Coffee Crusade

For me, a day without coffee is like a day without sunshine. (Sweet, caffeine-laced sunshine.) Who would've thought that simple beans could provide such inspiration, enjoyment, and energy? Every year, people around the world partake in a collective 150 billion or so cups of coffee. I'm happy to have done my part, but I'm no hero. Obviously, coffee is an important part of everyday life for many people.

In the world of coffee, Starbucks has become a cultural icon. Some people admonish the Seattle-based superpower, claiming the coffee is overpriced or a bit too hip. I can understand that. But nobody can argue that the company has changed America's relationship with coffee. Styrofoam cups brimming with run-of-the-coffee-mill java just won't do in a post-Starbucks world.

Considering my love for coffee, you can understand why I had to do a double-take when I learned that my local Starbucks was closing for three hours on a Tuesday evening. How could that be? Where would I go to get a grande half skinny mocha cappuccino? Just as I had come to grips with the harrowing thought, I learned that Starbucks had decided to close ALL of its stores from 5:30PM to 9:00PM on February 26th. (Down goes Frazier!) What could possibly justify that sort of madness? Fortunately, I didn't have to look far to find the answer. Every major news outlet had reported on the event.

It turns out that Howard Schultz, then-and-now Starbucks CEO, has been on the ropes lately. He stepped back into his operational role at the helm of the coffee giant when the company began to struggle with its staggering growth and the emergence of new competitors. Schultz ordered more than 7,000 U.S. stores to close in order to re-educate more than 135,00 baristas (better known as employees). He has recently expressed his concern over a "watering down" of the coffee customer experience, and this unprecedented training opportunity illustrated his commitment to do something about it.

135,000 Starbucks baristas had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take time out and to make a personal investment in themselves. While this may make for a great news story, I can sense that some of you out there are nonplussed. You may be thinking to yourself, "That's great, but I'm no barista. I mean sure, I have a cute green apron, but I really only wear it for special occasions."

Ummm...alright then. Let's think for a moment about the "time out" process that Starbucks and its baristas went through. If I'm not mistaken, we may just find a few lessons that we can apply to our own goal pursuits (cute apron optional).

Over the course of the store closings, Starbucks was seen to:

• Recognize the problem. Something that had been there - that hallmark Starbucks experience (not to be confused with that crappy Hallmark experience) - was now suddenly lagging. Enthusiasm, morale, and customer satisfaction levels were all down. In your own life, you may notice that you're not tearing into a goal the same way you were just a few short weeks or months ago. You may have started off strong, but now the thrill may be gone. Be mindful of changes in your attitude or behavior and be honest about the onset of a personal challenge.
• Refresh its skills. Starbucks wasn't content to let its baristas simply go through the motions. Rather, the company took the time to invest in their skills and their abilities. If you've been working diligently toward your goal - even if your prior results have been good overall - you may get stuck in a sort of performance rut. You may find that you're doing a good job, you're just not doing a great job. If so, make some time to brush up on the skills you need to achieve your goals.
• Recharge its batteries. Baristas were encouraged to share their passion for the coffee business and their techniques for getting it right. From time to time, you may need to do the same. You may want to attack your goal outcome from a different angle. What originally inspired you to take up your current goal? Can you think back to how great it felt to envision its achievement in your mind? Sometimes, a simple reflection exercise like this may be all you need to get back on track.
• Recommit to excellence. Say what you will about Starbucks, but you have to admire the company's commitment to success. Nobody has talked about the financial impact that the closings had to the company, but Starbucks is clearly thinking big-picture on this one. Excellence is a lofty objective and the price to achieve it can be steep at times. Still, greatness requires this mentality and this sacrifice. If you're not prepared to commit to excellence in your own life, ask yourself why not? Are the chances that you might fail too great for you to bear? Does the goal not seem worth the effort? If you don't address these limiting roadblocks, you're likely to underwhelm when you set out after your personal goal.

Wake up and smell the no-fat latte. If you have a great goal but you've recently been struggling to achieve it, it may be time for a "success stand-down" a la Starbucks. If you want to break through, you need to recognize the temporary setback, take ownership of the problem, and work through its solution. If you can do this, you'll reenergize your goal campaign and dramatically increases your chances of success in the long term.

Here at the THRIVE! world headquarters, we've been able to use this process recently to re-focus some of our own efforts around finding innovative ways to help people like you declare, pursue, and achieve their goals. I look forward to sharing more on this subject in the near future. Bur right now, there's a Java Chip Frappucino calling my name. The sweet taste of success!

KAED

Related Links

From the Source
The Onion Weighs In
Center of the Universe

Quotes of the Week

"I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee."
- Flash Rosenberg

"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons."
- T.S. Eliot

Coaching Quickie: Coffee Crusade

Check back next week for results!

Last Week's Results

Coaching Quickie: Awarding Experience
What category is your Oscar in?

(00%) Best Director - I'm in charge of my life
(67%) Best Producer - My best work is behind the scenes, helping others
(17%) Best Actor - I really came through big in that one thing
(17%) Best Supporting Actress - They were good, but they couldn't have done it without me

If you missed it, you can read last week's newsletter online here.