It's not about Starbucks' coffee corporate culture. It's Not About the Coffee: The Corporate Culture of Starbucks Download free book "It's Not the Coffee: The Corporate Culture of Starbucks" by Howard Behar, Janet Goldstein

Lynn, Sarina and Michael, Scott and Kim and our four wonderful grandchildren - Sydney, Ella, Matthew and Zoe - who make it so easy to say yes to everything they ask.

Translator M. Sukhanova

Corrector O. Ilyinskaya

Computer layout A. Abramov

Cover artist A. Mishchenko

© Howard Behar, 2007

© Publication in Russian, translation, design. Alpina Business Books LLC, 2008

Published under license from Portfolio, a division of Penguin Group, USA

© Electronic edition. Alpina Publisher LLC, 2012

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic copy of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet or corporate networks, for private or public use without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Work in the world is like dirt.

Made somehow, it gets your hands dirty and crumbles to dust.

But a thing worthy of masterful execution is perfect in form, pure, and its essence is undeniable.

Greek amphorae for wine or oil, Hopi Indian pots for storing grain are exhibited in museums, but we know what they were intended for.

The jug asks to pour water into it, and the man asks to give him a real job.

Marge Piercy. Be needed

Advance notice

Although this book is entitled It's Not About the Coffee, it certainly says something about coffee: it's about people and coffee. Without the people who source, roast, deliver, prepare and serve coffee, we wouldn't have Starbucks. The true essence of Starbucks is that there is no coffee without people.

A second note along the same lines: Although this book is about Starbucks' corporate culture, you won't find what it says in any of the company's official manuals. In reality, there are no recipes for successful promotion at Starbucks, and there is not a single document that would instruct a leader to use any techniques or adhere to certain views. With us, everyone must find their own way to benefit the organization and the people for whom we work. Many books and articles have been written about Starbucks from a variety of perspectives. Here I talk about my personal journey, the lessons I learned, applied and passed on to others - both before becoming one of the leaders of Starbucks and during my time at the company. I humbly hope that these principles and my experience will help you find your path to success and the realization of your wildest dreams.

Preface

I am honored to present Howard Behar's book about the leadership principles by which he lived and acted during his time at Starbucks, and I am proud that Howard has placed such trust in me. This is the most serious and sincere person that can be in the world, he is absolutely alien to any pretense or boasting. Howard is always truthful - no matter what the truth is. His assertive style helps him quickly cut through irrelevant layers and get to the bottom of things. He is also distinguished by exceptional ardor, emotionality and a complete inability to hide his feelings. You always see his position (and at the same time yours), and we always stand shoulder to shoulder in any trials, whether they concern one of us personally or our organization.

As a leader, he is a treasure - a natural leader with a skill set that exceeds what the top executives of many, many companies can boast of. That Howard chose us in 1989, when we were a small regional company, was a great success for me, for Starbucks and, I think, for him, too. From the very first days of his stay with us, he stood for the fact that “our business is the people we serve coffee to, not the coffee we serve people.”

This is a motivating and practical guide - a book about people and how important it is to always think about them first; about the role we all play in creating a corporate culture that gives the company life and keeps it growing and moving forward.

Through his time at Starbucks, Howard continually showed us that great businesses must have a conscience. His own more than thirty years in leadership positions is an excellent example of how one can succeed by doing good deeds. Howard's help and guidance have made me a much stronger leader, and I know full well that his incomparable influence on me, our employees and our clients comes from not only his experience, but also his endless goodwill coupled with his great love for our business. business.

Looking back at the history of Starbucks' achievements, we can see that everything worked out in a surprisingly timely manner. First of all, we always seemed to have a knack for finding the right person for the right job at the right time. If Howard Behar and Orin Smith had not come to us once, the company would have developed very differently, so that we would probably be far from our current level of entrepreneurship and ingenuity. And we would also really miss that special chemical compound that was made up of the three of us: we understood each other almost without words, seeing the same goals and ways to achieve them.

To understand the dynamics of our relationship, it seems to me that we need to start with the following fact. I'm willing to dream and dream and dream, and Howard is happy to dream, but before he goes after his big dream, he's going to take five steps back and see what might be wrong (even if it's an idea he's passionate about). supports and wants to bring it to life). This dynamic, with its creative conflicts, has left its mark on the entire company's activities, where optimism is combined with caution. We never raced around corners. The company's point of view on various issues could change, but we always moved in the same direction. We have never had a dispute about the goal we are moving towards, only about the ways to achieve it.

