Page 41 - The New Gold Standard

Set the Foundation
accomplishment, it would be equally unwise to initiate poorly
thought out change . . . simply for change’s sake.
Alexandra Valentin, director of learning at The Ritz-Carlton,
Central Park, aptly noted, “For us at Ritz-Carlton and for many
other great businesses, it is easier to rise to the top than it is to
stay at the top.” So how do leaders decide which aspects of their
business can’t change and which components must evolve to re-
tain preeminence in their industry and consistently deliver a
high-level—and relevant—experience to their customers? In
essence, successful leaders like those at Ritz-Carlton define the
pillars of enduring excellence they believe are fundamental to
their original success and longevity. Then, and only then, can
those leaders refine strategic changes that they believe will fuel
growth and evolution.
For Ritz-Carlton leadership, the bedrock of its success lives
in well-defined Gold Standards and extraordinary discipline in
keeping those Gold Standards alive in the daily lives of the
Ladies and Gentlemen of the company. These Gold Standards
define the company, differentiate it from the competition, and
serve as the beacon for sustainable service excellence.

C Cult versus Culture D

There is a fine line between being a fan of something and being
fanatical about it. When it comes to the Gold Standards, Ritz-
Carlton leaders and frontline staff alike can appear, from an out-
sider’s perspective, to be teetering toward the fanatical. Julia
Gajcak, vice president of communications and marketing, re-
lates, “When I used to work for a competitor, we would joke
about the almost obsessive and cultlike focus on culture at Ritz-
Carlton. Behaviors like carrying around a ‘Credo Card’ delin-
eating the Gold Standards, identifying that card as part of an
employee’s uniform, and attending daily lineups seemed a bit
odd to those of us outside of the company.”

21