Why Ownership Changes Everything
January 27, 2026
My first book of 2026 is Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara.
Part biography and part masterclass in what true hospitality looks like, the book draws heavily on Guidara’s experience at Eleven Madison Park (EMP), once ranked #1 among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. While it’s rooted in the restaurant world, it’s also rich with leadership insights.
One of my favourite examples comes from what Guidara called the ownership program at EMP. The idea was simple but powerful: give individual team members ownership over a small, specific area of the guest experience — and then genuinely support them to make it exceptional.
A new food runner named Kirk had an interest in beer. Guidara noticed, gave him a budget, taught him how to manage inventory and ordering, and then essentially said, “It’s yours now. Go make it awesome.”
A year later, EMP was being recognized as having one of the best beer programs in America.
Another food runner, Sambeth, took ownership of the tea program. With Guidara’s support, she was sent to Las Vegas to attend the World Tea Expo — meeting distributors and learning directly from those sourcing tea around the world.
Then there were cocktails. This program was handed to Leo, a part-time bartender who was also in medical school — and who, prior to this, had been one of the most outspoken critics of what was possible in a restaurant cocktail program. Given true ownership, everything changed. As Guidara writes, once Leo was at the helm, he transformed from a critic into a passionate ambassador, elevating the entire program.
Coffee followed a similar path. And so did other areas of service.
As Guidara reflects:
“Our staff loved the ownership programs. Because every single person who worked for us started as a food runner, some of them could work there for three years before becoming a captain. These ownership programs gave these motivated, creative people a project to engage with while they earned their stripes. Everyone benefited from the wonderful alchemy that comes when fervor has the room to run.”
There are many leadership lessons in this story. But the one that stands out most clearly to me is this: when leaders create the conditions for people to take real ownership — not just responsibility — something shifts.
Energy changes. Commitment deepens. Creativity shows up.
If this isn’t Top-of-Scope Leadership in action, I’m not sure what is.
Where might you create just a bit more room for someone else’s ownership, creativity, or brilliance to take hold?