Orin provided the balance between the different paths, as well as the financial guidance and relevant know-how we needed. Despite the fact that formally I was considered the head of the company, everything with us was based on exceptionally deep respect for each other, without a single hint of “divide and conquer.” Our employees aptly dubbed our triple alliance H 2 O (after the initial letters of their names - Howard, Howard, Orin). We have become a necessary ingredient for the company, like water for coffee.

Howard and I communicated in the language of trust. Both knew what sacrifices (understood only by a few) required the creation of an organization. Being a leader requires you to instill confidence, which can make many of us uncomfortable showing vulnerability or doubt, and can feel very lonely. Howard and I could share with each other. The conversations between us were about strategy, but were structured around our own dynamics. All the company's achievements came from them.

And Howard knew how to get his way like no one else. Here's a story we don't often hear about how the company almost died in late 1989. We opened a coffee shop in Chicago to show potential investors that the Starbucks concept was not a local phenomenon, but failed when we tried to raise more money. . Howard told me, "I'm going to go to Chicago and stay there until everything is done right." He knew that Chicago employees needed to believe in what they were doing, to understand that their task was larger than the role of each of them or even the entire cafe, that their efforts meant a lot.

By going to Chicago, Howard showed what it really means to care for people, demonstrated his famous ability to rally a team, and demonstrated the practical application of the principles outlined in this book. His magnetic personality, coupled with his passionate dedication to our goals, helped lift the morale of the entire company, which had an immediate impact on productivity.

Whatever issue was on the agenda, Howard always thought about people - this was required of him by his strong faith in our cause, loyalty to his word, and respect for the truth. He taught us how to listen to all the people we serve, how to act in accordance with our values.

Howard understands how important it is to see an employee as a person first and foremost. People want to be around him because he elevates them in their own eyes, gives them a formula for success. By following at least some of the principles outlined in this book, you will become wiser, more productive, and more accomplished as a person and as a leader.

Entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses of any industry; the early period is the most important in the life of any business, it is then that the main corporate values ​​and culture are formed;

For those who are at an early stage of their career and are trying to understand what a big dream means; Use this book to discover your values, define your goals, and develop the skills that will help you stay on your chosen path;

Anyone who, working individually or in a team, wants to comprehend the value of human actions, raise the morale of a group or organization, and improve the results of its work;

For business leaders trying to change their existing corporate culture or value system, this book will keep you grounded in how much is actually possible;

All organizations - for-profit and non-profit - who need good literature on leading people and creating resilient structures.

In his book, Howard offers ten simple, concrete principles to guide you as a leader. This is a call to become the creator of your own life, work and world that you are proud of. There is no better teacher in the world than Howard Behar.

Howard Schultz

Introduction
Only about people, about all people

There is no doubt that a small group of thoughtful and enthusiastic citizens can change the world.

Margaret Mead

“We are all human” – this phrase encapsulates everything for me. None of us are really a client, a subordinate, a manager, or an owner. We are human beings, we are people.

Starbucks' business is about serving people, not customers. This means that our coffee must be top-notch in terms of cultivation, roasting and preparation. We also need a business vision that is meaningful and inspiring to us, to the communities where we operate, and to everyone we serve. Of course, we can do what we love only if our finances are in order. But without people we are nothing. And with people we have more than just coffee.

If you grow people, they will grow a business. This is the essence, and this is the highest priority. The better your employees are as people, the better they will be as employees. By thinking of customers as people, you will connect with them and have them coming back again and again to enjoy their coffee and experience. When you care about the world around you, bringing something positive into it, it will respond to you with the same care.

All my life I have been driven by the desire to learn, educate and guide. As a child, I was a dreamer. At the same time, I always wanted to get things done, whether I was sweeping the floor in our family's grocery store, learning the furniture trade from the very beginning in the salon owned by my brother and brother-in-law, or looking for a suitable employer when I became ready for more serious tasks. .

I have found that there are always people around me to learn from. Both out of necessity and because such was my desire, I became a student of myself and others, and what I learned I applied in practice. This is how I learned the power of goal setting and self-awareness, the importance of trust and truthfulness. And how I learned from my mistakes, again and again! It became clear to me what works and what doesn’t work for me and those around me. And I'm still learning.

In fact, I only had the chance to put the leadership principles I had learned into practice after failing in a business I loved. The new management that came to the company did its best to increase profits and did this to the detriment of people. I did not have enough energy to overcome this culture that disgusted me, and I began to look for a place where I could succeed.

