Lessons from Bill Marriott

John Willard "Bill" Marriott Jr. is an American billionaire businessman who is the executive chairman of Marriott International. He is an industry veteran and instrumental in Marriott’s brand of service. Reportedly influenced by Eisenhower's style of inclusive decision making, Bill has served as a mentor and leader for his employees.?

Here are a few key lessons from Bill Marriott, gathered from his book and several notable interviews:

A lesson in Inclusivity: What do you think we should do?

In 1954, Bill Marriott met with President Eisenhower at a dinner party. He came away with a life lesson – ensuring that the always includes his employees in his decision-making process. They may have come into a meeting with a solution in mind. He may not always implement their recommendations, but it helps employees feel heard and respected. Bill is famously quoted saying “The four most important words in the English language are, “What do you think?” Listen to your people and learn.”

A lesson in Quality: Be Meticulous

Marriott trainees have to follow a thorough, rigorous training schedule. There are 66 ways to make up a room and a finite number of steps and procedures that must be followed for making up each guestroom. There are extensive operational processes for guest check-ins and check outs. But Bill ensures that in keeping with his theme of inclusivity, employees have a fair amount of latitude. A typical training schedule for Marriott involves 90 days of training before an employee even starts the job. It is followed by a period of 60-day training in which a colleague is assigned to ensure employees feel welcome. This ensures that quality is embedded deep into the hotel’s DNA. Today, the brand has over 8,000 locations worldwide known widely for their consistency and quality.?

A lesson in Recognition: Celebrate and Reward

Marriott hosts an internal award ceremony every year. A dozen employees from all over the world are selected for ‘The Marriott Award of Excellence.’ During this week, employees are recognized for their hard work and commitment to the organization. A lot of these employees are hourly workers that rarely receive praise. Employees are brought to Washington for a week-long celebration which includes lunch and dinner banquets with Bill Marriott along with city tours and more. This helps employees feel motivated and most importantly, celebrated and included. ?

Marriott reportedly has over 10,000 square foot space at their headquarters that is dedicated to research, development, and innovation. Today, as the brand continues to grow, it is unafraid to embrace change and innovation.

What are some of your favorite lessons from industry leaders?