Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Titles Aren’t the Problem
By Deana Scott
“Leadership is not a title. It is a behavior practiced—or avoided—every single day.”
For more than three decades, I have worked alongside Tribal governments and enterprises across the country. I am a non-Native Tribal spouse, a consultant, and a long-time partner to Tribal organizations navigating growth, regulation, and workforce change. Across all of those years and experiences, one pattern shows up consistently—not a lack of talent, not a lack of commitment, but a leadership gap that quietly limits people and organizations alike.
The leadership gap is not about missing executives or underperforming managers. It exists much lower in the organization, where capable employees do not step into leadership behaviors because they were never taught how—or never believed they were allowed to.
Throughout my career, I have met, watched, and mentored many people who worked hard, followed the rules, and did exactly what was asked of them. Yet they were never considered for advancement. Over time, many internalized the message that leadership was not meant for them. Some waited to be asked. Some waited to be trained. Some quietly decided they were unworthy.
That gap—between potential and participation—is where organizations lose momentum.
In Tribal gaming and hospitality, this leadership gap is often amplified by structure. These are highly regulated environments where compliance matters deeply, roles are clearly defined, and decision-making authority is often centralized. While those systems are necessary, they can unintentionally send the message that leadership is permission-based rather than behavior-based.
The result? Employees become excellent at execution but hesitant to influence. Supervisors manage tasks but avoid coaching. Managers enforce standards but don’t always develop people. Leadership becomes something that happens above the organization rather than within it.
The data reinforces what we see on the ground. Gallup research shows that organizations using a strength-based approach experience up to 72% higher engagement. Employees who feel recognized for what they do well are significantly more likely to stay. And yet, up to 70% of engagement is driven by frontline leaders—those closest to the work, not those at the top of the org chart.
Leadership gaps do not show up in mission statements. They show up in everyday moments: conversations that don’t happen, feedback that is delayed, expectations that are assumed but never clarified. Over time, those moments shape culture more powerfully than any formal program.
Closing the leadership gap requires redefining what leadership looks like. Leadership is not authority; it is responsibility. It is the willingness to address issues early, coach in real time, and take ownership of outcomes—regardless of title. When leadership is framed as a daily practice rather than a promotion, people begin to step forward.
For Tribal enterprises, this shift matters deeply. These organizations are more than businesses; they are stewards of community wellbeing, cultural continuity, and generational opportunity. Leadership behaviors—or the absence of them—have consequences far beyond the workplace.
The future strength of Tribal gaming and hospitality will not be determined solely by strategy, technology, or capital investment. It will be shaped by whether organizations intentionally close the leadership gap and help people understand that leadership is not something you wait for—it is something you practice.
That is how cultures become resilient. And that is how people rise.
