Onward, Indeed...

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul


I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Schultz speak at Harvard Business School during the Onward book tour. What an amazing man! He commands respect, both for making tough decisions but for "doing right by doing good".

One of my favorite excepts was from his friend #BONO, who he as partnered with on the RED, the Global Fun for Aids:

"The great companies will be the ones that find a way to have and hold on to their values while chasing their profits, and brand value will converge to create a new business model that unites commerce and compassion. The heart and the wallet...The great companies of this century will be sharp to success and at the same time sensitive to the idea that you can't measure success on a spreadsheet -" @bonovox_

And finally from Howard Schultz himself:
"Grow with discipline.
Balance intuition with rigor.
Innovate around the core.
Don't embrace the status quo.
Find new ways to see.
Never expect a silver bullet.
Get your hands dirty.
Listen with empathy and over communicate with transparency.
Tell your story, refusing to let others define you.
Use authentic experiences to inspire.
Stick to your values, they are your foundation.
Hold people accountable, but give them the tools to succeed.
Make the tough choices, it's how you execute that counts.
Be decisive in times of crisis.
Be nimble.
Find truth in trials and lessons in mistakes.
Be responsible for what you hear, see, and do.
Believe."

Onward!
#starbucks