Great companies such as the Ritz-Carlton and Starbucks train employees on what they have to do to live the brand and hold them accountable. In his book The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Joseph A. Michelli states “through dedicated adherence to the five leadership principles of the Ritz-Carlton, everyone can elevate his or her business to its gold standard. The New Gold Standard reflects both intuitive and counterintuitive aspects of leadership, which may be fairly easy to comprehend, yet far more difficult to master.” It is Michelli’s belief that constant and steadfast focus on these Ritz-Carlton principles will result in your developing and maintaining The New Gold Standard for your industry. Specifically, the principles are:
1. Define and Refine
2. Empower through Trust
3. It's Not about You
4. Deliver Wow!
5. Leave a Lasting Footprint
The Ritz-Carton invests in its brand in a number of ways that are noteworthy. The start of each shift begins with the “Huddle.” Employees meet to discuss great brand or “WOW” experiences, as well as the ones that were not so remarkable every day at every property worldwide. The huddle is meant to share ideas, recognize outstanding employees and overcome potential barriers to delivering on the Ritz-Carton brand promise. Employees are encouraged and expected to share at every level within the organization. Ritz-Carlton managers reinforce one of its service values to employees during each meeting.