As I contemplated my next step, I often found myself at the Starbucks in Bellevue, near Seattle. And I have always been attracted to the service sector, so while thinking about my future enterprise, I simultaneously made mental notes about the cafe I was sitting in: they know their worth; they have a strong base; the number of seats needs to be increased.

As a result, when I almost had all the necessary papers ready to create my own business (I made such plans several times, but hesitated in implementing them), the stars aligned themselves so that I went to work at Starbucks. This happened in 1989, at that time I was 44 years old. The life of the company was built around people, and I myself breathed the same principles, so we made an ideal couple. Day after day, we put our philosophy into practice, tested its effectiveness, and passed it on to those around us.

As my path became clearer and our vision of creating a people-centered organization gained momentum, I became more involved in sharing my knowledge with those around me. I persuaded and pushed people, argued with them, delved into their problems. I went beyond the walls of offices and meeting rooms, called and came to cafes, spoke at meetings - numerous and very small - telling the participants what I knew and inspiring them.

To this day, no matter where I am, I try to visit as many Starbucks cafes as possible every week. It turns out that over the years I have become more and more interested in understanding the role of the human factor in leadership and organizational success, and the search for new revelations takes me far beyond Starbucks.

From my own experience, I know what a gulf separates the knowledge of what is right and the ability to do what is right. The principles that I have arrived at and taught to others are very simple, since they are derived from basic human truths. But it is difficult to apply them in practice, because people by nature tend to deceive themselves and others.

You need to find your own truth. Then you will awaken the passion that has been dormant in you, discover reserves of strength and sources of energy that you did not suspect, and which will allow you to grow, lead, achieve your goals, and identify the potential for success in your personal life and in the public sphere.

“It also happens that we come to someone’s office, store, home - and immediately find ourselves under the influence of the situation, with our whole being feeling the calmness emanating from it or, conversely, anxiety or excitement. It's not about the coffee. For many years now I have been mentally describing this situation with the words “talking walls.” Listening has the ability to open doors, and it will help you pave the way for yourself and the entire organization.
The mark of a good leader is working hard to change the situation, to make the unspoken explicit. You must create conditions in which people can not be shy and not hide their thoughts.”

A short excerpt from the book “It’s Not About the Coffee: The Corporate Culture of Starbucks”

“...Have you ever stopped in front of a great work of art in a museum? It takes hold of you and takes you somewhere. Mythology scholar Joseph Campbell called this phenomenon “aesthetic arrest.”
Art “holds” you and (with your consent) comes into contact with you. The same thing can happen in dialogue. If you stop and wait for the meaning to unfold and the emotions to unfold, the unspoken meaning becomes clear, a direct connection appears from heart to heart.

I once had a teacher who developed similar ideas, and with him I took the first step towards understanding that things have a voice. I remember him telling me that almost all store managers repeat the same sequence of actions every day in the morning: they unlock the store door, go inside, turn the switch, go to the office, start laying out the supplies for that day's work...

His advice was this: if you want to really feel the store, get new impressions from it every day. If it has two doors, enter through one, then through the other. From time to time, crawl into your office on all fours. After closing or before opening, when there is no one else in the store, sit on the floor in the middle of the sales area and just listen.

If you look at things with fresh eyes and listen well, you can learn a lot. This applies not only to stores, but also to corporate offices. Change your route. Look who's here, turn on your perception - and the room will speak.

Responsive Emptiness

There is a quote on the wall in my office that tormented and puzzled me for a long time before I was able to extract practical meaning from it: “responsive emptiness.”
This concept comes from an ancient Eastern religion with a different approach to communication than ours - more complex, requiring more activity and openness.

To get along with yourself, use your head; to get along with others, use your heart.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Responsive Emptiness means empathy without bias, it invites you to be attentive but “empty” - free from any opinions or advice. As Western Buddhist scholar Joseph Goldstein explains it, “Responsiveness and emptiness are not different entities. Responsiveness is not a property, but simply a reaction to circumstances from a position of selflessness. The more empty we are, the less full of ourselves, the higher our sensitivity.”

Try to consider the concept of responsive emptiness in the context of communication between spouses, between parents and children. One of my friends told me about the work of Deborah Tannen, a famous psychologist and specialist in the field of interhuman communications, where related issues are discussed. The title of the book is: “Are You Wearing This? Mutual understanding in conversations between mothers and daughters."

