Synopses & Reviews
"You can't lead with your feet on the desk . . . or your brain on hold. Ed Fuller brings experience, intelligence, and heart to this inspiring guide to building relationships and the good things that follow when you do. The message is delivered in an engaging style that keeps you entertained and leaves you with lasting wisdom."
—MICHAEL V. DRAKE, MD, Chancellor, University of California, Irvine
"The world of tourism, hospitality, and hotels has become a very global, complex, and diverse industry. No one knows this better than Ed Fuller. In this thoughtfully written text, Ed is speaking to business students, managers, and executives of all industries through his rich experience in the global hotel industry. We have found many great examples within these pages of how we can conduct business better, and I would suggest that they are not only relevant in the United States but throughout the world."
—ANDREW H. FEINSTEIN, James A. Collins Distinguished Chair and Dean, The Collins College of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly Pomona
"The World Travel & Tourism Council services six continents. Ed's book will empower you to apply many of the principles that we employ globally, whether it's in Denver, Dubai, or Düsseldorf. These principles will give you a competitive edge in your markets immediately."
—JEAN-CLAUDE BAUMGARTEN, President, World Travel & Tourism Council
"Ed Fuller's generous layers of personal experiences and his crisp narrative make his stern message easy to understand. Take my advice, read his book before you take another plane on a foreign business trip. It will change the way you behave."
—GEOFFREY KENT, founder and Executive Chairman, Abercrombie & Kent
"Let me tell you what Ed's book isn't: it's not a primer on how to shake hands or fold your napkin in another country. It's an incredibly rich insight into leadership through well-earned personal relationships and experiences that American business executives need to embrace to succeed in the global economy."
—ROGER DOW, President and CEO, U.S. Travel Association
"Ed's book gives the student, manager, and executive practical experience in dealing with unique situations, new relationships, and creative problem-solving approaches that are broadly applicable in the business world, no matter where you live or whom you deal with. The insights will prove valuable to your personal growth."
—ANDY POLICANO, Dean, The Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine
Synopsis
A prominent international businessman on how to connect, manage, and do business with people in any culture
Dealing with employees, partners, suppliers, and customers from other cultures calls for considerable sensitivity; their customs and practices must be respected. Yet the real secret to managing in any culture is much simpler and always the same--building personal relationships.
In You Can't Lead with Your Feed on the Desk, the leader of Marriott International explains how he built Marriott's global arm into the world's largest international hotel chain, with lessons for managers in any cross-cultural business situation. Includes proven advice on how to navigate cultural and language differences, unfamiliar geography, and frustrating bureaucracy Reveals the vital importance of trust, values, and responsibility Features powerful leadership principles, including how to inspire employees by respecting them, how to motivate frontline employees, and how to grow a company from within
You Can't Lead with Your Feet on the Desk gives you an unparalleled look at leading successfully the world over.
Synopsis
The leader of Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, explains how he built Marriott into the world's largest international hotel chain, with lessons for managers in any cross-cultural business situation, about how to navigate cultural and language differences, unfamiliar geography, and frustrating bureaucracy. The United States isn't the only economic giant on the world stage these days, and the humility that accompanies that understanding can be a powerful business tool. Managing employees from other cultures calls for considerable sensitivity; their customs and practices must be respected and integrated into workplace rules and standards. But the real secret to managing in any culture is much simpler and always the same—building personal relationships and long-term trust through face-to-face communication.
Synopsis
Personal relationships are the real bedrock of long-term success in any business and any industry. But in today's global economy, forging bonds across cultural divides requires a heightened level of sensitivity. In
You Can't Lead with Your Feet on the Desk, the leader of Marriott International Lodging, Ed Fuller, delivers real-world advice on how to connect with, manage, and do business with people in any culture, including employees, suppliers, and customers who often have roots in other cultures. Fuller, who grew Marriott's international business from sixteen hotels in six countries to 400 properties in seventy countries, explains how to navigate cultural nuances and language differences, unfamiliar geography, and frustrating bureaucracy. Building trust, shared values, and commitment to a business partnership is harder in cross-cultural situations, but it can and must be done if you want to be successful in today's world.
No matter the country or community, relationships are the currency of every culture. Fuller explains how to build these relationships, how to discover the other person's interests and needs—and why you have to get your feet off the desk, cross the cultural borders, and go meet them in the context in which they're most comfortable. Fuller prepares you for this journey with guiding principles for avoiding missteps and for creating lasting connections crucial to every business leader:
Build relationships through mutual respect
Earn trust quickly by delivering during a crisis
Understand how verbal and nonverbal cues can make or break a deal
Lead from the front and be willing to give yourself the tough jobs
Learn the local customs and history in order to create positive relationships
Your skills at forming and maintaining close ties with associates and partners give you the competitive advantage. So, ditch the desk, and learn how to overcome differences in today's multicultural business environment.
"This is a must-read! Every American needs to know how to work with others in this multicultural society. The diversity of the American business community has expanded over the past decades. As a leader you need to know how to manage and interact in our multi-cultural business environment. Ed Fuller has given you the guideposts, the pitfalls have been identified, and the opportunities are yours. This is an essential read for all leaders and one that I highly recommend."
—JAMES STAMAS, Founding Dean School of Hospitality Administration Boston University
About the Author
ED FULLER, President and Managing Director of the International Lodging Division of Marriott International, Inc., has flown more than 10 million miles, solidifying business relationships around the world. Over the past two decades, he has grown Marriott's international lodging portfolio from sixteen hotels in six countries to 400 properties in seventy countries with revenues in excess of $7 billion.
Table of Contents
Foreword (
J. W. Marriott).
Acknowledgments.
1 Ditch The Desk.
2 The Value Of Values.
3 To Respect Is To Inspire.
4 Trust Must Be Earned.
5 Learn To Communicate.
6 Lead From The Front.
7 The Past Lives On.
8 Cultivate Your Connections.
Afterword.
About the Author.
Index.