Employee of The Year

By all evidence, no level of pomp or pageantry is too grand when it comes to MGM MIRAGE paying homage and gratitude to its top employees.

Each month, a representative from MGM MIRAGE's six properties (MGM Grand, Bellagio, New York-New York, The Mirage, TI and Beau Rivage) is chosen by their supervisors to represent that property. The selection is based on loyalty, dedication and volunteerism. Then a committee from each property chooses the one person out of the 12 that has gone above and beyond to represent each respective property as Employee of the Year. The prize for the winners is one additional week of paid vacation, $1,500 in cash and a trip for two to either Hawaii, San Diego or a Mexican cruise. The Beau Rivage Employee of the Year wins a trip to Las Vegas. This year's winners were: Ticketing Specialist Darris Sweet from New York-New York, Blackjack Dealer Janet Del Popolo from TI, Samba Grill Cook Antonio Sosa from The Mirage, Craftsteak Food Server Kevin Carter from MGM Grand, Bellagio Café Server Blanca Juric, and Housekeeping Secretary Jaclyn Cochran from Beau Rivage.

"Recognition that comes with this award is important not just for the No level of pomp or pageantry is too grand employee who won the award, but also for the entire body of employees," says Marshall Goldsmith, a man recognized as a world authority in business leadership. "At MGM MIRAGE the average customer doesn't deal with anyone but first-line employees, so it's important to recognize that first-line employees are the lifeblood of the organization. That the success or failure of the organization is going to depend upon the relationship of the customers with the people they meet when they check in, dine or gamble.

"The MGM MIRAGE executives recognize they need to be role models," he says. "I was really impressed with their openness and willingness to be evaluated not only by their peers, but by people at all levels of the organization who were asked to assess their strengths and weaknesses. When people in a large company see that the top executives are trying to get better, that is emulated throughout the corporate structure.

"That is the role model for leadership in the future," he says. "It's someone who knows how to ask, not just how to tell. And it's an acknowledgement that every employee today has an important role to play and key decisions to make. Companies need to allow every employee to express an opinion and encourage every employee to look at himself or herself as a leader. The true leader is one who helps the first-line person dealing with the customer to do a great job; it's not one who sees himself or herself as superior. And the fact that MGM MIRAGE goes out of its way to hold this great celebration and recognize the Employee of the Year-and to see the great lengths they go to when they do this-sends a big message and a consistent message: that the first-line employees are the most important in the organization."