Book Review

Vision, leadership and coffee

By Bonnie Parker, Birmingham, AL

Comedians joke about the Starbucks that opened across the street from the Starbucks. We all have seen Starbucks open next to other coffee shops, charge higher prices and have longer lines but outlast the competition.

In Pour Your Heart into It, Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz explains his philosophy of vision and leadership that has made Starbucks what it is today. It’s a lesson in leadership that still applies 15 years after the book was first published.

Create your mission statement

First and foremost, Mr. Schultz stresses, a good company must have a mission statement, a philosophy that all team members know and live. “Whether you are the CEO or a lower level employee, the single most important thing you do at work each day is communicate your values to others, especially new hires,” he says.

Schultz’s mission for Starbucks centers on excellence in service and products. Chances are, the person behind the counter will greet you promptly and courteously. They will be knowledgeable about the coffee products they serve and happy to spend time explaining the choices to you. You will be encouraged to sit and linger over your beverage, not rush out to make room for the next person.

Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time

By Harold Schultz | Hyperion 1999

Hire partners in your vision

Also essential is the ability to attract and hire employees who carry out the vision. Mr. Schultz emphasizes the importance in hiring individuals who represent the values of the company. After hiring, it is equally important to treat them as valued partners, rewarding them with generous benefits and welcoming their input on every aspect of the company. Simply stated, “If you treat your employees as interchangeable cogs in a wheel, they will view you with the same affection.”

Change or spiral downward

The author’s third major point is that you must always look to change and improve, even when things are going well: “Even when life seems perfect, you have to take risks and jump to the next level, or you’ll start spiraling downhill into complacency without even realizing it.”

We are very lucky in ophthalmology in that a mission statement is easy to envision. Sight is something we all value. Team members, however, may not always be cognizant of and invested in the mission of the practice. To have a practice where the patients feel valued and well cared for, everyone in the practice must perform their roles with the mission in mind.

It takes a team… and pride

It is also important to make each of the employees understand their essential role in the care of patients. From the person who answers the phone, to technicians, to the doctor, every member of the support staff represents the practice and influences the patient’s outcome. They should feel pride in their work.

Learn and grow

And lastly, we should always be striving to learn and grow. New procedures and instruments are always on the horizon. Explore the offerings, but remember to stay true to your mission. OP