How to Lead When You Don’t Have All the Answers

It's 3pm on a Monday; it's been a long day: you're juggling a guest complaint, trying to work around a staff member who just called in sick ... when someone from the front desk leans in and asks: “Are we being sold?”

You start to panic. Because you’ve also heard the whispers. You’ve seen the signs (and that rather ambiguous email from HQ). Now your team is looking at you like you have answers... and you don’t.

In hospitality, change rarely arrives with a neat plan and tidy timelines. It drops in uninvited, often at the worst possible moment, and leaves leaders scrambling to calm the chaos.

And in the absence of facts, speculation fills the gaps. Wanting clarity isn’t a weakness. It’s how we’re wired. Our brains crave certainty, and when we don’t have it, we make it up. Helpful sometimes... but also risky. Especially when your team is looking to you for confidence, calm, and control.

And let's be honest... confidence, calm, and control are tough to project when you feel like you’re in the dark, too.

The Pressure Is Real

It’s not just what’s happening inside the hotel - hotel leaders today are navigating serious headwinds. According to The Caterer, here in the UK, the hospitality industry has lost 69,000 jobs since the most recent government Budget, with the sector reeling from the National Insurance hike. Uncertainty is baked into the business right now - which adds yet more pressure for leaders.

So, what do you do when you don’t know what’s next?

You focus on steadying yourself in the in-between.

I work with leaders navigating this kind of limbo all the time. When the answers haven’t arrived but the questions keep coming. When you’re expected to offer clarity but you’re still trying to read the room... and your inbox.

That’s why I created the GUEST approach. It’s a simple tool for leading through uncertainty - designed to help you pause, get grounded, and communicate with honesty and intent.

GUEST: A 5-Step Guide to Leading Through the Unknown

G – Get it out in the open Start by naming what’s going on. Avoiding it won’t help. 

Example: “There’s a lot of speculation that our hotel is going to be sold and I don’t have any information to share with my team yet.”

U – Unpack what’s clear and unclear Write it out. Seeing it on paper helps separate fact from assumption and eases the mental clutter.

What I know:

• I haven’t received any confirmation from head office

• There were talks of a sale six months ago

• My team is anxious and asking questions

• I don’t have enough info to provide answers

What I don’t know:

• Is the sale happening?

• If so, when?

• Will there be staffing or structural changes?

• How will daily ops be affected?

  
  

E – Explain your thinking to others Draw the line between what you know and what you don’t. Be honest with your team.

Example: “I want to be transparent. There’s speculation about the hotel being sold and I genuinely don’t know if it’s true. There were discussions months ago but I haven’t heard anything official since. I understand how unsettling this is, and I’m doing what I can to get more clarity.”

S – Share your intent Tell your team what you will do.

“I’ll reach out to head office today to see what can be shared. I’ll schedule a team meeting for tomorrow so we can talk through any updates together.”

T – Talk to others Say what you need. Ask what they need.

To the team: “I know this uncertainty is tough, but I need you to keep focused on what we can control—like taking care of our guests and one another. If you hear anything worrying or have questions, bring them to me directly. What do you need from me right now?”

To head office: “There’s growing speculation about a possible sale and my team is understandably anxious. I’m doing my best to keep everyone calm and focused. I’d really appreciate any information I can share in tomorrow’s team meeting. Let me know what you need from me in the meantime.”

You don’t need all the answers to be a good leader

You just need to be present. To be honest. To make space for questions and show your team that, even in uncertainty, you’re with them.

That’s what the GUEST approach is all about. A little structure to help you keep your cool, stay connected, and lead with clarity, even when things are anything but clear.

Emily Sexton

Emily Sexton is an Executive Coach for hoteliers and hospitality professionals. With

over 20 years in corporate Communications and over a decade with IHG Hotels & Resorts, she helps hotel leaders to operate at their best — especially in times of

change. emilysextoncoaching.com