Horst Schulze

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The phrase “ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen” came from a paper 16-year-old Horst Schulze wrote while attending hotel school in Germany. Schulze earned an “A” on the paper, and it became the unforgettable motto of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, where he served as President and COO responsible for the $2 billion operations worldwide.

Under Schulze’s leadership, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company became the first service-based company to be awarded the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award — twice. After leaving Ritz-Carlton, he went on to found The Capella Hotel Group, a luxury hotel company that manages some of the most elite properties worldwide, and gave Schulze the opportunity to further define the luxury hotel industry.

In this podcast, the first of a two-part series, listeners will learn how Schulze’s disciplined, Old World upbringing fostered a fresh and cutting-edge approach to business leadership—one that has powerfully influenced top leaders far beyond the hospitality industry.

Join us for an unforgettable conversation on the power of dedication, teamwork, and self-respect to create a business culture that manages both to empower your team and accept nothing less than excellence.

You will learn:

Part One

• 5:00 The genesis of “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”
• 7:00 How to next-level your organization’s purpose statement.
• 10:30 The difference between management and leadership.
• 13:45 Three things every customer expects.
• 15:00 The fastest way to develop customer loyalty.
• 18:00 The non-negotiables that form the backbone of Ritz-Carlton’s culture.

Part Two

• 5:30 The difference between mission and vision.
• 7:00 How to hire for purpose, not function.
• 8:00 How to frame a common objective in a way that unifies people.
• 9:00 Horst Schulze’s definition of a team.
• 12:00 What you gain by “selecting” people to work with you rather than “hiring” them.
• 13:30 The one thing that must be in every employee orientation.

Resources:

• Order a copy of Mr. Schulze’s book Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise.
• Connect with Mr. Schulze on his webiste and invite him to speak at your next event.
• Connect with Mr. Schulze on LinkedIn.