January 1998
Articles Have
Faith In Your Future Success Comes From Breaking New Ground - Not Plowing The Old Taking
It To The Public A
Marriage Of Convenience The Baldrige Award: Winning Isn't Everything, Improving Is Cutting
Off Your Nose To Spite Your Face Columns Caring
About Place People
Powered Organizations Features Brief
Cases Pageturners
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Book Reviews With A Twist Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built A Company One Cup At
A Time "A company can grow big without losing the passion and personality that built it, but only if it's driven not by profits, but by values and by people." We've all heard this before - usually by a consultant selling something. On the other hand, we've all heard far too many stories about organizations treating people just the opposite. Too often, it seems the slash and burn artists get the press and rewards on Wall Street. We know there is a better way, filled with hope and opportunity for employees, customers and shareholders alike. In the opening quote from Howard Schultz, the ceo and chairman of Starbucks, we again hear that an organization can be successful when it's driven by its people and values first. "Pour Your Heart Into It" is the story of how Starbucks grew from a seller of coffee beans to a successful corporation made up of retail stores, a catalog business and successful forays into ice cream and bottled beverages. It's a story of how a company took something as seemingly simple as coffee and brewed it into an international operation with a vision of creating a great store, an experience that brings back customers and shares success with employees. The book is full of examples of how Starbucks created a successful people-driven organization based on vision and values. The most powerful message is the one about people and their role in the success of the organization. Favorite New Terms: Arabica and robusta - different types of coffee. I just like the way they roll off the tongue. Try it. Message I'll Remember Five Years From Now: A key for success and employee involvement is trust and sharing rewards. Schultz describes trust and its importance the following way: "There is no more precious commodity than the relationship of trust and confidence a company has with its employees. If people believe management is not fairly sharing the rewards, they will feel alienated. Once they start distrusting management, the company's future is compromised." My Favorite Quote: "Our first priority was to take care of our people, because they were the ones responsible for communicating our passion to our customers. If we did that well, we'd accomplish our second priority, taking care of our customers." Organizations must understand that employees just won't treat customers better than they are treated. So, if your company is about top-notch service, you better be a top-notch partner with employees. Advice for Leaders: "From their (employees) first day, we try to immerse them in our values-centered culture, showing them the importance of treating customers and one another with respect and dignity." Leaders must make sure they create the right kind of culture from day one and instill the values of that culture in new employees. I highly recommend this book to those starting or looking to sustain an organization. While the book is filled with insights on the role people play in an organization, it is also an excellent book for both entrepreneurs and managers looking to move from the startup stage of their organization to growth and sustainability. Give it a try - it will jump start more new ideas than that first cup of coffee in the morning. |
