Leadership Reflection and Evaluation of Starbucks CEO's Leadership Style

This report reflects on leadership for aspiring leaders and evaluates the leadership style of the president and CEO of Starbucks. It discusses the key aspects of leadership, different leadership styles suitable for VUCA business environment, the importance of understanding a range of leadership styles, and more. The report also provides a critical evaluation of Kevin Johnson's leadership style in the context of Starbucks.

LEADING BUSINESS
ORGANISATIONS STUDENT
GUIDELINES

INTRODUCTION
Leadership defined as art of motivating group of people to act towards to accomplishing
the one common goal (Eagly and Johnson, 2019). Effective leaderships based on ideas and vision
that aids to achieve desire goals.
The present report is two parts, first one is relate with undertaking reflection on
leadership for aspiring leaders, management report is based on determine the critical evaluation
of the president and chief executive officer of Starbucks leadership style.
PART 1
1.
Two fundamental question leaders needs to ask themselves.
The leaders to the entity needs to ask themselves that is they are leading activities of the
enterprise effectively or not. Henceforth, leaders must ask two question to themselves as-
 Am I a leader worth following?
 Am I building teams built to last?
What is key aspect of leadership.
The key aspect of leadership role is inclusive of the group activities and to cope with the
change. Therefore, the managers as leaders has two broad and independent function. In this, one
is relate with production or task oriented and other is employee oriented (Hersey and Blanchard,
2012).
What is leadership style
Leadership style is termed out as people get work done through others. Leadership
defined as behavioural pattern that leaders adopt to influence his behaviours. In addition to it,
leadership style is art of motivating a group of people towards accomplishing one common goal.
This can be termed out as motivating group of people, execution of plans and motivates plan
(McColl-Kennedy and Anderson, 2015).
Name two different style of leadership that is suitable for VUCA business environment.
The two common different style of leadership are defined in following manner as-
Democratic leaders of the entity allow all the employees to accomplish one common goals of the
enterprise. It is one of the effective way as this creates strong team bonds and efficiency also get
enhanced with increased amount of communication.

On the other hand, visionary leadership style is also effective as this empowers their
employees to accomplish the task on the set deadline. Therefore, leaders creates the roadmap and
allows his employees to create effective bond with each employee in terms to generate high
quality work.
Why do aspiring leaders need in depth understanding of range of leadership styles.
Effective leadership termed out as one crucial aspect that getting the best out of the
employees. This takes the time and experience to accomplish the leadership goals. Therefore, the
leadership style that choose to use can have direct impact on the working of the enterprise.
Leader is termed out as person who influence a group of people in order to accomplish the one
common goal.
2. What is organisation mission and vision?
The organisation mission is similar and it mainly connects to the vision statement of the
enterprise. Therefore, mission statement is termed out as roadmap to reach the enterprise desired
destination. Thus, Vision clarifies that where the enterprise wants to go and mission clarified
how it is going to go there.
What contribution do individual make in executing mission and vision?
Individual plays the crucial role in implementing the mission and vision of the entity.
This is one of the effective way that serves as the backbone of the collectively. With help of their
contribution, the goals of the entity can be accomplished effectively.
What contribution do leader make in executing mission and vision?
Leader plays one of crucial role in executing the mission and vision, as they lead they
employees and set the vision and mission. Leaders are the backbone to the enterprise as they act
as effective links to the workers to perform each thing effectively and efficiently (Chen and
Silverthorne, 2005).
What contribution do stakeholder make in executing mission and vision?
Setting out the firm’s mission and making it resonate with the stakeholder is termed out
as progress that encompasses the core ideologies, inclusiveness and communication (Robinson,
2019). Managers performs the stakeholder analysis that helps to gain better understanding about
the variety of groups and individuals. This is crucial to express the firms aims and objectives that
helps to accomplish the long run to the enterprise.
Why aspiring leaders need to able to evaluate the contribution of above.

