Page 50 - The New Gold Standard

PRINCIPLE 1: DEFINE AND REFINE
You know, people look at me, and some laugh, but then I say,
‘We are all the same: you’re as important as I am, if not more so
because I don’t have a lot of guest interaction. But we are all
Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.’ You
would be surprised, particularly with staff from socially and eco-
nomically challenged parts of the world, how many people tell
me that they have never been called or treated like a Lady or
Gentleman. It is a part of why we receive recognition by Hewitt
surveys as an ‘employer of choice’ in all of Asia, as well as indi-
vidually in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul, Cancún for
all of Mexico, and Istanbul for all of Turkey. There is a great deal
of honor and respect attached to the seven words of our Motto,
and they have resounding application from Beijing to Santiago.”
By not confusing title with importance, leadership at Ritz-
Carlton understands that creating an environment of respect
universally results in a respectful service culture and being viewed
as an international employer of choice.

STRIKING GOLD

D Have you distilled your mission statement into a short,
memorable, and operational set of phrases?

D How regularly do you discuss the mission with your staff?
How do you incorporate their feedback to ensure that the
mission is realized?
D If asked, could everyone in your business provide a clear
and accurate understanding of your company’s mission and
purpose?

The Three Steps of Service

The Ritz-Carlton leadership has included space on the Credo
Card for listing the “Three Steps of Service” that some may view

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