The name, "Ritz-Carlton," evokes thoughts of superior service and luxurious pampering. This association isn't by accident. Ritz- Carlton managers train every employee to live by the company credo. The credo begins with this sentence: "The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission." The credo continues with a pledge to the guest of providing "the finest personal service and facilities," "a warm, relaxed yet refined ambiance," and a promise to fulfill "even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests." Imagine living up to that vision!
No wonder every employee is trained on the twenty Ritz-Carlton basics.
The first basic is: "The credo ... must be known, owned and energized by all." Not only do they have a vision, but the first thing every employee must also do is memorize, own, and live out that vision. Imagine how our business or church could grow if everyone knew, owned, and energized our corporate vision. This, however, isn't a business-only concept.
In Genesis 11, the Bible talks about the effectiveness of people all working together toward the same vision. The people of Babel came together to build a tower that reached to the heavens. They used brick instead of stone and they used tar for mortar. Not only did they agree on the vision, but they also agreed on the tactics to fulfill that vision.
Those of us who've worked with a neighborhood association on adding a new fence or changing the landscaping of our property know how hard it is to find agreement on construction details. To see the people of Babel agree not only on the design but also on the methods of building is quite an accomplishment! But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them" (Genesis 11:5-6, NIV). There is an important lesson in these verses. Not only does the vision have to be cast—and cast correctly—but also, it has to remain in front of the people until they absorb it as their own.
The words used are important. Previously, I used the example of "My people have a vision..." and "The pastor has a vision..." to illustrate how language is used in a church where the vision isn't shared. Now Genesis gives us an example that anything can be accomplished when everyone is using the same language. The goal of a leader is to cast the vision out to the people and hear it returned in these words, "Our vision is...." When the vision is properly cast, nothing is impossible for us or our organization.
(Taken in part from: What's Shakin' Your Ladder? by Dr. Sam Chand)
