The Hospitality of the Future Will Be More Human – What Event Planners Can Learn from Servant Leadership

Anyone booking a hotel today is no longer just booking rooms, meeting spaces and technology. You are booking atmosphere, attitude and reliability – the things a guest can feel before the first coffee is poured. In an interview with htr hotelrevue, Caroline von Kretschmann (Hotel Europäischer Hof Heidelberg) captures this shift in one sentence: “Die Hotellerie der Zukunft wird menschlicher sein.”

What may sound like “soft skills” is, in reality, hard competitive advantage – especially in times of staff shortages, rising expectations and increasingly interchangeable offers. For event planners, this is particularly relevant: no social programme, no set-up and no timetable can save an event if a hotel’s service culture, energy and team spirit are not right.

Servant Leadership: Leadership as a Mindset

Caroline von Kretschmann describes servant leadership not as a tool, but as a mindset: leadership is not about status, but about serving the team and the shared goal. It means listening, creating space, taking responsibility – being present without becoming dominant.

At its core, it’s simple – and uncompromising:

• People thrive when they feel safe.
• Trust beats control – especially in complex situations.
• Clarity is care: servant leadership also means saying the things people don’t like to hear.

It is a response to a working world where motivation no longer comes from hierarchy, but from purpose, appreciation and real connection.

“The Guest Remains Central – But Doesn’t Sit on a Throne”

One statement from the interview is provocative: at the Europäischer Hof, employees come first – even before the guest. Caroline von Kretschmann frames this not as a calculation, but as conviction – and at the same time formulates a principle every event professional will immediately agree with:

“The guest experience can never be better than the employee experience.”

For meetings, conferences and incentives, that means:

When you choose a hotel, you are indirectly choosing the internal conditions under which your event will be “carried”:

• How stable is the team?
• How high is staff turnover?
• Does the service feel like an obligation – or like hospitality that truly comes from the heart?

People over Profit: Why Humanity Makes Business Sense

In the interview, the phrase “people over profit” comes up – along with the thesis that pro-social behaviour is not only morally sound, but economically smart.

And yes: it pays off. Poor leadership is expensive – through sick leave, quiet quitting, declining quality and operational friction. Von Kretschmann puts it bluntly: “Bad leadership is the real luxury that no one can afford anymore.”

For event planners, that’s a practical decision aid:

Service quality is not a question of stars – it’s a question of culture. And culture is shaped by leadership.

TikTok & Instagram: Why Social Media Suddenly Becomes a Culture Issue

What’s especially interesting is the bridge Caroline von Kretschmann builds to communication: for her, social media is not a sales tool, but a “cultural amplifier and multiplier of attitude.”

The point behind it: hotels are now also booked for their identity. Guests (and applicants) want to see who works there, what a property stands for – and whether people are allowed to be human.

That this approach works is reflected in the current media buzz around her TikTok presence: millions of views, high attention – and, according to reports, greater visibility among guests and job applicants.

Take-away for MICE hotels:

Employer branding is no longer a campaign – it’s everyday life. And everyday life is visible today.

What Does This Mean for Your Event Planning in Practice?

If you are planning a seminar, a conference or a client event, you can translate “humanity” surprisingly well into selection criteria.

Ask about the team – not only the set-up

• How long have key people (banqueting, event coordination) been with the property?
• How do they communicate internally when things get stressful?
• Is there a clear service promise – and is it lived?

Watch for “micro-moments” during site inspections

• How do employees speak to each other?
• Does reception feel calm and confident – or tense?
• Does friendliness come “from the system” – or from the heart?

Plan programmes that enable relationships

Servant leadership doesn’t only apply to hotel management – it also applies to events: formats work better when people feel seen.

• more dialogue instead of constant input
• real breaks instead of being “scheduled down to the last espresso”
• hosts who provide orientation while still leaving space

Mini Checklist: How to Recognise Servant-Leadership-Ready Properties

Green signals

• Employees seem present, friendly, composed – even under pressure
• “We” instead of “them up there”
• Solutions are proactively offered, not deflected
• Social media shows culture, not just room photos

Warning signals

• Strong micromanagement (“We’re not allowed to…”)
• Many new faces / uncertain processes
• Service feels like a role, not a mindset

Outlook: Why This Topic Will Matter Even More in 2026

Caroline von Kretschmann will also share her perspective at the Hospitality Summit in Bern (3 and 4 June 2026). That’s no coincidence – the industry is looking for solutions that are both attractive for talent and strong for guests.

Looking for a Hotel That Truly Carries Your Event?

If, for your next conference, leadership off-site or incentive, you are not just looking for “a venue”, but for a property with genuine service culture, we will be happy to help you identify the right hotels and locations – including advice on room concept, run of show, social programme and participant experience.

Enquire now with the MICE Service Group – your one-stop solution for meetings, incentives, congresses and events.