With help of aspiring leaders, the long term goal of the enterprise can able accomplished.
By informing leader to the enterprise and with help of proper strategy formulation the long term
goals can be accomplished. This is the way that aids to provide proper direction to individual.
3.
What is a leadership strategy?
Leadership strategy termed out as development plan of action that can be formulated to
produce the future stated and implication for talent management process that can be identified.
Effective leadership strategies aid to influence, encourage and engage individual in terms to
enhance excellent performance.
Define change leadership.
Change leadership is termed out as ability that enthuse and influence other with help of
personal advocacy, drive, vision and this also access resources to build out the solid platform for
the change. In addition to it, leadership is termed out as key to bring successful change.
Additionally, change management is termed out as approach to prepare, assist individuals,
support and organisation in making the whole process of enterprise change.
What is organisation potential.
Organisation potential termed out as thing that helps to accomplish the long term goals of
the enterprise. Therefore, organisation environments are mainly composed of forces and
surroundings that highly affects the performance, resources and operations.
What is business context.
Business context model termed out as people, organisation and system who plays the
significant role process of business and areas that are significant to bring development
within the enterprise.
Why do aspiring leaders need to understand the broad range of leadership strategies.
By aspiring the leaders, the entity can able to develop the strategy that helps to undertake
the suitable course of action. With understanding the process of leadership the all things within
the enterprise can be effectively and efficiently.
4.
What is motivation theory.
Motivation theory termed out as tasked that aims at discovering what helps to drive
individual effectively and assist entity towards to accomplish the goal and outcome (Prasetyo

and Amboningtyas, 2018). This is defined as the force that guides and maintains the goal
oriented behaviour.
What are the two categories of motivational theories?
There are main two categories of motivation that helps to accomplish the organisation
goal within the enterprise. Thus, the two main categories of the motivation technique are as
intrinsic and extrinsic.
What is contemporary term employee motivation.
Contemporary term employee motivation is mainly based on high level of energy,
commitment and creativity that brings out the better job working conditions (Xie, Xue, and Li,
2018). This is defined as process that helps to people to accomplish the desired goals.
What is appreciative inquiry technique.
Appreciative inquiry technique is termed out as strength based positive approach to
leadership development and organisational change. This can be useful by the individual, teams
and organisation at the societal level.
Critically evaluate the range of motivational theories within specific organisation context.
Motivational theories help to undertake the things individuals effectively by motivating
them to undertake the things easily. It is term that defined as needs, desire, wants that helps to
encourage the individuals. This is defined as procedure that aids to stimulate the people to
undertake action to accomplish the desired goals.
5. Complete the potential leadership style
How would you define potential leadership style?
I think my leadership style is quite impressive as this help me to do things effectively and
efficiently. I lead my team effectively towards to accomplish one desire goal. I always look over
the needs and lacking points of teammates and work accordingly to accomplish the desired
objectives.
What are your key strength?
My core strength is that my management skill is quite attractive as this help me to
develop and coordinate the things effectively. Hence, my communication skill with others is also
quite attractive and this leads me to handle the issues effectively. I use to motivate my co-
workers as this helps to stimulates people actions to accomplish the desired goals.
What are your key challenges?

