Custom «Howard Schultz’s Leadership Principles» Essay Paper

The success of any company is dependent on its leadership. Through its CEO, Schultz Howard, Starbucks has emerged among the best company worldwide (Starbucks, 2010). This has been attributed by the CEO’s strong belief in the link between the performance of the company, its value as well as its impact it has on the people where it do Business. The company is interdependent as it involves all the stakeholders (Bryman, 23). This interdependence forms the basis of its mission. It is also right for the operation of its business. The company’s mission is to inspire as well as nature human spirit, one cup, as well as one neighborhood (Starbucks, 14). The company has created value to the community as well as the neighborhood where it does business. Its record performance in 2011 is clear indication that the customers have faith in it. Through the leadership of Howard Schultz, the company has managed the community it does business (Bryman, 27).

It has continued to evolve its business model as well as deliver the values of stakeholders by value creation within the community it does business with. The use of Corporate Social responsibility is clear in Howard Schultz’s leadership. This strategy has enabled Starbucks Company to have an added advantage over its competitors (Enquest, Edvadsson, 45). When it comes to social responsibility, Starbucks has been known to have a good reputation. Howard Schultz has been known to use this strategy and this has led to rise in company’s sales. The products of this company are also of high quality. This has led to the development of trust between the company and the customers.

•  

  0

  Preparing Orders

•  

  0

  Active Writers

•  

  0%

  Positive Feedback

•  

  0

  Support Agents

 

Title of your paper

Type of service

Type of assignment

Number of pages

-

+

Academic level

Timeframes

Spacing

Currency

USD

• Total price

Continue to order

 

Through Howard Schultz, the company has been able to progress towards ethical goals as well as its environmental stewardship. The company has been able to benefit the community it does business with through contributing to environmental as well as economic wellbeing of them. The belief of the company is to not only do more, but also do better. The CEO uses transformational leadership and his involvement of every staff when it comes to decision making has enabled the company to emerge among the best (Enquist, Edvardsson, 29). The company believes in bringing actual principles to the customers. Everybody is vital to the success of Starbucks and this is clearly shown by involvement of farmers, customers as well as other partners (Starbucks, 94). The provision of good working environment for work has enabled this company to further progress. The company has been able to generate employment opportunity to many citizens and this has helped it to build a good relationship with outside society. The company’s strong values have helped in driving the customer’s values. This has been the company’s culture under the leadership of Howard Schultz. The company operates under the guidance of its goals as well as its vision (Starbucks, 21).

Howard can thus be termed as a great leader as his stewardship has enabled the company to reach the level it is currently. His use of Corporate Social responsibility in his leadership has led to improvement in the company’s production as well as its services that have built values. The idea of this leader was to make Starbuck known all over America and to have its products purchased (MHHE, 2010). His hard work has made this company among the best coffee seller in America. He has instilled values that have made this company to be ahead always. . The company has been able to consider the values of its entire stakeholder. Development of any company’s value is dependent on relationship of the company with its employees, partners, shareholders, suppliers as well as media (Enquist, Edvardsson, 63).

The Company, through the stewardship of Howard Schultz has been able to go on fulfilling the collective need for connection which is personal (Fiscal, 75). This has enabled the company to use its scale for goods in ways far beyond its stores. Through innovation as well as authentic approach to pressing needs, the company has created employment opportunities for U.S citizens and this has positively impacted the community. Another thing that has contributed to the success of this company is the contribution made by social media (Starbucks, 23). Accord to Howard, social media has social media has brought changes in traditional marketing as well as the classic way of developing a brand ever (Bryman,, 93). The use of social media has enabled the company to build both trust and relationship with the customers. The company has struggled all through without loss of its soul. Currently, his leadership has enabled the company to continue expanding worldwide.

In the recent times, several studies have revealed that most employees hardly get involved in their work actively and with the passion they had initially at their work place. This has been occasioned majorly by the declining level of connection between these employees and their leaders. Most of them have resorted to making technical appearances just for purposes of safeguarding their pay slips so as to enable them earn a living. Though this trend has continuously taken place over the years, there are those organizational leaders who have used their personal skills and principles to make things turn around for the better (Ryan, 45). One such leader is Howard Schultz. This paper looks at the various individual principles that enabled Howard Schultz lead successfully and highlight the various instances in which he espoused them in his day to day activities when he was at the helm of the organization he led.

Howard Schultz was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company named Starbucks in the US. He had endeavored to tirelessly lead the company to an admirable and spectacular growth levels (Alice, 26). This was not a mean achievement on his side and did not come easily. He successfully combined various traits that he then cultivated into desirable principles that he managed to reflect in his style of leadership. The various principles that were reflected in Howard Schultz’s style of leadership are as discussed below.

