Hey, I'm stealing some powerful stuff from someplace that I really — I admire this organization. I think they do just about everything right. And if they don't do it right, they're always trying to figure out how to do it right. And it is the Ritz Carlton organization — Ritz Carlton Hotels.
I've had the privilege of staying at Ritz Carlton properties when I was doing work consulting to Ernston Young, and they had a corporate account with Ritz Carlton. And my first experience was at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Miguel. It's a property that's, year after year, selected in the top five in the world of resort hotels — Laguna Beach, California. I went there the week before Christmas in 1999 or 1998, I forget which — just absolutely blew me away.
But what's really most important about understanding Ritz Carlton, and why I think it's so important to understand what makes the best the best, it comes out of this little thing that I'm holding in my hand here. It's called the Ritz Carlton Credo Card. And every Ritz Carlton employee must carry the Ritz Carlton Credo Card on their person whenever they are on the Ritz Carlton property. And you, as a guest, can walk up to someone and say, “Can I see your Ritz Carlton Credo Card?” And they must produce it — and if you want, they must give it to you.
And so, I've collected a couple of these over the years. I always keep one on my desk, and I really thought it would be kind of cool to share what Ritz Carlton says is their employee promise — how they promise to treat the people that they entrust with their reputation as the best of the best, and how they treat you as a guest at their property.
So, I love this thing — the employee promise at the Ritz Carlton:
“Our ladies and gentlemen are the most important resource in our service commitment to our guests. By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity, and commitment, we nurture and maximize talent to the benefit of each individual and the company. The Ritz Carlton fosters a work environment where diversity is valued, quality of life is enhanced, individual aspirations are fulfilled, and the Ritz Carlton mystique is strengthened.”
That is such a powerful statement and what really resonates with me.
Yes, those people are employees — but that employee promise states that from the highest levels of the organization, they respect and honor you as a person, not just an employee that helps them make money.
And to all of you that are out there looking to build your relationships of trust and integrity and value — the more you can understand and practice how to live like the employee promise of the Ritz Carlton organization, the richer your rewards will be.
It is a somewhat symbiotic and selfish relationship: the more I give, the more I get. Ritz Carlton goes right to it and publishes it: we want you, as a human, to live your best life through your interaction with me.
And if that means you don't work here, they celebrate that. If that means you get to travel the world to work at our different properties and learn about different cultures and experiences, we wanna make that available to you.
I love this Ritz Carlton Credo Card. And one of the other things I love about it is their motto:
“We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”
It tells you that when you have the right people, you attract the right people — and their success is not an accident.
So, any chance you get to go have a meal, a cup of coffee, to walk through the lobby, or if you can just treat yourself to one night or one weekend at a Ritz property — it's so worth it.
It's a lot of money to sleep in a really comfortable bed — you'll never forget the experience.
I salute Ritz Carlton, and I highly recommend everybody understand what makes them successful.
Have a great weekend. Think about that. Take care of the people, and the people will take care of you. Live that and love that.
