2. The first
Four Seasons
Motor Hotel
on Jarvis
Street in
Toronto
which opened
in 1961.

3. 58 HOTELS
28 COUNTRIES
ONE PHILOSOPHY

5. FOUR SEASONS TEAM
EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
! Sixth consecutive year on
Fortune’s list of 100 best
companies to work for in
America.

6. Trust and Profit
• Empirical connection has been shown between “trust”
and profitability (Harvard Business Review –9/2002)
• Where employees believed their managers followed
through on promises and demonstrated the values they
preached, hotels were substantially more profitable…….
• A one eighth point (on a five point scale) improvement in
a hotel’s score translated into a 2.5% increase in
profitability as a percentage of revenue…….

7. Foundations of Trust in the Workplace
• Clear, consistent business strategy
• Credible, consistent values
• Committed management
• Coherent systems (Seven S model)
• Convergence between claims and actions
• Communication
• “FACTA NON VERBA”

8. Clear, Consistent Strategy

9. FOUR STRATEGIC DECISIONS
1. Focus on Single Segment
– to manage only medium size hotels of
exceptional quality, designed and
operated to be the best hotel in each
location.

10. FOUR STRATEGIC DECISIONS
2. Focus on Service
– A redefinition of luxury
– Highly intuitive, personalized
and comprehensive service
– Customer-employee contact
became the most meaningful
working relationship

11. FOUR STRATEGIC DECISIONS
3. Cultural Foundation
– Instilled a set of Core
Values
– Mission Statement
based on the Golden
Rule
– Value system enforced
without exception,
beginning at the top

12. FOUR STRATEGIC DECISIONS
4. From Hotel Ownership
to Management Services
– Redeployment of assets
– Investment in management expertise – selection, training
and motivation
– Brand reputation more valuable than bricks-and-mortar

13. The first
Four Seasons
Motor Hotel
on Jarvis
Street in
Toronto
which opened
in 1961.

17. Adding Locations
100
82
80 71
60 60
50
45
40 37
22
20
0
1989
1996
1999
2000
2002
2004
2006

18. Unit Growth - Worldwide
58 Existing (43 hotels; 15 resorts)
20 Planned (12 hotels; 8 resorts)

19. Geography - 1996
1 North America
4 Asia
Europe
Latin merica
11 21

20. Geography - 2004
North America
Asia
6
Europe
10 Middle East
Latin America
34
13
16

21. Adding People
40000 37000
35000 32000
30000 26800
25000 23000
21000
20000
15000 `
10000 9000
5000
0
1989 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

22. OUR FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS
“Ours is a strategy for growth that is based on our
fundamental beliefs: that quality has inherent
value; that sound business is rooted in
trustworthiness; and that most people, when
treated fairly, respond in kind”
Isadore Sharp, Chairman, Founder & CEO

23. Credible, Consistent Values

24. Issy Sharp showing his
“hands on” style of
management on the
construction site of the
Four Seasons Motor
Hotel

26. Our Goals, Our Beliefs, Our Principles
Who we are
We have chosen to specialize within the
hospitality industry, by offering only
experiences of exceptional quality.
Our objective is to be recognized as the
company that manages the finest hotels,
resorts and residence clubs wherever
we choose to locate.

27. Our Goals, Our Beliefs, Our Principles
What we believe
Our greatest asset, and the key to our
success, is our people. We believe that
each of us needs a sense of dignity,
pride and satisfaction in what we do.
Because satisfying our guests depends
on the united efforts of many, we are
most effective when we work together
cooperatively, respecting each other’s
contribution and importance.

28. Our Goals, Our Beliefs, Our Principles
How we behave
We demonstrate our beliefs most
meaningfully in the way we treat each
other and by the example we set for one
another.
In all our interactions with our guests,
customers, business associates and
colleagues, we seek to deal with others
as we would have them deal with us.

29. Our Goals, Our Beliefs, Our Principles
How we succeed
We succeed when every decision is
based on a clear understanding of and
belief in what we do and when we
couple this conviction with sound
financial planning. We expect to achieve
a fair and reasonable profit to ensure
the prosperity of the Company and so
offer long term benefits to our
employees, our customers, our business
partners and our shareholders.

