244. Chief Reminding Officer: Why Great Leaders Repeat Themselves

Chief Reminding Officer: The Power of Repetition in Your Family

If you’ve ever felt like a broken record as a parent — constantly reminding your kids (or yourself) of the same things over and over — this episode will make you feel a whole lot better.

This week, Chris and Melissa talk about something they’ve been feeling in both their home and business lately: that quiet drift that happens when you stop doing the simple things that actually work. The routines that keep your house running. The systems that make your marriage stronger. The habits that help your family thrive.

And the truth they came back to?
Most families don’t need a brand-new plan… they just need to remember the one they already have.

Chris shares a conversation that pushed him to revisit Excellence Wins by Horst Schulze, the cofounder of the Ritz-Carlton. One line jumped off the page:

“Great leaders are really just Chief Reminding Officers.”

At the Ritz, they review the same guiding principles every 21 days — not because people don’t know them, but because repetition is what keeps a culture alive.

As Chris and Melissa talk through examples from their own home, you’ll hear how easy it is to slip into “sloppy” seasons — dishes piling up, routines disappearing, date nights pushed aside. Not because something is wrong… but because we forget what works.

Melissa shares why repetition used to feel boring to her — and how she learned to see it as one of the most loving, grounding things you can do for your family. When you remind your kids who they are, remind your spouse what your marriage is about, or remind yourself what your family values… you’re strengthening your culture every single time.

This episode will make you feel encouraged, not overwhelmed. You’ll walk away remembering that you don’t need to reinvent your life — you probably already have the tools, rhythms, and values that work. You just need to return to them, repeat them, and keep reminding the people you love most.

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand
• familybrand.com/quiz
• familybrand.com/retreats. 
  

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 00:00 – Recap: Family Brand Blitz and 20th anniversary reflections
• 01:30 – Introducing today’s topic: becoming the Chief Reminding Officer
• 02:00 – Why repetition and reinforcement are underrated leadership traits
• 03:00 – The “authentic conversation” that sparked this episode
• 04:00 – Lessons from Excellence Wins and the Ritz Carlton’s 21 rules
• 05:30 – “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen” — defining culture
• 06:30 – Why repetition sustains identity better than constant reinvention
• 08:00 – Applying business lessons to family life
• 09:00 – How Family Brand uses corporate exercises to shape home culture
• 10:00 – Responding to the “we need something new” mindset
• 11:30 – The real fix for “sloppiness” in teams and families
• 12:30 – Why date nights and routines matter more than new ideas
• 13:30 – How small sacrifices lead to peace and structure
• 14:30 – The “Family Works When…” and “Marriage Works When…” exercise
• 15:30 – Writing down what makes your family thrive
• 16:30 – Reinforcing vs. reinventing: the real job of leadership
• 17:00 – Melissa’s insight: learning to love the act of reminding
• 18:00 – Final takeaway: stop fighting repetition — embrace it as the path to peace