(Written by David Kong)

Over the course of my career, I have come to believe that leadership is not a title, it is a progression. We grow into it over time, shaped by experiences, challenges, and the people who influence us. Looking back, I now see my leadership evolution in three distinct stages: the individual contributor, the servant leader, and ultimately, the transformative leader. Each stage required new skills, broader perspective, and deeper self-awareness. And importantly, the capabilities gained at each step became the building blocks for the next. These stages often overlap, but together they form the foundation for leadership that is confident, purposeful, and impactful.

Stage 1: The Individual Contributor — Proving Your Worth

When I first entered the industry, I understood instinctively that I had to prove myself. In the early years, credibility is built through competence and work ethic. I needed to show that I was the most knowledgeable person at the table, the one others could rely on for extra work, difficult tasks, or last-minute demands. In many ways, being a strong individual contributor is about demonstrating mastery, reliability, and grit.

I also took steps down and steps sideways to gain the knowledge and competencies I knew I needed. I took a 30% pay cut and two steps down to join Hyatt as the Assistant F&B Director in Dallas because I wanted to learn the Hyatt way. Later, I left the comfort of being a live-in GM to move to Hyatt’s corporate office to lead the Business Process Reengineering effort, something I had no idea how to do at the time. After that came several more roles outside my comfort zone: building Hyatt’s early database-marketing capabilities, launching the first Hyatt.com, contributing to the first generation of Hyatt’s revenue-management system, and implementing a Sales Force Automation system. Eventually, I left Hyatt to become a consultant with KPMG before joining Best Western.

I didn’t realize then that these experiences were laying the groundwork for the next stage of leadership. I had differentiated myself. I was no longer “just a General Manager.” I had acquired a broad, transferable skill set. Consulting, in particular, taught me how to listen, how to vision, and how to persuade. I learned the importance of humility and patience. I also gained the confidence that comes from knowing you can learn almost anything.

Stage 2: The Servant Leader — Empowering Others to Excel

As I began leading teams, I had to shift from proving my worth to elevating others. This transition did not come naturally to me; it required letting go of control. Leadership at this stage becomes an art, the art of building a team, finding people who are smarter and more knowledgeable than you, and feeling not only comfortable but proud of empowering them.

My consulting experience taught me the value of welcoming dissenting opinions. My early corporate experience at Hyatt taught me something else: when you don’t know how to do the job yourself, you must give people space to succeed. I learned to hire the best people I could find, set clear expectations, provide guidance, and then get out of their way. And I discovered that paying attention to people’s career growth not only strengthened the team’s performance, it strengthened our relationship. I didn’t know the term servant leadership then, but I learned the meaning: when your team knows you care about them and are committed to their success, they will give you their best.

Stage 3: The Transformative Leader — Seeing the Future and Inspiring Others to Follow

Reaching the stage of transformative leadership requires a dramatic widening of perspective. Suddenly, it is not enough to execute well or build strong teams; you must anticipate what lies ahead. To do that, you need intellectual curiosity. You must be well-read, well-informed, and in tune with your environment. You begin to see patterns, connect dots, and sense the general direction of change. Strategic visioning becomes an essential skill.

But the real test of transformative leadership is courage, the courage to challenge the status quo and the courage to pursue a vision that others may not yet see. In 2009, when I proposed splitting the monolithic Best Western brand into Best Western Premier, Best Western Plus, and Best Western, it was a monumental undertaking. Letting go of the familiar is uncomfortable, and you must be humble, engaging, relentless, passionate, and persuasive in helping others imagine a better future. That energy is what earns buy-in. And again, the earlier stages prepare you for this one: without grit, credibility and a loyal, empowered team, a transformative vision has nowhere to land.

Closing Reflection

We are all given different talents, strengths, and limitations. Over the years, I have learned that not every great sales professional becomes a great sales manager, just as not every exceptional operator will naturally evolve into a strategic visionary. And that is perfectly alright. The most gratifying role is the one that allows us to do our best work, where our abilities, passions, and purpose intersect.

My goal in sharing this journey is not to suggest that everyone should strive to become a transformative leader. Rather, it is to encourage you to pause, reflect, and recognize where you may be along these stages. Each phase:  the individual contributor, the servant leader, and the transformative leader, offers invaluable lessons and skills that build upon one another. And while these stages may overlap, each contributes to shaping who we become.

If you do aspire to be a transformative leader, there is a path to get there. It requires curiosity, courage, discipline, and a willingness to grow through each stage with intention. Wherever you are in your leadership journey, I hope my experience offers insight and encouragement as you define your own way forward. I wish you the best.