In a world where hotels, restaurants, and tourism organisations face unprecedented complexity – from digital disruption to climate challenges – Professor Ioannis S. Pantelidis of Ulster University invites us to look beneath the surface. His latest work, REEF: Transformational Leadership, draws on lessons from the ocean’s most adaptive ecosystems to inspire a new form of leadership – one that is rhythmic, empathetic, and resilient.
We sat down with Professor Pantelidis to explore how the wisdom of coral reefs and cephalopods can transform leadership in hospitality.
Professor Pantelidis, “REEF Transformational Leadership – How Ocean Wisdom can shape smarter, kinder and stronger organisations” is such a compelling title. What inspired you to connect ocean ecosystems with leadership, and particularly, hospitality?
The ocean is a living metaphor for our hospitality world. A coral reef thrives because it’s diverse, interdependent, and adaptive – much like a great hotel or restaurant team. Each part of the ecosystem has its rhythm, from the smallest coral polyp to the largest predator. When that rhythm is disrupted – by stress, pollution, or imbalance – the entire reef suffers. The same applies to hospitality organisations. We depend on harmony, trust, and flow to deliver genuine service. The Octopus is the perfect actor for regenerative leadership. It can regenerate its tentacles, it has three hearts representing the ultimate kindness expected in our hospitality organisations and a central brain plus 8 more, one for each tentacle, the perfect combination of centralised and decentralised intelligence and decision making.
I wanted to explore how these natural systems sustain life, collaboration, and renewal, and what that can teach us about running organisations where people can truly flourish.
Could you walk us through the core of the REEF framework?
At the heart of REEF are three interconnected frameworks designed to help leaders shift from control to care, from rigidity to flow.
R.E.E.F. stands for Rhythm, Empathy, Empowerment, and Flow. These are the four foundational pillars of a healthy organisation. In hospitality, rhythm means predictable yet flexible operations; empathy means understanding both guests and staff; empowerment ensures that every employee – from housekeeper to GM – can act with confidence; and flow ensures that energy and communication move freely through the organisation.
O.C.T.O.P.U.S. brings strategy to life through seven practices: Organic Culture, Collaborative Intelligence, Trust Before Tools, Optimism in Uncertainty, Presence Over Pressure, Unconventional Thinking, and Systems Approach. The octopus is the ocean’s master of adaptability – intelligent, curious, and fluid. Those are the traits hospitality leaders need when navigating change.
T.E.N.T.A.C.L.E.S. identifies nine leadership traits most expected by team members in their most trusted leaders: Tenacity, Equanimity, Navigational Skill, Truth-Seeking, Aspiration & Accountability, Conviction, Legacy, Ethical Intelligence, and Stewardship. You may be counting 10, but accountability is a recurring trait that goes hand in hand with many of the others
The later two frameworks help leaders build a more humane, dynamic culture that mirrors the resilience of the reef itself. The REEF is the ultimate destination!
How does this approach apply to hospitality organisations in practical terms?
Hospitality is the business of experiences, memories and emotions. Guests may forget what they ate, but they’ll never forget how they felt. To deliver that consistently, teams must feel psychologically safe and supported.
REEF leadership encourages leaders to empower their teams to:
- Shift from rigid schedules to rhythmic presence – regular check-ins, calm under pressure, steady energy in times of stress.
- Make empathy architectural, not optional – build systems that listen to employees, encourage honest feedback, and support wellbeing.
- Define clear boundaries that enable empowerment – as reefs need stable temperatures, employees need clarity to flourish creatively.
- Enable the flow of information – break down silos between departments.
- Embrace uncertainty with optimism – use challenges as opportunities for innovation, whether in guest experience or sustainability.
The hospitality industry is known for urgency, high turnover, and operational stress. How does REEF address those tensions?
Yes, hospitality is always “on.” That creates tension between rhythm and urgency, empathy and efficiency, and flow and control.
REEF doesn’t deny those tensions – it helps leaders balance them. For example:
- Rhythm vs. Urgency: Instead of constant firefighting, leaders can set a steady pace that maintains quality and reduces burnout.
- Empathy vs. Efficiency: Taking time to understand your team builds trust and retention – which is far more efficient than constant rehiring.
- Flow vs. Control: Policies are important, but over-control stifles initiative. The best GMs I’ve worked with create coherence without micromanaging.
A well-led hospitality business feels alive, not mechanical – like a thriving reef.
What does this look like at the strategic level for hotel groups or restaurant brands?
At the strategic level for hotel groups or restaurant brands, REEF changes how we think about culture and competitive advantage. An organization guided by REEF principles becomes more resilient and innovative.
Resilience means that teams can adapt to change without losing their identity. For example, some hotels were able to pivot creatively during the pandemic while maintaining their core values. Talent attraction improves because people want to work where they feel valued and safe. By practicing empathy and empowerment, organizations make themselves more appealing to potential employees. Innovation also grows in a REEF-wise organization. When energy and ideas flow freely, insights can come from all levels of the organization, not only from the boardroom. Finally, ethical leadership is strengthened. In today’s world of ESG accountability, organizations that lead with care and stewardship build trust with guests, employees, and investors alike.
How can hospitality leaders begin their REEF journey?
Hospitality leaders can begin their REEF journey by starting small and cultivating self-awareness. It begins with reflection: taking an honest look at your own rhythm, empathy, empowerment, and flow. Where do you naturally excel, and where might your habits or leadership style strain the system around you? This kind of self-check is important before trying to make bigger changes.
After that, see REEF not as a big project but as small, careful steps. You can try one new REEF idea each quarter, like adding a team reflection meeting, making decision-making more open, or changing how feedback is given to build more trust. These small actions, when done over time, can help create a more flexible and people-focused work culture.
Also, make sure these values are part of how you hire and develop your team. Use the T.E.N.T.A.C.L.E.S. traits in recruitment and performance reviews so that people are valued not only for results but also for integrity, teamwork, and responsibility. Create small rituals that keep the team connected and measure how trusted and supported people feel, not just how well they perform. That is how real organizational flow can grow.
Finally, what message would you leave for hospitality professionals navigating these uncertain times?
Hospitality has always been about human connection – and that’s what reefs teach us best. They’re ecosystems of mutual care, rhythm, and shared purpose.
If we lead like reefs – adaptive, empathetic, interdependent – we don’t just survive turbulence; we thrive in it. The reef is waiting, and so is a more sustainable, humane hospitality industry.
Thank you, Professor Pantelidis.
Thank you. And may all our hospitality teams find their path to their own true REEF.
Ioannis Pantelidis
Head of Department, Department of Hospitality Tourism and Events Management
+44 28953 67611
Hospitality Net
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