Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, has a book out called Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. In it, he attributes several leadership keys to the transformation of his company. I actually did some research on Starbucks during my MBA program and find Mr. Schultz and his company incredibly fascinating. In reading through the leadership keys, I was struck by how these principles can be attributed to any type of business. So, I’ve outlined Mr. Schultz’s leadership keys below with some of my own personal insights about how they can be applied to your business.
#1 – Listen with empathy and over-communicate with transparency.
I love this one because I have often joked that my “super power” is empathy (I am a very “feeling” person, so being empathetic comes naturally to me). People can tell when you care, and it’s like that old saying goes “People don’t care until they know that you care.” Being empathetic to others allows you to be a better business person because it simply requires you to stop thinking about yourself and instead, focus on the other person (your customer, team member, etc.). I like the phrase “over-communicate with transparency” so much I think I’m going to make it my new motto! Essentially, it’s about communicating with your market frequently and through a variety of different channels (email, phone, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and being transparent when you do. Being transparent can be accomplished by simply being honest about what you’re doing and why. Transparency allows people to see that you’re a real person and they will naturally be attracted you and your honesty.
#2 – Tell your story, refusing to let others define you.
Refusing to let others define you can be tough for people. I’ll admit that even I’ve had those days where someone’s opinion of me has shaped what I did or said. But what’s important is that you be yourself. Why? Because you are unique… there is only one of you on this planet and by embracing that, people will begin to resonate with your authentic self. Become your own greatest fan and tell your story. Story telling is so powerful. People love to hear stories, especially when you describe things and people in detail and really paint a picture. Telling your story will also allow you to connect with others on a deeper level and people will begin to get to know you, like you, and trust you. You’ll be surprised how many people will identify with you and share similar experiences and insights.
#3 – Use authentic experiences to inspire.
Your authentic experiences are essentially experiences you’ve had that are authentic to you. You can use your authentic experiences to connect with people because they’ll allow them to catch of glimpse of who you are and what you’ve been through. Now, you may not be the only person who’s been through what you’ve been through, but your experience of it carries your personal perspective and your feelings, so it is unique and authentic to you. Any experience that you’ve had that included a struggle that you eventually overcame can inspire others to overcome their own challenges. These experiences also almost always make people see you as a real human being.
#4 – Stick to your values; they are your foundation.
Your values are important and you should stick to them because they cultivate your integrity. Your values include the things that are important to you. So, when it comes to your business, it could be the business principles that you hold dear. For example, I don’t promote any products that I haven’t personally purchased or used myself. I like to promote the methods, the tools, and the services that I know actually work! I know many marketers out there who simply promote anything that has a decent commission and that they think will be enticing to their audience – not me.
#5 – Hold people accountable but give them tools to succeed.
I learned a long time ago that you can’t really motivate people – they have to find the motivation within themselves. You can inspire them into action and you can even “pump them up” with something motivational, but in the end they have to maintain that motivation and get to the finish line on their own. I often share my ultimate success formula with people and ask that my team members follow it: Focus + Commitment + Consistent Action = Success. As I hold my team members accountable for focusing and committing to their business and taking action each day, I also give them the tools to do that. This includes strategies, tools, and advice – whatever I can do to help them themselves.
#6 – Be responsible for what you see, hear, and do.
As you probably already know by now, I’m a HUGE believer in personal development. Because of that, I am very conscious of what I allow into my world. You too must be conscious of the things you listen to, what books you read, what people you allow into your life, and what steps you take to build your business. I believe that we always have a choice in everything – whether it be the thoughts we think, how we react to people and the feelings they invoke, as well as the influences we allow into our subconscious mind. When you become more aware of this and take responsibility for what you allow in, the better you will be.
To Your Success and Prosperity,
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