Stephanie Grant is the AVP, corporate communications, reputation management and brand initiatives at Marriott Vacations Worldwide.

Grant is also a Women Leading Travel & Hospitality member! In this member spotlight, we asked her a series of questions about her career, leadership style and more so you can get to know her better.

  1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
    “The Front-Line Leader: Building a High-Performance Organization from the Ground Up” by Chris Van Gorder. As president and CEO of Scripps Health, Chris led a dramatic turnaround, catapulting Scripps from near bankruptcy to a dominant market position as one of America’s most prestigious health systems. I had the privilege of working with Chris for six years, and he’s the most dynamic, courageous, inspirational leader I’ve encountered.
  2. What do you love most about the industry?
    I love being part of a professional community that exists largely because we all have a passion for creating memorable experiences for people around the globe. Whether you’re in the airline, cruise, or leisure travel industry, you get to work with a diverse array of colleagues and clientele, plus the opportunities for career mobility are vast and the perks are a welcome bonus.
  3. What is something the community may be surprised to learn about you?
    I completed one full marathon (26.2 miles) and more than a dozen half-marathons (13.1 miles) when I lived in San Diego. Then I had my daughters and stopped running. I want to get back into it because I find it cathartic.
  4. What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
    Having difficult conversations. No one enjoys being on the giving or receiving end of criticism, but there is a way to productively have challenging discussions so both parties leave feeling good about the interaction and how to manage outcomes better in the future.
  5. What’s the best way you motivate team members?
    Know the individual. Some people are motivated by public recognition, while others prefer to get kudos in a 1:1 setting. If someone on my team wants to gain management skills, I try to make that happen as part of their development plan. It’s really about listening to individual needs and doing what I can to help fill their motivational bucket. Even a simple note of appreciation goes a long way in making people feel valued.
  6. What woman inspires you right now and why?
    The world is full of inspiring women, but the first one that comes to mind is my friend and former chief communications officer Anna Davidson. A year ago, she and her husband took a hiatus from work to sail their catamaran around the world. While I admire her professionally, I am inspired by her courage to take a calculated risk in order to achieve her dreams. I know Anna will rejoin the workforce as an even stronger CCO because of the cultural experience she’s had on her epic adventure.
  7. Where do you believe the future of the industry is headed?
    We all know the pandemic changed the travel industry dramatically and, with more people working remotely, the line between workdays and vacation days has been blurred a bit. We recently released survey results that found seven in 10 workers take more vacation days a year now than they used to before remote/hybrid working, which is good for our industry. The “workcation” seems to be a trend that will continue.
  8. What is one thing you look for when interviewing a potential candidate?
    Skillset is obviously very important, but so is cultural fit. I look for someone that wants to bring new ideas to the team, has positive energy, and isn’t afraid to ask questions. I treat interviews as not only an opportunity for the hiring team to get to know the candidate, but also for the candidate to learn about the organization and decide if it’s going to be the right fit for the next step in their career journey. Interviews are a two-way street, in my opinion.
  9. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
    It’s important to find your work family and cultivate those relationships, especially in a remote workforce. I learned that it’s a necessity for me to have trusted peers that I can go to for advice and support in challenging situations. Sharing good energy is beneficial.
  10. What values are most important to you as a leader?
    Leading with integrity, accountability, empathy, and courage. I also think the best leaders make a point to be the greatest advocates and mentors for their people.
  11. Do you prefer to work in the office, at home, or hybrid?
    I prefer a hybrid environment. For the first half of my career, I was in the office 100% of the time, and then I spent eight years working fully remote. There are pros and cons to both, but I thrive on in-person interactions with others, so I miss that aspect in fully remote positions.
  12. Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to?
    My husband and I have traveled to many places around the world, but the African safari we did in Kenya was one of my favorites. My dream is to take our three daughters on an African safari when they’re old enough to appreciate it. It’s such a magical experience!
  13. What is a top item on your bucket list?
    Write a fiction book. Sail a catamaran through the Virgin Islands. Learn how to dock our boat without my husband’s help.
  14. What do you do to recharge?
    Travel! Read, meditate for 10 minutes using the Calm app, swim with my kids, treat myself to a massage or facial. I adore hiking but there are not as many opportunities for that in Florida compared to when I lived on the West Coast.
  15. What is your biggest accomplishment?
    My husband and I got engaged after graduating college, moved to another state and began our first full-time career roles. We both waited tables in restaurants at night after working all day in our career jobs and saved enough money to put a down payment on our first house. Even though that was 20 years ago, it still makes me proud that we, as a team, achieved the dream of homeownership at 24 years old without any financial assistance from family.
  16. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
    Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. When you clearly articulate what you want, you are more likely to get it. The worst thing that can happen is someone tells you no, but you’ll never know unless you ask for it.
  17. What gets you up in the morning?
    My husband on the Peloton. I just got shoes for myself so I can give it a go. Everyone raves about it, so I’m excited to try it!
  18. What do you like most about being a member of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality?
    I embrace any opportunity where women empower each other. We are stronger when we lift each other up and I’ve found that in this group. Plus, I enjoy making connections and learning about career opportunities in other functions across the industry.

If you would like to become a Women Leading Travel & Hospitality member or need additional information about our organization, click here.