Valuetainment - February 18, 2026


“Don’t Give Orders, Give Purpose” - Ritz Carlton Founder WARNS Why Managers Lose Good Employees


Episode Stats

Length

8 minutes

Words per Minute

160.44614

Word Count

1,357

Sentence Count

185

Misogynist Sentences

1

Hate Speech Sentences

2


Summary

In this episode, we discuss the importance of a good work environment and how to create a positive work environment in order to attract, retain, and attract the right employees. We talk about how to improve the work environment, how to make a good first day of work experience, and what to look for in a potential employee.


Transcript

00:00:00.000 The lady that was here, she said something.
00:00:02.800 She said, Ritz went from, in 1991, having employee turnover at around mid-50%,
00:00:14.520 and then by the time it was done, it was around low 20%.
00:00:19.100 That's the stats that she's given.
00:00:20.800 18%.
00:00:21.320 18%.
00:00:21.660 Right.
00:00:22.440 And the industry was 120%.
00:00:25.420 Right.
00:00:25.920 I mean, it's a 365, 24-7.
00:00:28.540 You guys are always open.
00:00:30.420 You're never closed.
00:00:31.980 What did you do to lower retention, increase retention as much as you did?
00:00:37.980 We touched on it.
00:00:39.840 We offered purpose.
00:00:42.620 Outside of that, though, outside of that, what else did you do?
00:00:45.540 Yeah.
00:00:46.060 In the selection, we were very careful.
00:00:48.020 We were very careful.
00:00:49.220 We had a selection system.
00:00:50.980 We were very careful.
00:00:51.820 And we established standards already during the interview.
00:00:55.800 Because, you know, people don't seem to get that.
00:00:59.500 Most what you want, all of us, from an employee is the right behavior.
00:01:05.180 But behavioral analysts, working with the University of Colorado and the University of Frankfurt on that,
00:01:11.120 behavioral analysts will tell you behavior cannot be taught after somebody is 16 years old.
00:01:15.740 Wow.
00:01:16.220 Ah, yeah.
00:01:17.600 How?
00:01:17.980 Unless, unless there's a significant emotional event in your life.
00:01:22.800 Makes sense.
00:01:24.680 And interviewing for a job is a significant emotional event.
00:01:28.100 And what do we do?
00:01:29.200 We just ask questions rather than establishing standards right there, behavioral standards.
00:01:35.980 And said, Patrick, you know, we have an attitude in our hotel, in our company.
00:01:42.200 We really, we are petted about it.
00:01:44.440 We are very friendly to every guest.
00:01:46.040 In fact, within 10 feet, we look him in the eye and say, friend, good morning.
00:01:49.800 Can you do that?
00:01:51.200 What will you say?
00:01:51.880 You will say yes.
00:01:52.440 Sure, yes.
00:01:53.180 And, well, wait a minute, Patrick.
00:01:54.080 I'm very serious about that.
00:01:55.980 You will say yes again.
00:01:57.420 I just established a new behavior in you for your benefit to be successful.
00:02:03.680 Timeliness is very important.
00:02:05.700 So I will start trying to start.
00:02:07.400 But I do that.
00:02:08.460 And then orientation, first day of work, which every company does wrong.
00:02:14.960 Period.
00:02:16.900 We didn't do that.
00:02:18.220 I went to the orientation.
00:02:19.920 I role-played how to say hello in front of every new hotel, in every new hotel, and every takeover.
00:02:26.960 Teach me.
00:02:27.220 I was the one.
00:02:27.920 Teach me.
00:02:28.620 How do I say hello?
00:02:29.560 And said, okay, so you're a guest.
00:02:31.700 Here's a guest coming.
00:02:33.600 Within 10 feet.
00:02:34.820 10 feet is the essential moment.
00:02:36.580 But within 10 feet, they make a decision about you, us you make about them.
00:02:42.220 Society lies about those things.
00:02:43.880 You should look...
00:02:44.720 Baloney.
00:02:46.500 We're human beings.
00:02:47.580 We cannot help it.
00:02:48.660 We make a decision about the other person.
00:02:50.980 So what decision do I want you to make about us, about me?
00:02:55.520 I want you to make a positive one.
00:02:58.980 That's why we wear the right uniform.
00:03:02.080 That's why we groom right.
00:03:03.960 And that's why we look them in the eye.
00:03:05.980 No matter what we're doing.
00:03:07.820 With 10 feet.
00:03:08.420 It's a non-negotiable.
00:03:09.820 That's what we do.
00:03:11.060 We look them in the eye and said, good morning, sir, or good morning, ma'am.
00:03:14.640 How are you today?
00:03:16.200 Now, watch me.
00:03:17.820 Good morning, sir.
00:03:19.640 Or good morning, ma'am.
00:03:21.420 How are you today?
00:03:22.460 Welcome.
00:03:23.780 And you're role-playing this with them?
00:03:25.100 I role-played that.
00:03:26.120 And I role-played how to talk to each other as employees.
00:03:29.140 How do you do that?
00:03:29.740 Well, if I walk by...
00:03:31.540 If I...
00:03:32.040 We're working together and I walk...
00:03:33.680 I said, first of all, do you want a good work environment?
00:03:37.060 Yes.
00:03:37.580 Oh, yes.
00:03:38.740 I said, okay, now, Patrick, the people in the environment are responsible for the work environment.
00:03:43.320 So I walk...
00:03:44.380 I want a good work environment.
00:03:45.880 I walk by you and I say, good morning, Patrick.
00:03:48.500 How are you today?