30. THE GOLDEN RULE
!A universal ethic
transferable to
any culture
!A lasting
competitive
advantage

31. Committed Management

32. DEFINITION OF COMMITMENT
Commitment . . .
“being obligated, or
emotionally impelled”

33. OPERATING PHILOSOPHY
!Strict adherence to
operating philosophy
is the key to the
Company’s success
Our culture drives
everything we do

34. FOUR SEASONS TEAM
• Average length of service
• Corporate Executive Team - 22 years
• General Managers - 17 years
• Loyalty, commitment and experience of long term
staff is key to our success
• Leadership group with considerable experience
• Promotion from within

35. Coherent Systems

36. We are in the “Service” Business
• “Service” is What our people do and How they do it
when interacting with others (clients and fellow
employees)
• “What” and “How” are definable Human Behaviors
• Based on Attitude, Knowledge and Skill

37. EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
• Friendly, attentive, around the clock
support
• Above and beyond the call of duty
• Consistent service delivered everyday,
around the world, year after year……..

38. Building People Power
RECRUITMENT
PROMOTION/
SELECTION
TRANSFER
DEVELOPMENT
ORIENTATION
& SUCCESSION
REWARDS &
TRAINING
RECOGNITION
PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT

39. Selection
• Align with strategy
• “Attitude” comes first
• Define required key competencies
• 4 Stage Interview process
• “Behavioral Interviewing"- Based on defined
competencies

40. Training
• Align with strategy
• On-Line (Standards)Program
• Designated Trainers
• Customer service skills
• Emphasis on "Culture” throughout
• Coordinated efforts

41. Performance Management
• Align with strategy
• Identify key "Competencies"
• "Good At" - not simply "Good Person”
• Assessment starts early and never ends
• Provide actionable feedback
• Do it in time to make a difference
• Potential assessment
• Goals/processes/measures
• Do it in time to make a difference

42. Development
• Align with strategy
• Succession Planning
• "Next Step"
• Task Force Work
• Planned Global Exposure
• Multi-Ethnic Talent

43. Some key system components
• Goals, beliefs etc (Mission and Values Statement)
• Operating Standards
• Quality and depth of management
• Behavior based interviewing
• Orientation process/materials (consistent; multi-
lingual)
• EmPact (employee handbook as a contract)
• On-Line (Standards) training
• Designated Trainer role
• Employee Opinion Surveys
• Management Opinion Surveys

44. Some key system components
• Integration with performance management
• Integration with career management
• Integration with incentive plans & goals
• Regular visits from/contact with Senior Management
• Open Door (inbound and outbound)
• Service Quality External Audits (against standards)
• Rapid response teams (glitch & crunch)
• Personal response to complaints within 24 hours

45. Convergence between claims
and actions

46. TODAY’S CHALLENGES

47. “Even as some hard-hit luxury hotel
chains are cutting service during the
recession, Four Seasons stands out for
the quality of its staff and the
exceptional lengths it goes to in the
name of Service”
Worth Magazine – August, 2002

48. What People hear (the Claims)
• Pre-employment positioning/advertising
• Orientation program content (usually in “pep” form)
• Pre-prepared, professional and upbeat information
• Positive opinions and experiences of fellow
employees
• The basis of Hope and Expectation

49. What people see (the Actions)
• Who gets to join
• Who gets to stay
• Who gets to do the training
• Who gets promoted
• Who is chosen to lead key initiatives
• Who gets off with what
• Who is required to leave and why
• What happens in tough times
• These make clear "What we stand for”
• The basis of effectiveness, culture and Trust

50. Communication

51. Orientation
• Align with strategy
• Adequate lead time
• Emphasis on Attitude, Service, Teamwork
• Consistent global approach
• Multi-lingual "Culture" Film
• Heavy management involvement & "buy-in”
• Re-orientation as needed

52. SERVICE CULTURE
• Cycle of challenge,
teamwork,
accomplishment
• Rewards and
celebrations
• Commitment to
excellence

53. Employee Opinion Survey – Trust Questions
• I have confidence and trust in my Supervisor
• Management gives me reliable and adequate
information about the Company
• When Management in my hotel tells me
something, I believe it

54. Performance Review - Trust Dimension
• Achieves the confidence and trust of superiors,
peers and employees.
• Earns a reputation for fairness and
approachability.

55. Foundations of Trust in the Workplace
• Clear, consistent business strategy
• Credible, consistent values
• Committed management
• Coherent systems (Seven S model)
• Convergence between claims and actions
• Communication

56. The Tests of our Success
• How do our Employees feel?
• How do our Customers feel?
• How do our Business Partners feel?
• How do our Competitors feel?

57. FOUR SEASONS TEAM
EMPLOYER OF CHOICE
! Sixth consecutive year on
Fortune’s list of 100 best
companies to work for in
America.