When Satya Anand stepped into his new role at Marriott International as Group President for the U.S., Canada, and Caribbean & Latin America, he spent his first few weeks where Marriott’s business comes to life: in hotels.
For Satya, it was a natural place to start. Although he has held 14 roles across Marriott, including leadership positions at both the regional and corporate level, some of his most meaningful lessons came during his time as a General Manager.
“One of the best decisions I ever made was to be a General Manager,” Satya says. “The experience was terrific. It was a privilege and an honor to lead the team and rally everyone around a single purpose. I still believe it’s one of the best jobs we have.”
That perspective shaped how he approached his new role. Before setting strategy, Satya wanted to learn from the people delivering hospitality every day. Conversations with General Managers, associates, and property teams reinforced a belief that has guided him throughout his career: no matter your title, there is always something new to learn.
Lesson One: Seek New Experiences
Over the course of his Marriott career, Satya has learned that growth rarely comes from staying in one position. From hotel operations to regional leadership roles and assignments across multiple continents, each experience has offered a new perspective.
“The experiences you are gathering along the way will help you be a better leader and a more skilled person,” Satya says. “When someone pushed me to try something new, I would think about it for two minutes, and then I would jump in. Each one of my roles within the company has expanded my perspective in a different way. Some were terrific fun, and others were hard work. But in every job, I learned, and it helped me to be a better leader.”
Lesson Two: Learn from Great Leaders
When reflecting on leaders from whom he learned the most, Satya points to former Marriott leaders Karl Kilburg and Arne Sorenson, both of whom left a lasting impression on the importance of Marriott’s Core Value of Putting People First. Their influence went beyond business results and helped shape the people-first leadership style Satya carries with him today.
“Karl had this unique ability to make everybody feel connected,He would take time to listen to people. It didn’t matter whether you were one of his direct reports or an associate at the hotel.”
During a hotel tour with former Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, a hotel leader asked Arne if he would pause to take a photo with his associates.
“Arne said, ‘I will always make time for our associates,’” Satya remembers. “He shook hands and took the photo. That was where I learned that those small moments mean the world to our associates.”
“I got to experience him as an incredible leader in a different light. He had a humbleness about him,” he continues. “People would gravitate toward him. He would listen to people, and he had this ability to make you feel like you’re the only person there.”
Lesson Three: Listen Before Leading
“When it comes to being a first-time leader in a hotel, I always recommend going in with the attitude that you want to learn,” Satya advises. “Make sure that you’re listening to your team and learning from them. In many cases, there will be people on that team who have more experience than you. View them as a strength, work with them, make them feel valued so that you can learn from them as well.”
Satya also encourages leaders to remember that no matter the role, they cannot know everything on day one. “People believe in you and your capabilities, but there are things to learn. Find a buddy who can help you, be a sounding board for you. Always be willing to learn.”
Lesson Four: Stay Curious About What’s Next
Even after decades of leadership experience, Satya considers curiosity one of the most important leadership traits, especially as new technologies transform the industry. The age of generative AI has introduced an entirely new curriculum to the hospitality world, where continued learning and adaptability will be a strong indicator of future success.
“The world will look different in a few years from now. We need to be prepared for our associates and our company,” Satya says. “Our company has the ability to bring people together. Over the last 99 years, we have built a culture of care and a defined sense of purpose: we want to take care. Take care of our associates and our guests. I encourage our associates to learn from AI and see how we can best bring it into our lives. At the same time, we should not forget who we are. We are in the business of hospitality, and that will, at the core, remain.”
After leading teams across continents, functions and cultures, Satya’s core message remains remarkably simple. Stay curious. Seek out new experiences. Learn from the people around you. No matter your title or tenure, growth begins the moment you recognize there is still something new to learn.
“Learning is something you do forever.”