According to Deborah Tannen, mothers express their love for their daughters and concern for them by trying to correct them, to “help” them. Almost all of them want to make comments to their daughters, give advice about their appearance and clothing, talk about how their daughters look after themselves and how they look in the eyes of others.
Really, who else is capable of caring so much? But why then is this modern form of maternal love capable of offending daughters and making them furious?
Because the mother's perception, although responsive - at least from one point of view - is not empty. In my experience, fathers behave the same way.

Responsive emptiness allows us to be equals

We recognize that everyone is one of a kind.
No one has all the answers. Nobody is in charge. And everyone feels the same thirst. When someone comes into your office with a problem - work or personal - you usually want to solve it. But more often than not, what people really need is to just talk it out.

And in most cases, you don't have to solve the problem yourself. There is a way to help a person overcome difficulties without taking them on yourself. This is a sympathetic emptiness, full of sympathy, but containing no ready-made solutions. It is very difficult to achieve. Yet, if you are able to conceptualize the idea of ​​responsive emptiness and learn to evoke it within yourself, it will lead you to perceive and communicate on a new, deeper level.

Attention and Focus: Habits to Help You Listen

Responsive emptiness gives us the opportunity to perceive the interlocutor in a new way, to conduct a dialogue with him, giving less importance to a given topic and more sensitivity. In fact, we know very well how this is done.
Everyone knows: listening well means communicating well. True, knowledge and action are not at all the same thing. A fresh perspective allows you to activate your instincts and connect with people on a more truthful and meaningful wavelength. Here are ways to help you learn how to create a responsive emptiness within yourself and put it into practice.

Communicate in person: There is no substitute for face-to-face contact. Sit down and chat. Take your time and don't rush your interlocutor. You'll learn—and maybe get done—more than if you sent out a dozen emails.
Stop sending memos, go get a cup of coffee. Thanks to modern technology, our communications have become more intense, but their quality has not improved. On the contrary, the use of technical means interferes with full communication, since in this case critical non-verbal components are missing. You've probably completely misinterpreted the tone of an email.

I've heard from some famous executives that they made the worst decisions of their lives on video conferences. Genuine communication must be personal. Don't project your own ideas and needs onto the situation, but give people the opportunity to express themselves and make a real attempt to understand the meaning of their words and understand their feelings. Forget about the specific task for a moment and think about the person. Let him know that you care about him and ask him how you can help him.

Try to grasp the hidden meaning of what was said. One day, an employee who was part of my team came to me with a work problem. She described her difficulties, and I tried to determine what was wrong with her. She looked upset, at some point she even cried. I walked around the table, intending to put my arm around her shoulders and say something encouraging - it seemed to me that she needed and wanted it. But no - she quickly pulled away.
Then I realized that she was not possessed by sadness, but by anger, and she needed only one thing from me - for me to listen and admit the truth. She continued to talk about the issues that had caused her distress, and I waited patiently for her to talk. Genuine listening is about creating an empty space into which the other person can pour out their soul.

Let silence fill your heart. Silence has amazing power. Pay attention to what people fill it with. What questions, anxieties, and bewilderments are hidden in it? Maybe the interlocutor is feeling insecure? Embarrassment? Is the problem bothering him? Or else, look at what happens when you announce a topic and simply ask, “How do you like it?” Sometimes the hardest thing is to listen when nothing is said.

People often want to fill the pause that arises. And here, be alert, try not to miss anything. Do not hurry. Let the silence fill itself. It might take thirty seconds. Minute. Five minutes. But it will happen. By trusting silence, you will open the soul of things, and the essence of a lot of problems will instantly become clear to you.

Ask and it will be given to you (answer)

Contrary to the proverb, no news is not always good news.
The opposite statement (that this is bad news) is also false.
You can't find out anything until you ask, you have to find out how things are going. And if you ask, both problems and successes become known faster, you can eliminate the former in time and develop the latter. In an atmosphere of open dialogue and constant communication, where everyone listens to each other and everyone's opinion is valued, you will certainly get the best ideas. You will recognize challenges long before they become problems.

Therefore, it is necessary to constantly encourage employees to express their opinions. Of course, you cannot implement all the suggestions, but you can certainly listen, think and learn. People understand that not all ideas will be accepted, and if you respect their desire to contribute to the common good, they will continue to try.

Recently, in a meeting at Starbucks, I found out how things were going. In response, it was as if a floodgate had opened. It turned out that she had to and did not like it.
This is her relationship with Starbucks. If she feels this way. I have the opportunity to learn about (and address) an issue that needs resonance. It's not about the coffee.

