Lessons Learned from Howard Schultz

Carmine Gallo, writing for BusinessWeek Small Biz, has a worthwhile take on how Howard Schultz uses passion, performance, and persuasion to create the endearing and enduring business Starbucks has become. In the short article, Gallo outlines three lessons to be learned from Howard Schultz’s leadership ways. (Good stuff.)

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LESSON 1: Dig deep to identify what you are truly passionate about (hint: it's not always the product itself) and convey that message to employees, customers, and colleagues. When you are passionate, you come across as excited, energetic, and enthusiastic -- all of the qualities people like to see in others. And if people like you, they're more likely to do business with you or to back your vision.

LESSON 2: Inspire your colleagues, investors, or employees by painting a picture of a world made better by your service, product, company, or cause.

LESSON 3: To get the most out of people, a leader has to tap into their emotions as well as their minds. People can relate to stories. They can see themselves in other people's stories. The ability to use stories to get people to buy into one's vision with their hearts is a powerful leadership capability.

SOURCE | BusinessWeek Small Biz article | May 2006

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Comments

[Ann Handley]

Good stuff indeed. Particularly this one:

"Dig deep to identify what you are truly passionate about (hint: it's not always the product itself)..."

It's easy to assume it's the product -- but it may just be something tangential -- building a community, connecting with people, trying something new...whatever.

I'm sometimes critical of the overuse of Starbucks as something of a Media Poster Child for exemplary branding/business...but I understand the tendency: Schultz *so* gets it.

[sariat]

I just read this guy history.
I'm awstunt... speechless.
I wish i could be more like him
if we talk about one man can make a difference, this is the guy.....

Sariat

[me]

wat de bliksem gaan hier aan?

[johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy)]

De vissen braden niet in de keuken, branden de bonen niet op de grill.