I haven't met Bill Marriott, but I have a hunch that if I did, I'd rather like him. Bill is the chairman and CEO of Marriott International, and therefore a very busy man.
He is also 75 years old, and therefore unlikely to have his finger on the pulse of internet technologies. Yet Bill found the time and the inclination to launch his own blog, Marriott on the Move, in January of this year. Go Bill!
True, some of his postings are too syrupy for comfort - witness his Mother's Day posting, Remembrances of Mom, which makes The Waltons seem like a gritty docu-drama - and one can't help imagining there's a team of script writers on hand to ensure he'll never get RSI from hammering the keyboard on his PC. Still, you have to applaud his efforts to communicate with staff and customers around the globe through the medium of web.
Beside a headshot of a perma-tanned, immaculately coiffured Bill, his latest blog describes his company's commitment to social corporate responsibility. As Bill puts it:
I feel it's our company's duty as a good corporate citizen. But we've also found that doing the right thing adds to the bottom line.
He's right, of course. Encouraging employees to take part in activities aimed at protecting the environment and assisting the disadvantaged is a great means of building a positive brand image and a healthy team spirit. Check out Bill's blog to learn more about Marriott's community projects.
Better still, let us know what your business is doing to salve its moral conscience.