CEO Perspective: Time with Horst Schulze

Recently I had the privilege of spending time with Mr. Horst Schulze, the famous hotelier who led the Ritz-Carlton and has founded the 6-star Capella hotel chain.

The time was powerful as he shared some core principles that fueled him as a leader. Here are some highlights for your benefit.

On the Economy:
Sitting on the desk of Mr. Schulze desk is plaque that says “Lombardi was soft.” When I asked what it means he stated “There are no excuses when it comes to difficult circumstances. We are in difficult times with this economy, but people are still staying at hotels.” He went on to say, “All I need to do is call the Westin to see if they have guests. If they do, then the economy is not an excuse for our hotels not to be full. If no one is staying at any hotels then the economy is really hurting us.”

On Creating Excellence:
Mr. Schulze created one of the most revered brands and systems of excellence on our globe. The Ritz-Carlton is known far and wide for its extra service. He is now working to create the world’s first 6-star hotel. When asked how he does this he stated, “There are many companies that do great things. We simply understand what the five or six keys to success are and which hotels are the best at each category. Then we simply go one step above each of them.”

On Leadership:
Mr. Schulze has a reputation of hiring and keeping outstanding leaders. When asked about this he said, “Each leader must be relentless on keeping our values and training our values each and every day. The consistent leader becomes a great leader.” He went on to say, “Great leaders truly care. They care about people and they care about excellence.”

My time with Mr. Schulze was outstanding. He shared many stories of his core beliefs and his early years. He shared with me how he penned the phrase, “Ladies and Gentlemen Serving Ladies and Gentlemen,” while he was a 15-year-old worker in a hotel.

As I left his office I was reminded of one last thing - Horst Schulze truly practices what he preaches. His assistant who had welcomed me so graciously impressed me on the way out by sharing some detailed information from our earlier presentation. She went above and beyond in a 6-star way.

Thank you Mr. Schulze for providing a great example of leadership.

Posted on February 03, 2009 in Historical Leaders