Howard Schultz had clearly shown that he was compassionate and empathetic to his employees at various instances. The most notable experience that showed these principles is when he was informed of a tragedy that had just occurred at Georgetown store in Washington D.C where assailants gunned down three employees killing them instantly (Blake & Green, 43). At the time of this event, Howard Schultz was in New York and was informed of the incident by an employee named Howard Behar. He took up the responsibility himself of tracking down the addresses of these felled employees to notify their families of the sad incidence. He moaned with them in an attempt to help the grieving families overcome their sorrows. He stated that he was sorry for the loss, something a number of the CEOs would not attempt to do. This incidence showed elements of the principle of empathy and compassion in Howard Schultz style of leadership.

Another principle that comes out in Howard Schultz’s leadership style is the principle of courage. The death incidence seriously broke his heart as it was a loss to him too. He showed elements of courage when he decided to openly express his grief on the sudden death of his employees. This he did in order to help the families, colleagues and friends of the dead employees to overcome their grief too. Either, he showed that he was an inspirational and passionate leader (Jensen & Schultz, 98). This clearly manifests itself in the manner in which he handled the death incident coupled with his passion and work ethics that later inspired Howard Behar to quit his earlier job so as to join Starbucks where Howard Schultz was the CEO. Behar had admired his traits and was satisfied that Howard Schultz was indeed the type of leader he had wanted to work for as he respected his sense of passion and inspiration. Howard Schultz also led from the front always and more especially during hard times. He also had a heart that cared and served his fellows.

In conclusion, therefore, Howard Schultz managed to apply the basic principles in his leadership over the years where he influenced his employees making them give their best towards the success of the organization (Smith & Christopher, 52). This he achieved through aligning the employee’s general behavior with those of his by inspiring and sustaining them for the purposes of growing the organization.

Starbucks takes environment into consideration in its operations. The use of the innovation by the company has led to the reduction of cost (Starbucks, 21). This has led to the profit generation of the services company. Its recycling services can lead to 70% reduction in waste in North America (Fiscal, 94). It has also reduced the use of cups through its policy of reusing the cups (Starbucks, 21). The company has also sells the reusable cups to the customers at a discount. This has further increased the company’s sales. The company has also contributed to reduction of carbon emission through the advice it extends to the farmers (Enquist, Edvardsson, 75). This has helped in protecting change in climate. Apart from this, the use of technology by this company has helped in maintenance of natural resources (Starbucks, 63). It has been able to reduce usage of water, waste reduction, conservation of energy as well as climate protection.

Without the employee, the company can never succeed. Starbucks has taken an initiative to provide benefits to its employees as well as the community. (Enquist, Edvardsson, 32). The company offers incentives to its employees especially who performs excellently. Its treatment of customers as well as other partners with high regard has enabled the company to be ahead always (Fiscal, 93). It has also build trust with community members. The company benefits farmers through provision of education as well as system with the aim of improving coffee quality (Bryman, 47). The community too has benefited from the company through various programs. A good example is young action program. The program has supported community activities. Howard’s style of leadership has contributed a lot towards realization of these results. He has been able to lead with the company’s goals and mission in mind.

CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz was an extraordinary leader according to me. He was courageous enough to stand up to his principles. For instance, Howard Schultz was no longer one of the major speakers in the “Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit”. This was because he spoke in a conference that was hosted with the anti-gay church. He expressed his views on the gay community that resulted to his withdrawal. Furthermore, Schultz identified the future in other ways unlike the other pioneers of the social networking. This made him extraordinary due to his perceptions about social networking thus improving social privacy within the company.

To add on that, he played a big role the shaping of the companies benevolent policies in management. For example, in 1980’s before the company returned to public, Schultz also battled directors and then grants the employees health insurance and even to the part-time employees. He argued that, the loyalty and the lower attrition benefits, and the absence whereby it plagued a very similar establishment and would then outweigh significant and annual cost. Howard Schultz is seen to lead by example. This is shown by his role in contributing towards humanity. He does this by ensuring that the community benefits from the company through various programs. Each individual contributing to the goals of the company is treated with high esteem.

The leadership style of Howard Schultz is vital to my personal leadership. It gives me important things to consider for the success of my company. Howard Schultz offers a leadership style that can be emulated by many leaders. Important lesson that I have learnt is that all everybody should be treated as partner. I will now employ this in my company. My leadership will also ensure that the community is benefiting through initiation of various programs. The analysis is tied to my personal leadership in various ways. The leadership of Howard has ensures that everyone is satisfied. This is similar to my leadership. In my case, I use transformational leadership style where everybody’s opinion matters. In incorporating Corporate Social Responsibility that was lacking in my leadership, I will be able to make my company among the best in the region.