The one of the key challenges of mine is to managing the time. I am not the person who
can handle multi task at a point of time. This makes me little inefficient. Due to it, I face some
ups and down in my professional career. On the other hand, I am also not in technical and this
lead me to have ineffective results.
What personal development do you need to undertake to develop leadership ability.
In order to develop the Time management and Technical skill I need to look over the
need of training with some technical person who can assist me properly and helps me to identify
the lacking areas that are impacting my personal and professional career growth. To bring
improvement I will also set the deadline towards my improvement cycle. Afterwards, feedback
and evaluation will be undertaken to evaluate the things effectively.
PART B
a. Introduction
Leadership is termed out as art of motivating group of people to accomplish one common
goal. The present report is based on undertaking the critical evaluation on current leadership
style of Kevin Johnson in the context of business which he is currently operating.
b. Overview of servant leadership style
Servant leadership is termed out as set of practices and philosophy that enriches the lives
of individual and also builds to better organisation and also creates the effective working
conditions (Gandolfi and Stone, 2018). In addition to it, servant leader put their major focus on
the growth and well-being of people and to the communities they belong. Therefore, as a servant
leader, an individual first needs to consider over the need of others. It cannot be defined as
leadership style or technique but it is termed out as way of behaving the things for the longer
term to achieve desired goals. They are the leaders who involves in teams, leads towards higher
engagement, more trust and stronger relationships with team members as well stakeholder to the
enterprise. This is term that can also help to enhance innovation.
However, servant leadership can be problematic in hierarchical, autocratic cultures in
which managers and leaders are expected to make all the decision. In this situation, the servant
leaders may struggle to earn respect. In the given case study of Starbucks, the CEO of company
named Kevin Johnson. He took his business strategy as servant leadership style. He is currently
responsible for managing marketing, human resource, technology and digital platforms functions
effectively. Thus, Johnson also follows the servant leadership strategy as he shares the power

with employees, put others need first and assist individual to develop and perform as highly as
possible.
Challenges
VUCA sets the four different kinds of challenges that demand four distinct kind of
response and these are defined in following manner as are-
Volatility- The nature, speed, volume and dynamics of change are the core factor that brings
significant changes within the enterprise.
Leadership challenges-
 Enhanced pace of change needs accelerated decision making.
 Leaders quickly become overwhelmed, anxious, stressed and this leads effectively
(Harju, Schaufeli and Hakanen, 2018).
 The main challenge to leader is to learn to respond change more effectively.
Uncertainty- The lack of predictability of the issues and events highly prospect for the surprise.
Leadership challenges-
 The leaders of the enterprise find difficult to handle the things what is actually
happening.
 Leaders to the enterprise are more required to act on the incomplete and insufficient
information.
 Leaders to the enterprise are more likely to relay on practice and solution from the things
they have worked in fast.
Complexity- the forces, issues and confusions that surround within the enterprise highly impacts
the working of the enterprise.
Leadership challenges-
 There is much more difficulty in taking the actions and initiative the change due to
complex web of interrelated issues.
 Leaders tends to be short-sighted and are tempted to execute the short term solutions and
use to be over relay on quick wins.
 They highly enhanced the complexity that make all things typical to know that from
where to start to initiate the change.
Ambiguous- It is term that makes everything difficult to understand the impact and meaning of
the events.

Leadership challenges-
 There is high risk of miss interpreting the events and responding inappropriately within
the ineffective ways.
 Leaders to the entity are mainly based on limited understanding of the events and their
meaning.
Critical evaluation
Starbucks is known to be an entity that is committed to full compliance with the laws,
rules and regulations of the country in which they undertake the operations (Leary,2019).
Therefore, Starbucks affect the economy in both the positive and negative aspect. The prices of
the quoted enterprise tend to be high as compare to other coffer store in the globe and this has led
them to face certain financial crisis. In order to bring the stronger financial performance, the
Starbucks Johnson has come with the ethical approach to the leadership so that entity can able
enforce effective performance and can able to gain competitive advancement.
Starbucks is taking initiative to committed towards to assist customers to make informed
and improved nutritional choices as part to become the foundation change to the global business.
They have taken the steps to reducing the content of sugar and simplifying the ingredient,
enhance healthy options and improve how it communicates with the customers. They have
produced the commodities that helps to customer to make the right choices for them. This thing
has led the way by making a commitment to reduce the sugar by 20% from the commodities by
the year 2020.
They are taking steps to highlight that how to 'Go lighter on its menu boards. Therefore,
they are also taking the steps to be the fully transparent with their customers about the quality of
the commodities and nutrition value of the food and the drink offering. In the present era the
needs of the customers are different and to full-fill this entity needs to produce commodities with
use organic commodities. Thus, Starbucks is taking initiatives to use more organic ingredient so
that need of health conscious customer can be full filled. They enable leaders to drive with
business practices and they are partnering with business to ensure with legal risk management
and encourage partners to bring efficiency and this also leads to bring positive results within the
entity.

Global leader.
The CEO of the Starbucks named Kevin Johnson is a person who is working to improve
the customer services within the company to build the sustainability. He has developed the
approach that is assisting the enterprise to bring improvement in brand recognition. Johnson has
credible and confident presence. He is good communicator and has good listening and speaking
skills. He is an individual who handles the situations calmly without being emotion. At the
various time, Starbucks firm has faced controversies. He took steps to cope with all the
controversies as incident of Racial discrimination, he immediately took steps and issued an
apology. Thus, Johnson also look the technology as the part or the business. Therefore, his
leadership roles within sales and marketing is inclusive of working closely with the tech focused
team and showed up that how technology can assist to have growth in business. He used to create
the condition for his teammates to innovate and create new products with use of high tech
advancement.
Therefore, he also instructed the company to work on extensive plan to deliver the
implicit bias training to individual so that effective working conditions can be maintained. He
has a good approach of working with the teammates as he considers the whole workers as
family. After that incident, Starbucks has focused on adopting the diversity strategy to bring out
the suitable actions of performing the things effectively and efficiently. On the other hand, he
also took the servant leadership strategy through which he assists the employees of the enterprise
take steps to full-fill their needs and wants at the first level (Kearney, 2018). With help of it, he
became successful to bringing a level of innovation and transformation to the company. In order
to be the successful the people need the leaders and strong identities with help of which they
become able to be more responsible, accountable and purposeful to act within the enterprise.
Recommendation
On the basis of above report, the suggestive measures need to be given in following
manner as are-
From the past experience, customer loyalties cannot be stretched or transferred to new
commodity channel within short time. Therefore, Starbucks should expect a gradually change on
its customer purchasing power and habits. In order to bring effectiveness within the commodities
Starbucks needs to bring some changes in its e-commerce strategy.

 Firstly, this entity need to add value more value to its value chain by expansion of
its website function as communication tool to link it with the stakeholder such as
customers, employees and supplier management etc.
 Secondly, quoted enterprise must consolidate the public relation functions.
Therefore, Starbucks is not only a window for online business but also a window
for build out the firm image and reputation.
 Third, the quoted enterprise must use online business on core products but
maintain the product diversification as the long term plan of action and execute
this gradually with introducing the new commodities one at a time.
 The manager and other higher authorities must take steps towards to improve
leadership approach so that things can be performed in streamlined and efficient
manner.
 Thus, quality should be one of crucial aspect to everyone so that brand image of
the enterprise can be sustainable for longer period.
Starbucks should set up online chat room to facilitate communication among its
stakeholder. It may also create free email accounts to further spread its fame and consolidate the
customer loyalty. Starbucks do not have conventional advertising because it found that there is
too much competition for consumer attention in TV. Starbucks need initiatives its corporate
culture with its surroundings. To be a real global company, quoted enterprise should participate
in and must support local events in developing countries that can enhance public relationships
with those international market.
Conclusion
Hereby, it can be concluded that the role of Kevin Johnson being an CEO of the
Starbucks, playing his role effectively by becoming an aspiring leader. He has used the servant
leadership that is very crucial to bring the positive working environment. In order to bring
improvement in the company financial performance the chosen entity is using the innovative
approach to bringing up organic commodities that helps to bring long term sustainability within
the market. This kind of advancement can help to organisation to enhance brand recognition
within market. Therefore, he has adopted the ethical leadership that has helped him to run out the
business activities within the ethical manner and this approach has brought out the better
improvement by enhancing the operational efficiency of the enterprise.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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