Strong teams aren’t built on complex management theories or buzzwords. They’re built on something far more basic: respect and professionalism. This simple truth has guided The Glasshouse under the leadership of its president, Gianluca Sardo. Coming from years in hospitality and events, Gianluca has seen how treating people right while maintaining high standards creates lasting success.
Now, as his company continues to grow, he shares insights on building teams that stick together, take smart risks, and keep pushing forward – all while keeping morale high and turnover low.
Building Trust Through Leadership
Drawing from his experience in hospitality and events, Gianluca says there are three main ideas for good management: creating trust and loyalty, improving productivity and performance, and supporting new ideas and creativity. He mentions, “Respectful leadership encourages team members to be open, honest, and collaborative across the board.” These are the key elements that help teams achieve their goals while also maintaining high standards. This method also has shown success at The Glasshouse, where Gianluca once held a position as Director of Operations three years ago. “About 90% of the people are still here with the organization. They grew with me all through the way up to the top,” he shares. Many in the team, who started in normal management roles, have moved up to the director and vice president levels. 
Creating a Culture of Performance
When thinking about improving performance, Gianluca says it is important to help team members feel valued. “When employees feel valued and respected, they’re more engaged and motivated,” he mentions. His style focuses on being fair and communicating clearly, especially at difficult moments. In addition, one of the ideas that Gianluca believes in is respecting others’ ideas and offering a safe place for new ideas to be created. “Teams are more likely to consider new ideas and take risks when their leader supports them through the company,” he explains. “If you support your team, they’re going to be there for you through the company’s growth and help achieve its goals.”
Balancing Innovation with Stability
In the business of hospitality, there is minimal tolerance for big mistakes. Gianluca approaches chances and new ideas with caution. “Everyone in every job has the opportunity to grow, learn, and make errors, yet mistakes should be kept under control. When mistakes are out of control, it means there is a flaw in the process.” Instead of looking at failure, Gianluca says to set realistic goals and see issues as a way to learn. “You should create achievable goals for everyone in the team. Otherwise, you set them up for failure – you don’t want failure; you want them to achieve goals,” he explains.
Maintaining Team Morale and Growth
Team morale is crucial for a company to be successful. “A positive, respectful environment reduces workplace stress and conflicts,” Gianluca mentions. This way of handling things has helped The Glasshouse keep staff longer and create openings for them to move up in the company. Gianluca also says his success comes through help from his team. “I cannot be in the position that I’m now through without my team,” he says.
While the timing and an opportunity help, as they say in Italy, being “at the right place at the right moment,” Gianluca notes that success comes from paying attention when opportunities come and initiating tasks without needing to have instruction. He also supports his staff’s readiness for challenges: “Take more responsibility. Take more chances because if you don’t take a risk, you won’t know what happened past that mountain.”
For Gianluca, good leadership means building a team where people work together and where one values both work and personal life. “You must be flexible to adapt to individual needs if possible and suggest practices supporting wellbeing to avoid burning out,” he adds. “Respecting people’s free time and setting realistic expectations is a key to making a successful company through a successful working environment.” This complete way of managing people- a mix of being respectful, professional, and caring- has been useful at The Glasshouse. By placing these basic principles at the forefront, Gianluca has created a solid organization through which the company and its employees keep growing.
To learn more about Gianluca Sardo and his approach, check out his LinkedIn profile.
