Culture

Where Service is Leadership​

At Vail Resorts, our team members do not work for Vail Resorts, they are Vail Resorts. Whether they stay for a season or career, we are in service to their development.​


3 skiers entering Vail's back bowls under a sign that reads The Legendary Back Bowls Elev. 11,250

We are passionate about creating a culture that is committed to developing service-based leaders at every level.

We call our unique approach to leadership Epic Service™, which defines the way we serve others, develop our employees, and embody great service-based leadership as a culture. Through Epic Service™ we attract employees aligned to our values and invest in their development through training in leadership, guest service and our business.

OUR LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES​

Ski instructor giving a skier a high five

Create authentic connections with others

Inspire trust; listen to others to develop a shared understanding; build strong relationships; welcome different ideas and points of view; respect the value of others.

Ski instructor leading adults down groomed trail

Seek and offer feedback to improve leadership effectiveness

Practice self-awareness; understand your own strengths and opportunities; lead with vulnerability and unlock the potential of your team.​

3 people in red shirts. 2 are loading mountain bikes on a rack

Demonstrate a desire to be your best and deliver results

Take the initiative to step up and be decisive; enroll employees in our shared vision; empower others to achieve success.​

2 ski patrollers throwing a cable over a corneous

Be forward thinking and agile 

Shift, move, adapt, learn and grow; act fast to changing dynamics; continuously prioritize to ensure the focus is on the most important work.

Five ski patrollers kneeling with dogs

Embrace our mission

Allow your personal passion to inspire others; ensure alignment of who you are with what you do; create the opportunity for our guests and employees to have an Experience of a Lifetime.​

Mountain operations team member working on snowmaking equipment

Innovate and lead change

Be curious; courageously challenge conventional wisdom; be willing to take on risk; influence others to challenge the status quo.

Ski instructor smiling with family during lesson and tapping young boy on top of head in playful manner

Lead with equity

Be self-aware of your own inclusive behavior so you can intentionally build diverse representation, bring equity to our business practices, and create inclusive communities in which all people can thrive.​


Our Leaders in action

Each year, a select group of courageous, inspiring, and incredibly vulnerable leaders share a powerful leadership lesson. These Epic Talks are a leadership development opportunity for our leaders, and a gift to our team members.

Julie Dececco on stage giving epic talk
JULIE DECECCO
Kenny Thompson on stage giving epic talk
KENNY THOMPSON JR.
Ricky Newberry on stage giving epic talk
https://vimeo.com/866486405
RICKY NEWBERRY
Julie Griffith on stage giving epic talk
JULIE GRIFFITH
Mike Goar on stage giving epic talk
MIKE GOAR

Many of us feel drawn to the mountains. It is here that we create our stories, feed our souls, and find the best parts of ourselves. Developed from 2018 – 2021, this podcast covers some of the small moments that created major impacts on our business and within our industry, narrated by Executive Chairman Rob Katz. 

Skier in pink jacked carving a turn on a groomed run

Awards and Accolades