We've all heard of Pavlov and his dogs, but today, I'd like to introduce you to Wolpe and his cats—and why his work matters more than ever.
In the mid-20th century, Joseph Wolpe was on a mission to understand fear. At the time, psychology was dominated by two schools of thought:
Freudian psychoanalysis, which believed fears were buried in the unconscious, and
Early behaviorism, which saw fear as a conditioned response but offered little hope for reversing it.
Wolpe wasn’t convinced by either.
During World War II, he worked with soldiers suffering from what we now call PTSD. They weren’t just anxious; they were trapped in their fears, unable to function.
Back then, the options were bleak—avoidance, sedation, or hospitalization. So Wolpe took a different approach.
He started with cats.
In his experiments, he found that fear could be unlearned just as it was learned. Instead of forcing exposure (which often made things worse) or ignoring the fear (which reinforced it), he introduced a method called systematic desensitization—a process where fear is gradually replaced with calm.
Wolpe's approach transformed therapy and became the foundation of modern exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Fear and Leadership in Hospitality
Why does this matter to us as leaders in hospitality?
Because fear still traps many of us.
Our guests arrive carrying stress from their lives. Our teams work under intense pressure while also navigating their own uncertainty and self-doubt.
Underneath so many of our struggles are deeper fears:
The fear of being defective
The fear of being unwanted
The fear of having no personal significance
The fear of being incapable
The fear of being controlled by others
The fear of separation
But here’s what Wolpe’s work teaches us: The way through fear isn’t avoidance—it’s gradual exposure. And this is where we, as leaders, have a powerful role to play. Hospitality is more than rooms and service and revenue—it’s about creating spaces where people feel safe.
A great hotel, team, and leader all have the ability to set people at ease, to help them know they are cared for, to remind them that there is nothing to be afraid of.
When we do that, something incredible happens:
Our guests can relax from their stress and enjoy the present moment.
Our teams can feel confident enough to take new steps in their growth.
We create an environment where people don’t just operate—they come alive.
Whether it's reassuring a nervous team member, handling a guest’s concern with care, or leading through uncertainty, the most powerful leaders in hospitality are ones who make others feel safe enough to step forward into something new.
Your Turn
Joseph Campbell says "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."
What's one "cave" you've been avoiding? What conversation, decision, or challenge have you been putting off because it feels scary?
Reply and let me know.
Take care,
Josh