It feels like I've been celebrating my 80th birthday for weeks. The first celebration was at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn, the second at our GM's conference in Los Angeles and the third (and hopefully last) was at our corporate headquarters. My daughter Debbie helped me cut the cake. I've gained ten pounds in two weeks. The headquarters event really helped me reflect on how lucky I've been to work with so many wonderful and talented people who share my passion for hotels.
As a hotel guy who has been around for a while, I was thinking about what Marriott contributes to people’s lives. The answer is simple: just plain happiness. We provide a lot of that for people who stay in our hotels. They get married there and have their honeymoon in our hotels. They have their retirement parties and they have family reunions. And they have vacations. They bring their kids to have fun, swim in the pool and go out to eat.
Running a hotel is a wonderful opportunity to reach out and care for people, and create very great memories. For me, it’s a business that’s very, very satisfying. I don’t think I’d have much fun in a widget factory. But somebody has to do it and I hope they are happy doing it.
In addition to making our guests happy, we also want our associates to be happy. Every hotel serves as a listening post for me. I’ve tried very hard through the years to listen and ask questions. The main question to ask is "why." Why do you think that’s right? Why should we go in this direction? And then I try to listen to the answers by involving people in the process to help them make the decisions that affect the business and affect their lives.
It’s great to see people progress. Our average general manager has been with us 25 years. Fifty percent of our GM’s come out of the hourly ranks. It gives me a real thrill to see our people get ahead and have an opportunity to grow. We truly are a company that opens doors to a world of opportunity for both our guests and our associates.
As I turn 80, there’s no better birthday gift than opening the doors of opportunity for our people.
Please leave a comment and tell me about your favorite birthday gift. I’m Bill Marriott and thanks for helping me keep Marriott on the move.
Listen to Blog 80th Birthday Gift
Hi Sir
You look amazing for 80 years old! I want to be 80 too!
When are you going to open a Marriott in Kenya? our Coastal area
will be the best place to open one and I will be there to Manage
your property!
Anna
Posted by: Anna | 04/10/2012 at 03:13 PM
Sorry I missed your party in Scottsdale. I happened to be there on the days you had the event but I was staying at the Marriott Suites in Old Scottsdale, one of my very favorites. you asked for a comment on my favorite Birthday gift. Well after pondering a while I would say was when I called an old friend to tell him he was one of the best friends I ever had and he said the same. It's the feeling and not the tangable. Giving in my life is much better than receiving. I have wished for at least 30 years now that I could have found a position at Marriott as I became a believer in the Marriott culture since my first stay in 1965.
I am only 71 and look forward to living to 100. Maybe I will catch up to you.
Sincerely,
Posted by: John E. Rodenhausen | 04/10/2012 at 02:21 PM
My best gift (not sure if it was a birthday) was a copy of Richard Halliburton's Book of Marvels which is out of print. It takes you on a tour of the marvels of the world (many historical where he describes the place as he saw it (in the 1930s) as well as how it was in its glory. I read it to my two daughters when they were small and they got together and found a copy to give back to me.
Posted by: Ed | 04/10/2012 at 02:12 PM
A Legacy of Putting People First - Instead of sharing my favorite birthday gift, I would like to share a career highlight. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to help open the Sarnia Reservation Center. At the time, I was a Lead Agent, we help associates with anything and everything associated with making reservations. When the Sarnia Center opened, the agents there did not have any phone time during training, so when the phones went live, they had one resource - ME. The first two weeks I was there (I was there for nearly four weeks), I worked every day and usually put in 10 to 12 hours a day. They had 50 associates to begin with and I didn't have an area where they could call in to me, so I would go from desk to desk answering any questions they had. It was hard work but it was also fun work. It was important to me that the agents felt comfortable in there new position because in many instances the first contact somebody has with Marriott is when they call in to make there reservations. It sets the tone for there vacation, business trip, get together, etc. At the end of my time there, they didn't want me to leave and to be honest, a part of me wanted to stay. It's a great center and they have many wonderful associates there.
Posted by: Patrick Wait | 04/10/2012 at 07:28 AM
My favorite birthday present was when my husband, also a Marriott assoicate (Development for CFTST) proposed to me 16 years ago. WE had a wonderful dinner at Key Bridge Marriott at The View! Thanks Mr. Marriott for being such an inspiring person and leader. So thankful for you! Melanie Sponsler
Posted by: Melanie Sponler | 04/10/2012 at 05:57 AM
its really an inspirational messages for us associates.. it really gives us motivation to work hard and achieved our business and personal goals> I will share these messages to my co associates to give them moral to work hard not only for the hotel but also for themself.
Posted by: ron reo rabano | 04/10/2012 at 03:29 AM
First of all, I wish a very, very Happy birthday for you Mr. Marriott.
For me, my birthday will be after 2 days and there's no better birthday gift than having the opportunity to grow and improve my career, because my work is the most thing that I care about.
Posted by: Marwa Abdel Gelil Araby | 04/10/2012 at 02:50 AM
Dear Mr. Bill,
Happy Birthday and many many more years filled with good health and success in every step you take.
Your message is very much real and right from your experience that makes it more to BE-LIVE in !!!!!
A content heart can work wonders to all those who are around and this is how we reach our guests with more of positive energy. Its not that we can always do it but then the WILL to do it will make many impossible things happen.
GOD Bless You and have a wonderful day.
Warm wishes,
Chandra
Posted by: Chandra Sivakumar | 04/09/2012 at 10:56 PM
Dear Mr. Marriott,
My husband and I (Platinum members with 145 nights this past year) seem to have just missed meeting you since we began a two week stay at the Rio JW Marriott during the 11th anniversary celebration. There are three outstanding employees we would like to be able to spotlight to management as part of your statement in making employees happy and hearing what they have to say - they proved to truly have the professional Marriott spirit (unlike one of their colleagues). Can you send me an email address of someone I can send their names to so I can explain how they helped our stay be Marriott-worthy?
And happy birthday!
Cheers,
Stacy Waite
(please do post this publicly)
Posted by: Stacy Waite | 04/09/2012 at 02:49 PM