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Karan Berry: Managing time key to success
(Courtesy of JW Marriott)Karan Berry believes in the link between employee state-of-mind and returning guests
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(Courtesy of JW Marriott) (Courtesy of JW Marriott)
(Courtesy of JW Marriott)
Karan Berry believes in the link between employee state-of-mind and returning guests.
Having 17 years of managerial experience in the hospitality industry, business executive Karan Berry has found time management to be key to running a successful hotel.
The general manager of JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta manages his time through careful prioritization.
'Planning is a top priority. I schedule daily, weekly and monthly meetings to review activities, so I can plan, prepare and review accordingly,' said the 41- year-old.
'Learn and trust tools, like Outlook and BlackBerry. I always have one good notebook so those important freehand notes can be easily located when they are needed.'
Berry understands the necessary steps general managers should take to have a positive impact on their team and employees, especially with regard to their enhanced capability, skill and motivation.
According to him, setting an articulated goal is a crucial step that a leader should take before going ahead with other goal-supporting actions.
'Start with the overall goal and then break it down into what each employee/leader's responsibilities and roles are,' he said.
'Daily, weekly and monthly actions take time, but when it's done, everyone will gain productivity, innovation and engagement,' he remarked.
'It is important to be open to feedback from the team in one-on-one meetings and better understand what motivates each person.'
Communication is the key to staff engagement and participation. 'A continual feedback loop and coaching is implemented to enable associates to reach their full potential,' he said.
'The shared experiences and learning are very impactful and create a sense of pride and satisfaction. Recognition and a rewards system instill in each individual the drive to excel,' he added.
Indonesia's growing hospitality and tourism industry, bolstered by a healthy economic outlook, has impressed him. He took the position of general manager at JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta, located at Jakarta's golden business triangle in Mega Kuningan, in 2011.
Marriott and Oberoi are his mentors for work ethics and he always remembers their motto of success. Marriott's motto 'success is never final', while Oberoi's philosophy is 'the devil lies in the details'.
Berry said that he had always been attracted to the diverse aspects of the hotel industry. After earning a degree in commerce, he joined the Oberoi Center of Learning and Development to complete a post graduate diploma in hotel management.
'It was an intense selection process of written tests and interviews and to finally meet Mr Oberoi, when selected. The course transformed me from a boy to a man,' he recollected.
He started with hands on training at Trident Hilton, a 1,000 room property with kitchen stewarding, 'probably the real test and an intrinsic part of my experience.' It was the first time Berry left home, where he had been a pampered second son in a close knit family.
'I learned the dignity of labor, skinned my feet and even cleaned garbage cans.'
Family values are the building blocks of Berry's management philosophy. 'A good family life percolates to your work,' he affirmed.
Managing attrition and hiring the right person for the right job is the most challenging part. 'I currently manage a staff of almost 600 people. It is important to identify and nurture talent.'
'At Marriott we believe in empowerment, which translates into confident individuals. I personally feel that skill sets can be fine-tuned over a period of time through training but hiring a person with the right attitude is more important.'
Mantra
His mantra on hospitality was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.
'A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.'
'This is a great industry and has come a long way in Asia, with the growing economy and business travel,' he remarked.
Berry is passionate about his work and is a senior hospitality professional, well versed with the operations and functions of hotel management.
'The philosophy that I follow is very simple: to be fair, truthful and transparent in my personal and professional relationships,' he added.
His father was his role model and has instilled values such as honesty, mutual respect and empathy, as well as, the importance of balancing family and work.
Berry's keen interest and experience with playing cricket taught him the importance of team work and achieving his team's potential goals.' The Marriott ethos, 'if you take great care of your employees, they'll take good care of the guests and the guests will return again and again,' is in sync with his thinking of leading by example.
'I have also done baggage service,' he shared, 'people respect you if you are knowledgeable and apply your skills effectively.'
Like others living in Jakarta, he also faces the inevitable traffic congestion during rush hours but he takes a different look at the issue.
'I like the Jakarta traffic,' he said with a broad smile, 'as it means that guests have to stay for a minimum of two nights when they come for meetings.'
Karan Berry
Place and Date of Birth
April 8, 1973, New Delhi, India
Professional Experience
General manager of JW Marriott, Jakarta since December 2011. Previously, held managerial posting at several hotels, including courtyard by Marriott, Chennai, India (2008 ' 2011), Trident Hilton, Jaipur, India (2007-2008), The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla, India
(2006 ' 2007).
Deputy GM at The Oberoi, Mumbai, India (2004 - 2006), The Oberoi Rajvilas, an Oberoi Resort, Jaipur, India (2002 - 2004).
Education
Bachelor in Commerce Delhi University 1994
Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management from Oberoi Center of Learning and Development, 1997
At Ease
Keeping healthy
I believe that balancing work and life is critical, and physical fitness is vital to creating that harmony. I come to the gym early every morning doing cardio and weights. I have played cricket and football at a district and zone level while at school, and I am an avid fan.
I appreciate the opportunities afforded by the car free Sundays on Jl. Sudirman to go cycling with associates from work.
Family life
I dedicate weekends to family. I spend Saturdays exclusively with my 10-year-old daughter and extracurricular activities that include swimming and soccer with the Coca Cola league and even piano classes.
My wife, my daughter and I watch a movie every Sunday.
Fun activities
Our fun activities include traveling, culture and shopping.
