Horst Schulze on Excellence, Building a Great Organization, and Giving up the Right to Make Excuses

The L3 Leadership Podcast with Doug Smith

Episode Summary: In this episode of the L3 Leadership podcast, Doug talks to Ritz-Carlton founder Horst Schulze about excellence, what it means to build a great organization, and why as a leader you give up the right to make excuses.
About Horst: A legend and leader in the hotel world, Horst Schulze's teachings, and vision have reshaped the concepts of service and hospitality across industries.

Mr. Schulze's professional life began more than 65 years ago as a server's assistant in a German resort town. Throughout the years he worked for both Hilton Hotels and Hyatt Hotels Corporation before becoming one of the founding members of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in 1983. There Mr. Schulze created the operating and service standards that have become world-famous.

During his tenure at The Ritz-Carlton, Mr. Schulze served as President and COO, responsible for the $2 billion operations worldwide. It was under his leadership that The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company became the first service-based company to be awarded the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award — twice.

In 1991, Mr. Schulze was recognized as "corporate hotelier of the world" by HOTELS magazine. In 1995, he was awarded the Ishikawa Medal for his personal contributions to the quality movement. In 1999, Johnson & Wales University gave him an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree in Hospitality Management. Most recently, Mr. Schulze was honored with the “Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award” by Historic Hotels of America.

After leaving The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Mr. Schulze went on to found The Capella Hotel Group. This luxury hotel company managed some of the most elite properties worldwide and gave Mr. Schulze the opportunity to further define the luxury hotel industry, receiving countless awards and recognitions.

Today, Mr. Schulze serves as Expert in Residence at Arch + Tower, a boutique, organizational strategy consulting firm. He also recently completed his first book, titled “Excellence Wins.”

4 Key Takeaways:

1. He discusses the importance of vision in starting a company.
2. Horst shares his views on the state of work and leadership today.
3. He talks about what he believes excellence is.
4. He gives advice to people who are looking for their purpose in life.

Quotes From the Episode:
“You should invite people to join your dream, your vision.”
“Create excellence in what you’re doing.”
“Be a leader of yourself.”
“Keep always in mind your fellow human being.”

Resources Mentioned:
Excellence Wins by Horst Schulze
Ritz-Carlton

Connect with Horst:
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook