Excellence Wins

Horst Schulze knows what it takes to win. In Excellence Wins, the cofounder and former president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company lays out a blueprint for becoming the very best in a world of compromise. In his characteristic no-nonsense approach, Schulze shares the visionary and disruptive principles that have led to immense global success over the course of his still-prolific fifty-year career in the hospitality industry.For over twenty years, Schulze fearlessly led the company to unprecedented multibillion dollar growth, setting the business vision and people-focused standards that made the Ritz-Carlton brand world renowned. In Excellence Wins, Schulze shares his approach to everything from providing the best customer service to creating a culture of excellence within your organization.With his tried-and-true methods and inspiring, hard-earned wisdom, Schulze teaches you everything you need to know about:Why leading well is an acquired skillServing your customersEngaging your employeesCreating a culture of customer serviceWhy vision statements make a differenceWhat it really means to practice servant leadershipSchulze's principles are designed to be versatile and practical no matter where you are in your career. He'll remind you that you don't need a powerful title or dozens of direct reports to benefit from the advice he shares in Excellence Wins--you have everything you need to apply it to your life and career right now.Let Schulze's incredible story help you unleash the disruptive power of your true potential, beat the competition, own your career trajectory, and experience the game-changing power of what happens when Excellence Wins.

Horst Schulze created a culture of service that should be a model for all of us. By committing to the highest standards of professionalism--and creating the right systems to achieve them--he inspired thousands of people to embrace and embody the core ideal of sheer unadulterated excellence. With this profoundly useful book, Schulze now shares his story, and his methods, so that the rest of us can be uplifted and taught by the master himself. -Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and coauthor of Built to Last, Horst Schulze's influence on my family and our business is undeniable. His approach to customer service revolutionized the hotel industry and set a high bar for all of us. His new book, Excellence Wins, weaves Horst's personal story with the practical wisdom he's gleaned from an incredible career of servant leadership. It's a must-read for leaders and anyone passionate about serving people. -Dan Cathy, chairman, president, and CEO of Chick-fil-A, Industry luminaries regard Horst Schulze as the leading hotelier in the world, but his influence extends far beyond the hospitality business. There's a reason for that. He has been the thought leader on customer service for decades. We now have the Rosetta Stone of superior customer service--his new book. Excellence Wins can only be described as profoundly helpful to any leader who aspires for his or her organization to be the best. -Dr. Tim Irwin, New York Times bestselling author and leadership authority, In Excellence Wins, Horst Schulze's inspirational story and experienced wisdom gives you the road map to success at the highest levels. This book is a must-read for every manager, executive, and anyone who strives for excellence in their life. -Kay C. James, president of the Heritage Foundation, Horst Schulze is one of the most beloved, creative, and successful hoteliers in the world. His reputation for excellence in all he pursues has generated a global following among stakeholders in his various hotels and other businesses that is legendary and real. People today, regardless of whether they worked with him directly or have learned of his charismatic leadership from others, rightfully honor and revere him as one of the most important and esteemed original thinkers in human development our world has seen. -Richard J. Stephenson, founder and chairman of the board, Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Horst Schulze is Founder, Chairman & CEO of the Capella Hotel Group, and Co-founder & Former COO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co.  Schulze is a legendary leader and global titan of business.  His visionary and disruptive principles have reshaped the concepts of excellence, service, and competitive advantage, transcending divisions of industry across the business landscape.Upon co-founding the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. in 1983, Schulze singlehandedly set the business operation and service standards that made the Ritz-Carlton brand globally elite and world-famous.  Under Schulze’s prodigious leadership, The Ritz-Carlton, a multi-billion dollar international enterprise, was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award twice—an unprecedented achievement, as The Ritz-Carlton remains the only hotel company to ever receive the prestigious award.In 2002, Schulze founded a second company, The Capella Hotel Group, raising the bar set at the Ritz-Carlton even higher to pioneer the first “ultraluxury” guest experience.Horst Schulze is a highly sought after keynote speaker for numerous global businesses and organizations.  He and his wife, Sheri, live in Atlanta, Georgia. Dean Merrill is the author and coauthor of 46 books, including Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church and three other Jim Cymbala titles: Fresh Faith, Fresh Power, and You Were Made for More. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.