Lessons Leaders Can Learn From Howard Schultz's and His Signature Story



Howard Schultz is the former Executive Chairman and CEO of Starbucks. Since joining the company in the 1980s, Schultz saw Starbucks grow from 11 outlets to 28,000 stores, along the way changing the expectations of consumers when it comes to coffee consumption. Schultz often tells his 'signature story’ about his first trip to Milan, Italy, where he conceived of the vision behind Starbucks. Here is how Schultz recalled the experience in an interview with Oprah Winfrey:

“People think I’m the founder of Starbucks. I was an employee when Starbucks only had four stores. I was sent to Italy on a trip for Starbucks and came back with this feeling that the business Starbucks was in was the wrong business. What I wanted to bring back was the daily ritual and the sense of community and the idea that we could build this third place between home and work in America. It was an epiphany. I was out of my mind. I walked in and saw this symphony of activity, and the romance and the theater of coffee. And coffee being at the center of conversation, creating a sense of community. That is what spoke to me.”

That story spoke to Schultz and he has never grown tired of telling it, nor has he tired of telling the story of growing up in a housing project under difficult circumstances.

Here are 5 inspiring lessons leaders can learn from Howard Schultz:
  1. Inspiring leaders are not as passionate about the product their companies make as they are about how the products or services improve the lives of their employees and customers.
  2. Inspiring leaders never grow tired of sharing stories that shaped their character.
  3. Inspiring leaders treat their people benevolently.
  4. Inspiring leaders obsess over every aspect of the experience they offer others.
  5. Inspiring leaders remind themselves—and their team—of what business they’re really in.
Above all, Howard Schultz ignites our inner fire by embracing and sharing his story of triumph over adversity. By doing so he teaches all of us—leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, and students—to dream big dreams and not to be afraid of chasing moonshots.

--Adapted from forbes.com



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