Some of the Best Lessons in Life Are Never Learned in a Classroom!
There are moments in our careers when we are fortunate enough to learn directly from some of the very best in the industry.
For me, one such person has been Marie-Laure L’Ah-You, a highly experienced professional in strategy, quality management, operational and service excellence.
It has been almost 20 years since I first had the privilege of working with Marie-Laure, initially at Kerzner’s One&Only Resorts and later at LUX* Resorts.
I often say that some of my greatest lessons in quality management did not come from a classroom or a qualification.
They came from working alongside Marie-Laure, observing her approach and learning through her guidance.
During the early years of One&Only Resorts, the organisation developed what I consider one of the most comprehensive quality management approaches in luxury hospitality in the Indian Ocean.
Under the leadership of Paul Jones, with Marie-Laure’s expertise and contribution, quality and service excellence became deeply embedded in how we operated.
I was fortunate to be part of those early quality assurance teams in the Maldives, an experience that shaped much of my professional thinking.
Looking back, here are five principles that reflect some of the most valuable lessons I have learned from Marie-Laure:
- Luxury lives in the details. It is about what guests notice and the thoughtful touches they never have to ask for.
- Personalisation is about remembering. Remember what matters to your guests and act upon it.
- Standards mean nothing without consistency. Excellence must be delivered every day, not occasionally.
- Excellence is not simply about delivering good service. It is about consistently getting the smallest details right, anticipating guest needs and ensuring that our standards are reflected in every touchpoint.
- Every audit must lead to improvement. Finding a problem is only the beginning. Preventing it from happening again is where real quality management begins.
These lessons have stayed with me throughout my career.
My reflection is simple:
Great mentors do not simply teach us what to do. They influence how we think, how we lead and the standards we set for ourselves.
I remain deeply grateful to Marie-Laure for nearly two decades of friendship, guidance, collaboration and learning.
And I look forward to many more years of learning and collaborating together!
Who is someone in your professional journey whose guidance has shaped the way you lead and work today?