optional expense and start recognizing it as the foundation for sustainable growth.
Hospitality is, and always will be, about people. That includes the people you trust to lead it forward. Without your middle managers, there is no connective tissue to carry strategy into daily execution. They are the glue that translates vision into reality and culture into action.
When these leaders are truly seen, supported, and equipped:
>> They do not simply maintain operations.
>> They bring clarity, energy, and purpose to their teams.
>> They become the force that moves your culture forward and turns strategy into meaningful action.
At Alias Creative, we understand how difficult it can be to prioritize development when teams are stretched thin and time is limited. But that is precisely when intentional training becomes most essential.
Let us help you reset momentum, re-engage your leadership, and refocus your hospitality culture from the inside out.
With the right support, your managers will not only lead more effectively, but they will also inspire those around them to rise. Together, we can polish, empower, and prepare your team for lasting success, while giving everyone access to the keys they need to drive culture and strengthen performance at every level.
About Linh Pham
Linh Pham has served as General Manager and Executive Director of Food & Beverage at top-tier properties, including the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, where he led the team to a 2024 AAA Five‑Diamond designation. Linh pairs hands-on leadership with deep operational expertise and revenue-driving strategy, shaping how modern hospitality brands resonate, grow, and thrive.