Starbucks Part 2

In November 2009, I wrote about How Starbucks Saved My Life. I have just finished Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz, the man behind Starbucks as we know it today.

The first book confirms the story of the second, namely of how Starbucks has a positive working culture based on values that are embodied by staff. In my view, part of communications at any organization is to foster a healthy corporate culture. I also know how immensely difficult this task is. Staff are often the most jaded of all audiences, with some members choosing to be physically present but not put their heart into the organization, and if anything, take a perverse pleasure in beating up the company to anyone who will listen. Another huge challenge to corporate culture is when the organizational leadership does not live the corporate values. We have an innate sense of dishonesty and it is usually picked up very quickly by staff, who turn off quickly and for good.

Howard Schultz was able to re-imagine a company and instill it with lived values that meant a manager across the country was open to hire and mentor a person of a different gender, race, age and social background. And yet, it worked - saving his life. I find that inspiring and almost impossible to believe given what I have seen in so many other workplaces. I do not think there is any secret formula or magic bullet. It boils down to being genuine and honest every single day. And Starbucks' corporate culture seems to pass this test with flying colours.

At the same time as I admire Starbucks, I am conflicted by it. The conflict comes from admiration for what they have achieved, essentially changing the way millions of people view their coffee and spend their leisure time. At the same time, they have done this by adding an incredible premium to the product, which has now gone upscale. Nike has done something similar, taking what were mundane running shoes to incredible levels of style, performance - and astronomical prices. I admire what they have done and how they have done it, but I do feel that somehow the price point is separating us rather than uniting us. Perhaps I am wrong, perhaps I am asking too much of a company, but the discomfort is always there in the pit of my stomach.

Simplicity from Complexity

This week, I have been taking a deep dive into how my employer deals with its main audience - Ontario doctors. I have learned a lot. The main thing is just how complex and long the process is for those doctors.

Repeatedly during the meetings I have had with colleagues, I have told them that our job is to take the complexity of that relationship and turn it into simplicity for our audience. Having thought about it some more, I now believe that all communication fits this category. This simplification may be easy, but most of the time it is very hard work. I once had a boss whose mantra was hard writing makes easy reading. I think this is another take on the same message - what we do may be incredibly complex and hard to understand, but I am going to ensure that my audience understands it.

Think of any effective communication you have experienced, be it written, spoken, advertisement, movie, visual - what sticks out is that it is memorable and easy to understand. Somebody took a lot of time to think it through and work, rework and revise relentlessly to get to simplicity. The challenge is that in the course of all that work, we can suck the life out of the communication and rather than effective and simple, it turns flatter than a pancake.

I think the only formula for success is to stay focused on the audience. How is this going to be useful and interesting for them? Not being able to focus on one audience or not having a clear idea of the message are two common ways to go off the rails early and often. Not having enough time to do it right, not fully understanding the audience are other ways to lose your way. There are many pitfalls.

But out of this comlexity comes the simplicity of audience focus. It is essential, but also incredibly easy to lose.

So, keep on focusing on your audience and never get tired of bringing yourself back to them. It is the foundation (but no guarantee!) of effective communications.

Thanks for reading!