Make candidness safe

People surprisingly rarely act on their own initiative. They have guidelines, called bylaws in some companies.
Starbucks- is no exception: you should put cups on the shelf this way, prepare drinks - this way and that way. Often a circular or directive is sent out from the support center to all cafes, and in practice it turns out that this is not a very correct order. But no one objects.

Eventually someone stands up and asks:
“Do you know that we do everything exactly and nothing comes of it?” It happens that work on the program has been going on for a whole month, and then someone makes a similar statement. The question arises: why was everyone silent for so long?

The reason is simple - they were afraid to speak out against an opinion that they perceived as authoritative. In such a situation, the error can persist indefinitely. At the same time, most cafe managers are absolutely clear that the decision was wrong, but they say: “Well, they just want us to act this way.” Who is to blame here?

Of course, management, and I think they - we - should be ashamed: we failed to create an environment in which anyone could stand up without fear and say that the plan is no good. It was necessary that 99% of employees were not afraid to speak out and take the risk of doing so. They had to be given the opportunity to be heard.

People are timid by nature. Many of us want to express our opinions, but refrain from doing so for fear that they will be pushed away and will not want to listen. As a result, they remain silent and do not speak out. The mark of a good leader is working hard to change the situation, to make the unspoken explicit.
You must create conditions in which people can not be shy and not hide their thoughts.

Open forums. It's not about the coffee.

Starbucks' public forums are quite famous. These are meetings that take place throughout the country and at which all employees of the organization can attend and speak.
We have created open forums to discuss planned changes and other issues that have caused or may cause a conflict situation.

In many cases, employees hid that they did not like a particular idea and simply remained silent in response to a quietly asked question. Coffee shop managers did not want to openly declare their disagreement - it seemed to them contrary to the spirit of the company and the policies of its management. Then I brought the topic to the forum - just to ensure its discussion.

Sometimes the silence was deafening. I had to learn to handle it and exist in it. Engaging people in dialogue required extreme concentration. I could pose a question, and if then someone spoke out - one or two minutes was enough for a remark - the floodgates opened at once, the whole room came to life and began to participate in the discussion. But I don’t think this would have worked if we hadn’t been able to patiently endure the general silence.

Over time, I realized that simply listening to people, allowing them to publicly express their opinions without fear of being punished or looked down on, dispels fear. At the forum in question, we did not reach complete unanimity, but mutual understanding was established between us. It was decided to first try introducing new additives at a few selected points and see what happens.
This way we were able to get people into the program and create a situation where they could continue the discussion and still disagree with management.
They were heard, and because of that we were all empowered to move forward.

Open forums have become a way of life at Starbucks. Here new ideas were put forward and indignation was poured out. When things got tough, we allowed each other to talk openly and honestly, without any fear. This culture of speaking and listening, these clear channels, have greatly enhanced our organization's ability to continually evolve.

Listening Brings Openness and Clarity

Often listening is the fastest way to deal with a problem. It can open up a new perspective and provide a fresh solution when worries about results, deadlines, conflict or lack of direction are at their peak.
You can count on it even - and especially - when you doubt the correctness of the chosen path, the actions being taken, or whether there is a way out of the current situation at all.
Listening has the ability to open doors, and it will help you pave the way for yourself and the entire organization.

Honesty to oneself is the main type of truth.
You know in your heart whether you believe in your company's mission and your own role in achieving that mission;
Do you trust the management and employees you work with? whether the words published on behalf of the company correspond to the actions performed by its representatives. If you don't have trust in the organization or the feeling that you are doing the right thing and what people need, you owe it to yourself to honestly assess the situation and take steps to change it.

Regardless of how justified the fear is and how much is placed on you, the truth will lead you to solving the problems that have tormented you and you will believe in the reality of the prospects. You need to find ways to always remember your goal, the big task.
Striving for it and being honest with yourself will give you the strength to change your situation - where you are, or where you may have to go. Look at your fear through the eyes of truth and understand what you can do to break it, break through it, or break away from it.

Let faith replace fear

When we free ourselves from our own fear, our presence automatically frees others.

