Delivering the Wow: Culture as Catalyst for Lasting Success

A Fast Company Press book

How a culture of "WOW" transformed the travel industry

"WOW!" was the word on everyone's lips as the first guests stepped aboard Icon of the Seas, the largest, most spectacular cruise ship ever created.

Icon was one of many WOWs generated by a standout culture during the tenure of Richard Fain, regularly named one of Barron's "World's Best CEOs." Under Fain's leadership, Royal Caribbean Group built the world's most innovative ships--large and small--and one of the strongest service cultures in the travel industry.

In Delivering the WOW, Fain shows how a culture united people around a mission, delighted guests, and unlocked extraordinary performance. Drawing on vivid stories from 33 years at the helm, Fain explains how a remarkable culture was forged and strengthened through:

-Alignment: ensuring every employee understands the same clear mission, beyond hierarchy or titles

-Intentionality: never losing sight of the ultimate goal and ensuring that every action, big or small, supports that objective

-Continuous improvement: never being satisfied; always believing that there are ways to improve

-Crisis response: deeply rooted culture as a stabilizing force during black swan events, including the global pandemic

Invaluable principles like these are woven into unforgettable stories which help explain how the company's profitability, guest capacity, and employee base all grew more than thirtyfold. Fain also candidly recounts mistakes he made along the way. He takes readers inside tough decisions during high-stakes crises--including the COVID shutdown--that helped rally 100,000 employees to beat the odds and unify the company like never before.

Beyond its valuable lessons, the book offers cruise enthusiasts a behind-the-scenes look at the dedicated teamwork that shapes every unforgettable voyage. Delivering the WOW tells the dramatic story of a tenacious culture that surmounted challenges, thrilled customers, and introduced game-changing innovations.

Richard Fain is chairman at Royal Caribbean. Fain became chairman and CEO in 1988 and has guided the company's growth to its current place on the S&P 500, transforming it into a global powerhouse. He was named one of the world's 30 best CEOs by Barron's for three years running and received the Ultimate CEO Award from the South Florida Business Journal. Fain was awarded the rank of Officier in the Légion d'Honneur by the President of France and was named aCommander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland.