The Spirit to Serve

by J.W. Marriott Jr.

Book Overview

An analysis of today's accelerated capitalism and the social price we are likely to pay for it. It examines deregulation, privatization, technological change and globalization, making predictions... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0887308783
• ISBN13: 9780887308789
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 2.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.9" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Spirit to Serve

This is an excellent book for anyone going into Hotel Management or any businness venture. Marriott knows what he's talking about!

Success the Marriott Way

Everyone has probably seen a Marriott Hotel product on one of their drives. They are everywhere and have a diffeerent line of hotels to suit every need from Fairfield Inns, Residence Inns, Courtyard, Marriott, Ritz Carlton and others. What you may not know is the story of how those hotel came to be and what drives the success at Marriott. From their langthy Standards of Operation, to thier treatment of the thier employees is all explained for you to read. You get a great insight on a great company. While this is not a biography, there are many biographical moments where Mr. Marriott give a little insight on him and why he does what he does at the company. He explains some of the moments from when his father started the busines, to his army days to his life now. This is not you typical business how to book either because much of the information is geared to Marriott and the lodging industry while leaving it readable for all who want a book on success and business. He also helps to give insights on the Lodging and food industry and should be a must for Hotel and Management Students. Since I work for a Marriott product, it has help me to understand the organization better which makes me a better employee and more focused. The company has a great reputation and this book helps to define what is expected. He does explain the four rule of decision making which are: 1. Be willing to make decisions. He fells this are the most important. 2. Do you homework. Just do not do it to obsession. 3. Listen to your heart. Some times your heart knows best. 4. Don't waiste time regretting. Sometimes a decision will look better in hine sight, but some times you win, some times you loose. Just roll with them. This is a very inspriational book also. Where he speach about his personal experience with a heart attact and his religion. Recommended for all.

Great book on Marriott and business Management

Everyone has probably seen a Marriott Hotel product on one of their drives. They are everywhere and have a diffeerent line of hotels to suit every need from Fairfield Inns, Residence Inns, Courtyard, Marriott, Ritz Carlton and others. What you may not know is the story of how those hotel came to be and what drives the success at Marriott. From their langthy Standards of Operation, to thier treatment of the thier employees is all explained for you to read. You get a great insight on a great company. While this is not a biography, there are many biographical moments where Mr. Marriott give a little insight on him and why he does what he does at the company. He explains some of the moments from when his father started the busines, to his army days to his life now. This is not you typical business how to book either because much of the information is geared to Marriott and the lodging industry while leaving it readable for all who want a book on success and business. He also helps to give insights on the Lodging and food industry and should be a must for Hotel and Management Students. Since I work for a Marriott product, it has help me to understand the organization better which makes me a better employee and more focused. The company has a great reputation and this book helps to define what is expected. He does explain the four rule of decision making which are: 1. Be willing to make decisions. He fells this are the most important. 2. Do you homework. Just do not do it to obsession. 3. Listen to your heart. Some times your heart knows best. 4. Don't waiste time regretting. Sometimes a decision will look better in hine sight, but some times you win, some times you loose. Just roll with them. This is a very inspriational book also. Where he speach about his personal experience with a heart attact and his religion. Recommended for all.

Inspiring business advice from a non-business book

Ran into a copy of this succint biographical book at the Sydney Marriott alongside the Bible/Gita/Buddhist manual, and I wasn't too sanguine about something from the hospitality industry being too relevant to me. But this slim, easy read may actually connect with almost any business person. More so if you are in any way related to customer services or marketing. Without skipping any beat on chapters of glorious prose, ala TypicalBusinessBook, it shoots straight from the gut about the tenets of Marriott -- how with sheer determination it shot to the big league from a small cottage inn, the MBE leadership style of Marriott (the younger Marriott that is) who prefers to walk his troops instead of boardroom inertia, lessons in team building, the importance of listening to all the levels of the organization, codifying past experiences into business philosophies (not the usual "Best Practices" bromide that is bandied about in elite echelons of business) etc etc. In all respects, a hidden business gem of a book. Now the million (ok, 11) dollar question. You can imagine how I got my copy. So would I *buy* this book if I had to? For the basement price, and for the simple but compelling REAL WORLD lessons, most likely yes.

Good principles to be learned here.

I am a real estate investor and read this book to learn some principles which apply to my profession. Marriott clearly related historical anectdotes, business principles and his thought processes. I got some insight into Mr. Marriott's personality as well. He has an impressive track record, sound business principles and morals, and a clear and appropriate focus. I found this book very readable and full of things I can apply to my own business.