NELSON MANDELA

Departure from the truth is usually a consequence of fear. We fear being rejected along with our integrity. When the list of employees to be laid off ended up forgotten on the photocopier, I felt not only upset, irritated, embarrassed, but also afraid. What will people think? Will they treat me worse?
If you are unable to speak frankly with your girlfriend (boyfriend), are you afraid to admit something to your wife (husband), what kind of life is this? How is a good relationship possible here? Likewise, if you don't have honest and open relationships with your co-workers, your boss, or your company's management, what kind of job is it?
What experience can be taken from it, other than negative?
And where does a good company come from?

Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's, once said: “Convert your fear to faith.”
I like these words. Fear blocks us from the future, the place where opportunities open up. What we fear enslaves us, what we encounter liberates us. Always tell the truth, even if it is met with disapproval..."

~ Howard Behar, “It's Not About the Coffee: The Corporate Culture of Starbucks.”

Howard Behar- President of Starbucks International, worked in senior positions at Starbucks for 17 years.
Largely thanks to him, the company reached the international level.

Everyone who has had the opportunity to work with Howard Behar assures him that he is a true professional, always thinking about people, believing in the common cause, true to his word, and respecting the truth.

Howard Behar featuring Janet Goldstein

It's not about the coffee. Starbucks corporate culture

Lynn, Sarina and Michael, Scott and Kim and our four wonderful grandchildren - Sydney, Ella, Matthew and Zoe - who make it so easy to say yes to everything they ask.

Translator M. Sukhanova

Corrector O. Ilyinskaya

Computer layout A. Abramov

Cover artist A. Mishchenko

© Howard Behar, 2007

© Publication in Russian, translation, design. Alpina Business Books LLC, 2008

Published under license from Portfolio, a division of Penguin Group, USA

© Electronic edition. Alpina Publisher LLC, 2012

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic copy of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet or corporate networks, for private or public use without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Work in the world is like dirt.

Made somehow, it gets your hands dirty and crumbles to dust.

But a thing worthy of masterful execution is perfect in form, pure, and its essence is undeniable.

Greek amphorae for wine or oil, Hopi Indian pots for storing grain are exhibited in museums, but we know what they were intended for.

The jug asks to pour water into it, and the man asks to give him a real job.

Marge Piercy. Be needed

Advance notice

Although this book is entitled It's Not About the Coffee, it certainly says something about coffee: it's about people and coffee. Without the people who source, roast, deliver, prepare and serve coffee, we wouldn't have Starbucks. The true essence of Starbucks is that there is no coffee without people.

A second note along the same lines: Although this book is about Starbucks' corporate culture, you won't find what it says in any of the company's official manuals. In reality, there are no recipes for successful promotion at Starbucks, and there is not a single document that would instruct a leader to use any techniques or adhere to certain views. With us, everyone must find their own way to benefit the organization and the people for whom we work. Many books and articles have been written about Starbucks from a variety of perspectives. Here I talk about my personal journey, the lessons I learned, applied and passed on to others - both before becoming one of the leaders of Starbucks and during my time at the company. I humbly hope that these principles and my experience will help you find your path to success and the realization of your wildest dreams.

Preface

I am honored to present Howard Behar's book about the leadership principles by which he lived and acted during his time at Starbucks, and I am proud that Howard has placed such trust in me. This is the most serious and sincere person that can be in the world, he is absolutely alien to any pretense or boasting. Howard is always truthful - no matter what the truth is. His assertive style helps him quickly cut through irrelevant layers and get to the bottom of things. He is also distinguished by exceptional ardor, emotionality and a complete inability to hide his feelings. You always see his position (and at the same time yours), and we always stand shoulder to shoulder in any trials, whether they concern one of us personally or our organization.

As a leader, he is a treasure - a natural leader with a skill set that exceeds what the top executives of many, many companies can boast of. That Howard chose us in 1989, when we were a small regional company, was a great success for me, for Starbucks and, I think, for him, too. From the very first days of his stay with us, he stood for the fact that “our business is the people we serve coffee to, not the coffee we serve people.”

This is a motivating and practical guide - a book about people and how important it is to always think about them first; about the role we all play in creating a corporate culture that gives the company life and keeps it growing and moving forward.

Through his time at Starbucks, Howard continually showed us that great businesses must have a conscience. His own more than thirty years in leadership positions is an excellent example of how one can succeed by doing good deeds. Howard's help and guidance have made me a much stronger leader, and I know full well that his incomparable influence on me, our employees and our clients comes from not only his experience, but also his endless goodwill coupled with his great love for our business. business.

