“Savor and Elevate” is a business principle that emphasizes the importance of maximizing enthusiasm for the products, services, and experiences your company provides.      – Joseph Michelli, Leading the Starbucks Way

To achieve Starbuck’s mission “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time,” leaders at Starbucks crafted a set of principles to be lived daily, the first of which involves passion for:

 Our coffee. It has always been, and will always be, about quality. We’re passionate about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. We care deeply about this; our work is never done.

 Starbucks leaders have produced diverse tools to help Starbucks partners develop or deepen a genuine product passion.

One of those tools is a coffee education that reflects a 70/20/10 growth and development approach. Based on research on how people integrate and utilize new information, new baristas at Starbucks receiver approximately:

• 70 percent of their initial coffee education through on-the-job experience and hands-on practice
• 20 percent of their training through the feedback and mentorship from their peers, learning coach, and store management
• 10 percent of their training from an online modularized curriculum

courtesy coffeeconcepts.com

At intervals during the certification training and development process, new partners must pass a knowledge test and demonstrate to their store manager skill competency in tasks such as preparing a cappuccino.

A person can become passionate not only about the coffee itself, but also about the artistry involved in its creation.

If a barista only goes through the motions of pouring espresso, if he or she does not care, then Starbucks has lost the essence of what we set out to do 40 years ago: inspire the human spirit.    – Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO

ChurchWorld Application:

1. What is your Guest Experience Team’s overall level of passion in serving your Guests and attenders? How does it compare to the passion levels at the best service providers you have encountered in the marketplace?
2. Have you built-in Guest Experience knowledge and passion from the beginning of your team member’s involvement?
3. What first impressions do you create for new team members? Do they experience what you hope they provide?

While the opportunity for developing a passion for coffee and the artistry of its preparations is built into the formative learning experiences of Starbucks new hires, the company’s leadership understands that this passion is reinforced, sustained, and deepened through corporate celebration and communication rituals, immersive learning opportunities, and core business strategy. Michelli elaborates:

Authentic corporate rituals are powerful ways to create a common bond, inspire commitment and innovation, and build an integrated and effective culture.

Rather than providing messages that solely describe the “what” and “how” of your products, listen for and share stories that will help connect your people to the nuances of your products and/or special aspects of the customer journey.

Leaders at Starbucks have crafted way to immerse staff members in enriched learning experiences that create opportunities for product passion. They have also found ways to spark master of product knowledge by relying on an intrinsic sense of accomplishment that comes from advanced learning and the ability to teach others.

Evaluate every strategy to ensure that it aligns with your core values, reinforces your purpose, and stimulates continue progress toward your aspirations.

Increased visit frequency, wider product penetration, greater customer engagement, consistent product sell-through, and employee pride and professional development are enviable by-products of igniting the passion of your team members.

Growing research evidence indicates that “knowledgeable employees” is one of the top items on the wish list for customers today.

Imagine what knowledgeable and passionate employees can do, not only for your customers, but also for the morale and enthusiasm associated with your organization.

ChurchWorld Application:

1. Examine the habits, rituals, and messages that you employ in your Guest Experience ministry. Are they facilitating emotional connections, a sense of community, and passion for excellence?
2. How to you capture and share stories of your Guest Experiences team members that help connect them to Guests, one another, and the vision of your church?
3. How are you incorporating Guest Experience mastery and social recognition into your team training programs?

Part 2 of a series in the 2013 GsD Fall Term

Leading the Starbucks Way: Information, Insights, and Analysis Needed to Create a High-Performance Guest-Oriented Organization

inspired by and adapted from Leading The Starbucks Way, by Joseph Michelli