Rebuilding a Region: Leadership Beyond Borders at Sircle Collection
When I started at Sircle Collection in Berlin, it felt as if Central Europe was slowly awakening from a long, uncertain hibernation. Hotels were reopening their doors, teams had only been partially rebuilt, and there was a mixture of relief, ambition, and bated breath everywhere. Everyone knew that the world had changed, but no one knew exactly how.
In that fragile moment, in which hope and hesitation constantly alternated, there was one question that sounded simple but carried a deep complexity: how do we grow again without losing who we are?
From one hotel to a new regional story
My assignment started small. I came in for a temporary role in which I would revitalize an underperforming hotel in Germany. What was meant to be a short chapter turned into a whole new story. Three months later, I was asked to stay and lead the rebuilding of the entire Central European region, with responsibility for Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. It is precisely in these kinds of transitional phases that temporary, hands-on leadership makes all the difference — a role that is often filled by interim leadership.
What began as a restoration project for a single property developed into the creation of a regional ecosystem. We opened three hotels in three countries, built a support office in Berlin, and helped teams that had gone through years of turbulence to find their rhythm again.
I quickly realized that our work wasn't about rooms and systems, but about restoring trust: trust each other, in the brand, and in the meaning of hospitality in a world that had to learn to move again.
Rebuilding after disruption
The post-COVID period revealed a paradox. People wanted to travel again, but inside the hotels, it was palpable how vulnerable the sector had become. Talent was scarce, experience had been fractured, and team morale was under pressure.
We chose not to start with systems, but with culture. We were back on the floor, in the restaurants, in the housekeeping corridors, at the reception desks. We wanted to understand how it felt to start again. We developed training courses focused on meaning rather than just processes. And we brought teams together across borders, first digitally and then physically, so that the sense of togetherness could return.
A special moment in this process was the opening of Sir Prague, our first management contract property. For me, this project proved that growth is not only about strategy also about soul; that you can scale up a brand without losing the character that makes it so recognizable.
The art of leadership in three countries
Leadership across three countries meant navigating between three rhythms, three sensitivities, and three ways in which teams give meaning to their work. What feels logical in Berlin may be too direct in Vienna. What works smoothly in Prague may come across as cautious in Germany.
I learned that imposing a single universal approach does not help. Instead, we developed a framework of shared values that direction , while each property retained the freedom to bring these values to life in its own way.
This is how true brand consistency is created: not because everyone does the same thing, but because everyone acts based on the same conviction.
Temporary roles that bring long-term insights
During a period of significant change, I temporarily took over the management of Food & Beverage for two destination restaurants: Seven North and Miznon. It was not a role that was part of my original assignment, but it was where energy and attention were needed.
That experience reminded me how important agility is in a growing organisation. Titles do not determine your responsibility; the situation does. Sometimes leadership requires leadership step in where you are needed, not where you formally belong.
Three insights that stuck with me
Culture is the first thing you need to rebuild after a crisis, because without it, all systems remain empty and meaningless. Regional consistency should support local identity rather than replace it, otherwise you end up with soulless uniformity. And growth only has value if the people who make it possible can grow along with it.
Growth after disruption is not about returning to what was, but about moving forward to what is possible. My time at Sircle Collection showed me once again that even in uncertain times, a clear purpose direction often the most reliable form of direction .
Final question
How do you maintain organisation balance between structure and soul in your organisation when growth fills the horizon? In daily practice, this directly touches on questions surrounding performance operations.