Looking back at the history of Starbucks' achievements, we can see that everything worked out in a surprisingly timely manner. First of all, we always seemed to have a knack for finding the right person for the right job at the right time. If Howard Behar and Orin Smith had not come to us once, the company would have developed very differently, so that we would probably be far from our current level of entrepreneurship and ingenuity. And we would also really miss that special chemical compound that was made up of the three of us: we understood each other almost without words, seeing the same goals and ways to achieve them.

To understand the dynamics of our relationship, it seems to me that we need to start with the following fact. I'm willing to dream and dream and dream, and Howard is happy to dream, but before he goes after his big dream, he's going to take five steps back and see what might be wrong (even if it's an idea he's passionate about). supports and wants to bring it to life). This dynamic, with its creative conflicts, has left its mark on the entire company's activities, where optimism is combined with caution. We never raced around corners. The company's point of view on various issues could change, but we always moved in the same direction. We have never had a dispute about the goal we are moving towards, only about the ways to achieve it.

Orin provided the balance between the different paths, as well as the financial guidance and relevant know-how we needed. Despite the fact that formally I was considered the head of the company, everything with us was based on exceptionally deep respect for each other, without a single hint of “divide and conquer.” Our employees aptly dubbed our triple alliance H2O (after the initial letters of their names - Howard, Howard, Orin). We have become a necessary ingredient for the company, like water for coffee.

Howard and I communicated in the language of trust. Both knew what sacrifices (understood only by a few) required the creation of an organization. Being a leader requires you to instill confidence, which can make many of us uncomfortable showing vulnerability or doubt, and can feel very lonely. Howard and I could share with each other. The conversations between us were about strategy, but were structured around our own dynamics. All the company's achievements came from them.

And Howard knew how to get his way like no one else. Here's a story we don't often hear about how the company almost died in late 1989. We opened a coffee shop in Chicago to show potential investors that the Starbucks concept was not a local phenomenon, but failed when we tried to raise more money. . Howard told me, "I'm going to go to Chicago and stay there until everything is done right." He knew that Chicago employees needed to believe in what they were doing, to understand that their task was larger than the role of each of them or even the entire cafe, that their efforts meant a lot.

By going to Chicago, Howard showed what it really means to care for people, demonstrated his famous ability to rally a team, and demonstrated the practical application of the principles outlined in this book. His magnetic personality, coupled with his passionate dedication to our goals, helped lift the morale of the entire company, which had an immediate impact on productivity.

Whatever issue was on the agenda, Howard always thought about people - this was required of him by his strong faith in our cause, loyalty to his word, and respect for the truth. He taught us how to listen to all the people we serve, how to act in accordance with our values.

Howard understands how important it is to see an employee as a person first and foremost. People want to be around him because he elevates them in their own eyes, gives them a formula for success. By following at least some of the principles outlined in this book, you will become wiser, more productive, and more accomplished as a person and as a leader.

Entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses of any industry; the early period is the most important in the life of any business, it is then that the main corporate values ​​and culture are formed;

For those who are at an early stage of their career and are trying to understand what a big dream means; Use this book to discover your values, define your goals, and develop the skills that will help you stay on your chosen path;

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Howard Behar

What is the book “It’s Not About the Coffee: The Corporate Culture of Starbucks” about?

Why the book “It's Not About the Coffee” is worth reading

• The author of the book is not only a talented manager, but also a long-time keeper of the soul of Starbucks.
• The book talks about aspects of the company's internal culture that are not described in any official manual.
• The author shares ten key principles that helped him succeed and that every leader should follow.

Who is this book for?

Who is author

Howard Behar - President of Starbucks International, worked in management positions at Starbucks for 17 years. Largely thanks to him, the company reached the international level. Everyone who has had the opportunity to work with Howard Behar assures him that he is a true professional, always thinking about people, believing in the common cause, true to his word, and respecting the truth.

Video presentation of the book

Key Concepts

What needs to be done so that employees are loyal to their leader and the company not only in joy, but also in sorrow? Howard Behar (ex-president of Starbucks) believes that you need to start with a business philosophy. At Starbucks, the philosophy is that people (customers and employees) come first, and product comes second. This means that Starbucks listens carefully to the opinions of its customers and employees - and... Read more

A book about the inextricable connection between corporate culture and customer service, told by a man who became one of the authors of the success of the world famous brand Starbucks.... Read more

Starbucks is a world-famous chain of coffee shops where the name of the visitor is written on the glass if you take coffee with you. And, probably, this fact perfectly reflects the philosophy of the company. In this book, Howard Behar, who was at the origins of Starbucks, tells how he searched for himself and formed the company's service standards. In many ways, this is a description of his development as a leader.... Read more

