How Do You Show Up?

Service Value 10 at The Ritz-Carlton states, “I am proud of my professional language, appearance and behavior.”  In very simple terms, it defines how our Ladies and Gentlemen “show up” each day. 

• Language.  Three adjectives we use to describe our language and tone are “warm, relaxed, and refined.”  Never stuffy or overly formal.  When speaking to guests, our Ladies and Gentlemen aim to be friendly, but not overly familiar.  Think things like “Hi Kate,” vs. “Good evening, Ms. Santini.”  The former is a bit too familiar, while the latter is warm, yet friendly. Along these same lines, we are also mindful of how we speak to one another.
• Appearance.  Gone are the days of white gloves and tuxedos being the hallmark in luxury hospitality.  Just as “warm, relaxed, and refined” can describe our language, these adjectives are also applied to our appearance as well.  Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen take pride in wearing uniforms that are clean, spot free, and properly tailored.  We hold one another gently accountable and will straighten another’s tie or nametag instinctively.
• Behavior.  Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen weave authenticity into everything they do.  It’s why our guests are drawn to the brand.  We also focus on things like making eye contact, offering a genuine smile, and letting our commitment to caring for our guests shine through in our actions. 

An Evolution

Just as luxury hospitality has evolved over the years, many other organizations have also shifted their thinking around what is considered “professional” and have relaxed previously prescriptive guidelines. 

Our personal priorities come into play more than ever before.  For instance, your hair may not be perfect for that 1pm conference call, but you did squeeze in a lunchtime workout.  In many ways, this evolution has helped us to better manage work and life. 

However, as with many things, there is a balance.  There IS something to be said about how appearance affects confidence in the workplace, but this is very individual.

Things to Consider:

• What is important to you in how you show up during your workday?
• What can your coworkers determine about you from your professional language, appearance and behavior?  In other words, what message are you sending?  Are there any messages you may be unintentionally sending?
• Are there any aspects of Service Value 10, you could consider incorporating into your own professional style?

Interested in learning about our Gold Standards in greater depth and discovering just how they can drive competitive advantage at your organization? Consider enrolling in one of our onsite course experiences. We would be delighted to host you!