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Hi Reader,

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At Union Square Hospitality Group, led by Danny Meyer, hospitality isn’t just a front-of-house priority, it’s a shared commitment woven through the entire organization- evident in all their restaurants.

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• Chefs, servers, and support staff are equally responsible for the guest experience
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• Team members are encouraged to notice and act on gaps - even when it’s not “their job”
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• Ideas for improvement, whether it’s a menu tweak or operational shift, can come from anyone
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• Financial health is discussed openly to build awareness and ownership
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• Culture is something everyone contributes to, not left to just a few.

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• And when things go wrong, the team responds- learning, adjusting and improving…. Together

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This culture of shared ownership isn’t just a feel-good philosophy, it’s been a key driver of Union Square’s long-term success. It’s what allows them to scale experience as well as operations. With everyone taking responsibility for the guest, the team, and the business, they’ve built environments where consistency, innovation, and care are baked into the daily rhythm. That’s how they’ve grown a network of restaurants that deliver not just great food, but memorable, values-aligned hospitality across locations, teams, and time.

This isn’t just a hospitality mindset - It’s a leadership mindset

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There’s a subtle but powerful shift that transforms how a team functions: From “my work” to “our work.”

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When we see it as “Our Work” a strong sense of Shared Ownership emerges.

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• Leaders zoom out regularly, thinking beyond roles to what’s right for the whole organization
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• Conversations about culture and finances aren’t thought of as something for just HR to address, they’re owned together
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• Strategic thinking is a team sport, not a solo act from the top
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• Accountability is mutual and leaders hold each other to what matters most
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• Wins are celebrated as collective momentum; losses spark honest, team-wide reflection
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• Energy flows across functions, not just down hierarchies
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When shared ownership is missing, it’s just as noticeable:

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• Leaders default to staying in their lane, even when problems spill across boundaries

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• Culture becomes an “initiative,” not a daily responsibility

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• Financial health is shielded from the team, rather than stewarded by it
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• Gaps stay hidden, or worse, get quietly tolerated because no one feels the weight of them
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• Accountability is vertical, not lateral. People answer up, but rarely across
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• Strategy is driven from the top, with little input from those closest to the work

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Why Shared Ownership Matters

Shared ownership isn’t just a nice-to-have- it’s a competitive advantage.

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It builds trust that runs deep, momentum that lasts, and clarity that cuts through complexity.

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It turns functional leaders into enterprise leaders. It transforms decision-making from slow and siloed to fast and aligned. And most importantly, it gives people a reason to care…not just about their part, but about the whole.

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But this kind of leadership culture doesn’t happen by default.

It takes intention. It takes practice. It takes teams willing to pause, look up, and reimagine how they lead together.

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If you’re ready to explore what that shift could look like for your team, we’d love to have you join us for our upcoming workshop: From "My Work" to "Our Work": Practicing Shared Ownership as a Leadership Team on Thursday, May 15th.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities:

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• Are you leading a small organization with big growth aspirations? Learn more about our Leading Together Cohort that kicks off in July!​
• Our next Leading with Intention series begins on May 21st, registration is now open!​