Howard Schultz: Starbucks and Life lessons

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Recommended: Starbucks corporate culture

This paper aims to examine the life of Howard Schultz, the ceo and founder of the Starbucks Corporation we know today, in light of relevant leadership concepts. Lessons that can be learned from his life and leadership are also identified, including the extent to which his life and messages learned reinforce or contradict the leadership concepts.

According to Bennis and Thomas (2002), a crucible of leadership is a trial that brought upon deep reflection that forced one to examine their values and are consequently more certain of themselves and their purpose. Howard Schultz’s early life was this crucible. Schultz was deeply affected by his father's struggle to provide for his family growing up. He often had to lie to bill collectors, and seeing his father pass without savings or a pension, Schultz vowed that if he ever had the means, he would not leave people behind (Schultz, 2012). Schultz’s early live resulted in deeply ingrained values that continue to guide him. Terminal values are the goals that an individual aspires to achieve (Krishnan, 2001).Schultz holds dear achievement, equality, and happiness, to name a few (Schultz, 2012). Instrumental values, on the other hand, are the techniques a person utilizes in their endeavour to achieve their goals or values (Krishnan, 2001). Schultz’s instrumental values include responsibility, honesty, and concern for others. Schultz leadership is consistent with that of value based leadership in that his values and those of Starbucks are consistent. He does not compromise core principles and leads by example (Dean, 2008, p. 61). A lesson that can be learned is that a strong set of good values is important towards being a great leader, which is consistent with value based leadership concept, ...

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