Christopher Michaelson, ethics and business law professor at the University of St. Thomas, recently spoke with Fast Company about the challenges facing Starbucks’ new CEO, sharing advice on the different types of work orientation.
From the story:
As Brian Niccol assumes the CEO spot at Starbucks today, it’s hard to overlook the leadership lessons this high-profile turnover offers. Stakeholders and employees eagerly await what’s to come as the beloved coffee brand sits at the crossroads of its legacy as a market creator and its future growth amid a shifting consumer landscape. ...
Christopher Michaelson co-wrote Is Your Work Worth It? and teaches business ethics at University of St. Thomas and New York University’s Stern School of Business. He says Niccol will also need to tailor his leadership style to the “job-career-calling” work orientation. In other words, some jobs just pay the bills, and others are a steppingstone to a bigger, higher paying job, while still others carry a more meaningful role in a person’s life. “There are two ways to have a calling at Starbucks,” says Michaelson. “One way is to make it your day job and then fund your garage band with your day job, hoping you make it big.”
In this case, the day job enables you to follow your dreams in your off-hours, cover the cost of health or fertility benefits, or pay for schooling. Others might see a job at Starbucks as a calling of its own. One, says Michaelson, that allows you to interact in your community, get involved in sustainability through responsible sourcing, and create experiences for others in similar ways. “If I were the leader of this company, I’d be thinking, ‘What can I do to satisfy each of these categories of employees in a way that preserves the neighborhood coffee shop feel that has become this corporate entity?’” says Michaelson.
