By Jodie Puzio, VMA, CAPM, ENV SP
A Book Review on It’s Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks by Howard Behar
It’s Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks by Howard Behar is all about people. Behar discusses his ten guiding principles of leadership from his time at Starbucks, which are lessons that anyone can apply – leaders at all levels. His personal insight and storytelling allows anyone to relate, as everyone can relate to people and relationships. Similarly, value methodology is all about the people – the client, the stakeholders, the multidisciplinary team and the team leader. The leadership principles presented by Howard Behar are applicable to value practitioners.
Howard Shultz, Founder and Executive Chairman of Starbucks Corporation presents the foreword in this book. Shultz notes his respect for Behar and that, “This inspiring and practical guidebook, It’s Not About the Coffee, is about people and the importance of putting people first.” (Behar 2007 xv) One could argue that value methodology is similar in that it is about adding value for the people and the project, not just performing the value methodology. Shultz concludes noting that this book is a must-read for everyone. “If you follow just some of the principles in this book, you will be a wiser, more effective and more successful human being and leader.” (Behar 2007 xviii)
Behar refers to the principles as the, “Ten Principles of Personal Leadership,” principles that everyone can embrace. They all work in a way that helps individuals confront problems, make decisions, care for others and create opportunities. Not all of these principles carry the same weight and meaning for everyone, but all can relate and use them as a guide through life and as value practitioners.
The Ten Principles of Personal Leadership are summarized below with a short explanation and an example of its relevance to value practitioners. Of course, everyone will relate differently based on his or her own experiences.
- Know Who You Are: Wear One Hat
This is about knowing oneself and where one is going – being consistent with oneself. Value practitioners wear multiple hats, especially as a team leader. Knowing and understanding the value methodology and staying true to the approach ensures all value practitioners are wearing one hat. There are times where juggling between facilitator and team member may be necessary for the team leader, but regardless of the role, value practitioners must always stay true and consistent to the value methodology hat.
- Know Why You’re Here: Do It Because It’s Right, Not Because It’s Right for Your Résumé
This principle comes down to ensuring alignment and fit. With this, success on all levels is achieved. As value practitioners, explaining and ensuring everyone understands the value methodology process and fully participates in the study is key to its success. It is important to ensure alignment among everyone throughout the process. Résumés aside, this keeps everyone on the same page, working toward the same common goal, while considering each other’s perspectives.
- Think Independently: The Person Who Sweeps the Floor Should Choose the Broom
Thinking independently is about encouraging others to think for themselves, in addition to thinking for oneself. Everyone has their own creative ideas based on their own experiences and thoughts. They want to experience fulfillment without being bound by rules. The value practitioners’ job (especially facilitators and team leaders) is to encourage independent thinking. This is key during the creative and evaluation phases of the standard job plan, to ensure all voices of the multidisciplinary team are heard and that everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts. This is critical for the success of the value study.
- Build Trust: Care, Like You Really Mean It
When Behar talks about caring and building trust, he is referring to putting others before oneself. Caring about people keeps one focused and builds trust in the relationship, a foundation. This can be in the form of words or actions that everybody sees and recognizes. Building trust as a value practitioner is key to the success of a value study. Many times, the team is only together for a few short days, so building trust early is essential. This foundation can be developed by caring for everyone through words and actions, from the beginning.
- Listen for The Truth: The Walls Talk
This principle stresses putting in the time to listen, even to what is not being said, to wait for the meaning and understanding to fully be heard. Behar introduces the concept of compassionate emptiness, which involves listening with compassion and without preconceived notions. This includes listening with open ears and open eyes, without speaking and assuming. The concept of very active listening and compassionate emptiness is very critical to value practitioners. They need to make sure clients’ needs are understood, ensure all stakeholders are heard, in order to facilitate a successful value study. Without listening for the truth and fully understanding others throughout the study, the results will likely fall short.
- Be Accountable: Only the Truth Sounds Like the Truth
Being accountable means taking responsibility, with care and respect. Behar asserts that truth and accountability are synonymous; everyone knows if one is telling the truth. Behar also goes into a discussion on language and how important it is to reflect intent and avoid empty abstractions. Value practitioners are held accountable to follow the value methodology and standard job plan. The accountability of language is also seen in function analysis. The two-word function may drive to abstraction, but it also reflects intent. Everyone on a value study is accountable for the results, and the team leader ensures all truths are spoken with care and respect throughout the study.
- Take Action: Think Like a Person of Action, and Act Like a Person of Thought
This principle is about finding the right balance between passion, purpose and persistence, yet always taking action. Behar refers back to his other principles of leadership: caring, listening and accountability. He notes they all require action balanced with thought and feeling. Without action, nothing can be accomplished. This is true in value methodology. The value study balances everyone’s input, but the implementation phase is where the action happens to truly impact change and optimize value.
- Face Challenge: We Are Human Beings First
Every journey is full of challenges. Challenges are what test and teach everyone, making them feel connected to everyone around them. Behar stresses the importance of following the aforementioned guiding principles, which develop inner strength to be prepared to face challenges. Putting people first when facing challenges will help keep focus. Every value study is a new challenge and everyone may approach it differently. If all value practitioners face each challenge with the people (i.e., stakeholders, client, team members) in mind first, then every study will be off to a great start.
- Practice Leadership: The Big Noise and the Still, Small Voice
Personal leadership can be developed at all levels. It is the ability and responsibility to lead with integrity and to practice the principles to serve and lead others while honoring oneself. Behar refers to servant leadership, noting the person who is a servant of all is the most capable leader. A servant is always searching and listening in all situations. “The servant leader understands that big noises are not as important as big hearts.” Value practitioners can practice their own leadership and also help team members look beyond the big noise in a room and listen to their own inner voices.
- Dare to Dream: Say Yes, the Most Powerful Word in the World
Behar describes the word “yes” as freeing and inspiring, meaning permission and possibility. The ability to dream and think about possibilities opens many doors. “Saying yes to people builds trust, which is the foundation of true leadership.” This is critical to value practitioners. The creative phase is where all the dreaming happens, with no criticisms. Having built trust early in a value study, the team is willing to dream, but only if the team leader is willing to say yes.
Behar’s Ten Principles of Personal Leadership are principles that everyone can embrace. The world is connected through relationships. It really is about the people. These principles are a great guide and reference for leaders at all levels. Value practitioners are in the business of serving and working with people, and therefore, can benefit from Howard Behar’s personal leadership principles.
References
Behar, Howard. It’s Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks. Portfolio, 2007.
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