In this exceptionally vibrant episode of The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Taylor Scott—author, keynote speaker, and former Disney leader—to explore how hospitality principles can transform leadership. With decades of experience at Disney, Gaylord, and The Cosmopolitan, Taylor shares practical wisdom from his bestselling book, Lead with Hospitality, and previews his upcoming leadership fable, Give Hospitality. Together, they discuss the emotional power of connection, the practice of empathy, and the critical difference between doing and leading. Taylor’s insights are a masterclass in how to make people feel seen, valued, and inspired at work.
You’ll learn:
- Why the best leaders think like hospitality pros
- How to build emotional connection before offering feedback
- Why empathy is a learnable skill every leader needs
- How kindness, time, and significance create a contagious culture
Highlights from this episode:
[00:05:02] – Why emotional connection—not instruction—is the true start of leadership.
[00:12:00] – Taylor explains how emotional resonance drives behavior.
[00:22:47] – Why leaders can (and should) learn how to practice empathy & create connection.
[00:30:33] – Unpacking Taylor’s LEAD acronym, a practical framework for servant leadership from the front lines of hospitality.
[00:38:14] – Taylor reveals the true power of encouragement, significance, and being “seen” at work.
Taylor’s book: https://a.co/d/eUZYFmm
Connect with Taylor:
Taylor’s website: https://leadwithhospitality.com/
Email: taylor@leadwithhospitality.com
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tscott1502/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/tscott1502
Also mentioned in this episode:
Authors Chip Heath & Dan Heath: https://heathbrothers.com/
Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath: https://a.co/d/d0Hh8cx
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt: https://a.co/d/bM2UA13
The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn: https://a.co/d/abZnJ3D
We are grateful to T Scott for bringing his passion for leadership and workplace culture to the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast! Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast app!