00:03:49.780 And you may just...
00:03:51.260 But tomorrow morning, I do it again.
00:03:54.300 And pretty soon, you will say, good morning, horse.
00:03:56.540 How are you?
00:03:59.240 I'm responsible.
00:04:00.080 I am responsible for my work environment.
00:04:02.640 Have you heard me all?
00:04:03.980 And everybody will say yes in the room.
00:04:07.580 Orient...
00:04:07.980 The day of orientation is a very significant day.
00:04:11.680 You see, we interview...
00:04:13.060 I interview you.
00:04:14.060 Mm-hmm.
00:04:14.800 I really want you.
00:04:16.400 Okay.
00:04:16.760 The shop is open.
00:04:18.140 But our orientation day is not for 10 days.
00:04:21.320 So I'm going to say, Patrick, I'm going to put you on the payroll, but you cannot show up.
00:04:27.060 You cannot...
00:04:28.060 But when, if you show up, you'll pay for the next 10 days.
00:04:31.340 But that's the day you start working.
00:04:34.080 Because I want you to have a significant emotional event when we do orientation.
00:04:37.740 Stop it.
00:04:38.700 Yeah.
00:04:39.200 So you hired me.
00:04:41.040 Yes.
00:04:41.340 You pay me those 10 days.
00:04:43.100 Yes.
00:04:43.780 And even the orientation is not in 10 days.
00:04:45.780 That's right.
00:04:46.300 Why are you doing that?
00:04:47.680 Because if I let you before without having the proper orientation, I didn't use the significant
00:04:52.400 emotion event to teach you the right behavior.
00:04:55.340 And what is the right behavior you're trying to teach me?
00:04:57.360 To pay me 10 days that I'm not working for you?
00:04:59.200 Oh, I'm repeating the things I told you during the interviewing process.
00:05:04.320 The orientation is a day when we teach you again.
00:05:06.760 Here is how we behave.
00:05:08.180 Here is how the guest is important.
00:05:09.480 And here is how we treat each other.
00:05:11.400 You are part of something.
00:05:13.140 Let me put it this way.
00:05:16.080 How are people being oriented?
00:05:18.880 I can tell you.
00:05:20.380 If you worked somewhere, I can tell you how you were oriented.
00:05:23.520 Everybody orients like that.
00:05:24.800 You come to work and the boss tells you the rules of the company.
00:05:30.840 Here is what we do and here is what we don't do.
00:05:32.900 And then you get a handbook with more rules.
00:05:36.120 And then you get insurance papers and all kinds of papers.
00:05:38.840 When you go through all this work, that's the day of orientation.
00:05:44.200 First day of work.
00:05:45.740 And when you finish with that, the boss makes his pathetic team speech.
00:05:51.860 We are a team here.
00:05:53.180 Yeah.
00:05:54.680 Without giving purpose.
00:05:57.100 A team is a group of people who work toward a common objective.
00:06:03.260 Sure.
00:06:03.560 Not given.
00:06:04.660 Just we are a team here.
00:06:06.160 And what's next?
00:06:09.520 Oh, now, Bill, the new waiter, work with Fred.
00:06:14.280 He's here nine months.
00:06:15.400 And he knows the ropes.
00:06:17.360 Somehow you're in rope business here now.
00:06:19.380 You turn him over to Fred.
00:06:22.320 And on the way to the kitchen, Fred tells Bill the new waiter.
00:06:25.520 This company is no good.
00:06:27.460 That is day of orientation.
00:06:30.920 Instead of the day of orientation saying, here's who we are.
00:06:35.220 You're now part of us.
00:06:36.920 And here's how we, he's our customers.
00:06:41.520 And we are happy when they're here.
00:06:42.880 We respect them.
00:06:44.260 Here's how we show them respect.
00:06:46.260 By saying welcome.
00:06:47.680 By responding to them.
00:06:49.220 By looking them in the eye.
00:06:50.620 By caring for them.
00:06:53.260 That's our, that's our purpose.
00:06:55.000 You know, Patrick, we have to give human beings purpose, but we have to, at the same time, tell them the motive of our purpose.
00:07:06.100 What did Adam Smith say?
00:07:08.220 Wait a minute.
00:07:09.120 300 years ago.
00:07:10.120 Wealth of Nations?
00:07:11.120 Yeah.
00:07:11.740 But he wrote another book about the behavior of the human being.
00:07:13.980 And he said, impossible that people can buy into orders and direction.
00:07:21.000 Okay.
00:07:21.520 They can only buy into objective and motive.
00:07:25.000 And what we do?
00:07:26.280 We give orders and direction.
00:07:27.500 Hmm.
00:07:28.500 Instead of giving purpose and motive.
00:07:32.360 That is, the millennials say, what's in it for me?
00:07:37.680 Hmm.
00:07:38.800 Well, tell them.
00:07:39.820 If we accomplish that, here's what, you will make, have more opportunities.
00:07:43.300 You will make more money.
00:07:44.140 You will be respected.
00:07:44.920 You will be honored.
00:07:46.140 That's what's in it for me, for you.
00:07:48.160 And that's why we have this beautiful purpose.
00:07:50.820 And that's why we come to work.
00:07:52.220 We do not come to work for the function.
00:07:55.100 Success is built on how you think.
00:07:59.100 Influence is built on how you show up.
00:08:03.620 Every detail matters.
00:08:06.440 Because presence speaks before you do.
00:08:10.720 This is more than style.
00:08:12.220 The future looks bright.
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00:08:24.680 And if you want to watch the entire podcast, click here.