Leadership

The Perfect Leader

The term “leadership” is often characterized by certain attributes that enhance a person’s image, perception, and credibility. It is important to emphasize, however, that the term is often interpreted differently from individual to individual. For example, one may see an athlete as a leader because they may have a cult following, a strong fan base, etc. In contrast, a leader may be someone who simply owns a company. Of course, just because someone owns a company does not mean that they are a great leader. Howard Schultz, who is the chairman and CEO of Starbucks coffee, epitomizes the role of a true leader because he possesses five unique traits that allow him to maximize the potential of his employees as well as the company: His ability to solve any predicament, take calculated risks, willing to share his success with employees, acknowledge when things don’t go as planned (taking blame), and being a continual learner.

Howard Schultz has always been considered a great leader. He has demonstrated the ability to solve any predicament without jeopardizing the well being of others. After working with Starbucks in the early 1980’s, his idea of introducing new products and services was rejected. Frustrated with their lack of innovation, he decided to take a calculated risk and begin his own chain of coffee shops. After a few years away from Starbucks (with great success), he purchased Starbucks Coffee and crafted an aggressive expansion plan in order to deter competitors from entering the market. Schultz showed great initiative by sharing his success with all of his employees.

When Schultz took over the leadership role for Starbucks Coffee, he completely overhauled the corporate culture of the entire organization in order to give employees the proper benefits, a safe and healthy work environment, and a suitable dress code. Often, Schultz seeks out advice from his employees in order to hunt for new products or services. Despite the...