Jim Collins said: “To create a Great Company, you first need to understand with whom, and then what...?!” For me personally, this is one of the most important Wisdoms of corporate life. A strong team, the synergy of which is able to overcome any challenges on the way to the pinnacle of Success, on the way to No. 1, on the way to creating a historically Great company. If you learn to perceive your employees and clients, first... Read more

I read this small-looking book (less than 200 pages, and almost pocket-sized) for 3 evenings! All of it is covered with underlining, and almost all of it can be taken apart into quotes and hung on the walls of the office, as the author of the book likes to do. It’s rare that anyone hasn’t heard of the international cafe chain Starbucks. Howard Schultz, the founder of this chain and the author of a best-selling book about the history of Starbucks, also...

Howard Behar's book "It's not about the coffee" is the story of the corporate culture of Starbucks. What is discussed in this book, you will not find in any other book or article about this company.

Who is this book for?

Howard Schultz, Howard Behar’s colleague, the founder and head of Starbucks, writes in the preface about who he recommends reading the book “It’s Not About the Coffee”:

• entrepreneurs and owners of small businesses of any industry; the early period is the most important in the life of any business, it is then that the main corporate values ​​and culture are formed;
• for those who are at an early stage careers and strives to understand what a big dream means; Use this book to discover your values, define your goals, and develop the skills that will help you stay on your chosen path;
• anyone who, working individually or in a team, wants to understand the value of human actions, raise the morale of a group or organization, and improve the results of its work;
• business managers who are trying to change an existing corporate culture or value system: this book will not let you forget how much is actually possible;
• all organizations– for-profit and non-profit, – in need of good literature on leading people and creating resilient structures.

10 principles of a true leader

The book, although called “It’s Not About the Coffee,” is dedicated specifically to coffee and people. Starbucks- a chain of coffee shops distributed throughout the world. This is a successful business with real leaders at the helm.

Here are 10 principles these leaders use to succeed in life and business:

1. Self-awareness: Always wear the same hat.

Our success is directly related to the clarity and honesty of our ideas about who we are and who we are not, what we want to achieve and in what way. When people in an organization have a clear understanding of its values, goals, and objectives, they find the energy and enthusiasm to accomplish great things.

1. Understanding the Goals: Do what is right, not what is good for your career.

The path to success begins with taking action for the right reasons. You can't succeed if you don't know what you're trying to achieve and everyone else doesn't want to do the same. Look for purpose and enthusiasm in yourself and those you lead, and if you don’t find it, do something about it.

1. Independence: The one who sweeps the floor has the right to choose a broom.

People are not “staff”, but human beings, and they are capable of unimaginable accomplishments. We must get rid of rules - written and unwritten - and encourage independent thinking in ourselves and others.

1. Sensitivity: caring must be genuine.

Empathy is not a sign of weakness, but, on the contrary, of strength, and it cannot be imitated either within an organization, or in relation to clients, or in a community - local or global. Without trust and care, we will never know what could be accomplished. Without freedom from fear, you cannot dream, and therefore realize your potential.

1. The ability to hear the truth: things have a voice.

Listen, sparing no time, even to what is not expressed out loud, and amazing results will follow. You will find out what customers want, where the enthusiasm of employees has disappeared, and right under your nose you will find solutions to the problems that have plagued you.

1. Frankness: only the truth rings true.

Don't hide anything, don't lie, don't hold back anything, don't prevaricate or avoid answering. Say what needs to be said with full responsibility for your words, attention and respect for the listener.

1. Activity: think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.

Find the best balance of passion, dedication and consistency. “It’s all about people” is not a thought, but an action. Feel, act, think. Maintain a balance between these components, but such as to be active.

1. Confronting Difficulties: We are people first and foremost.

When times get tough, stick to the same principles you always have. If the difficulties are too great, if you find yourself in a hopeless situation, do what you can. But remember that people should always come first, and this will give you the guidance you need.

1. Authority: a calm, quiet voice in the midst of deafening noise.

Leadership style can be loud. But never forget that leaders are just people. Don't let noise crowd out the truth. Listen to your calm, quiet voice and let it guide you.

1. wild dreams: "Yes"- the most powerful word in the world.

Bold dreams mean great goals, great hopes and joys. Say yes to them, enjoy what you do, and help others experience the same joy.

Essay on "It's Not the Coffee" by Howard Behar