The World's Best Book Summaries
How does Starbucks help the environment and society? How was Starbucks involved in the 2008 American presidential election? Howard Schultz says that customers are drawn to Starbucks because of its commitment to social and environmental responsibility. In 2008, Starbucks took on three new social initiatives to reach out to the public and help people in need. Discover more about Starbucks’s social responsibility efforts.
Why is procrastination bad? How does procrastination affect your physical health? Timothy A. Pychyl contends it’s important to be aware of the specific ways your procrastination habit works against you. After all, procrastination keeps you from putting your limited time to the best possible use, and this can have a cascade of consequences. Below, we’ll consider three ways that procrastination can sabotage you.
What is self-leadership? How can you lead yourself to greatness? The one thing you can control is yourself, Clay Scroggins says. This is the most essential kind of leadership to embrace, as you’ll always have authority over your own behavior, regardless of your position in an organization. Below, we’ll explore a few types of self-leadership you should embrace.
Why do people love Starbucks so much? What’s the customer experience at Starbucks like? When Starbucks was in desperate need of a new business model, one of Howard Schultz’s areas of focus was customer service. Schultz made changes in three key areas: improved communication with customers, polished store design and operations, and renewed social and environmental commitments. Let’s explore each of those areas now.
Why is it so easy for people to procrastinate? What productive habits can we build to overcome procrastination? Procrastination is frustrating because we know what it is and we can see how it hurts us, but we keep doing it anyway. In Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, Timothy A. Pychyl explores three forces behind procrastination: our desire for rewarding experiences, our trouble making realistic plans, and our lack of preparedness for obstacles and challenges. Let’s look at the reasons why we procrastinate, and what we can do to stop them.
What are the benefits of mindful decision-making? What are some tips for making good choices in life? Clay Scroggins says that being dutiful and mindful in the small, daily decisions you make is called leading your actions. This consistency shows that you’re ready for the responsibility of leading others in the same way. Check out how to change your life by making decisions that show you’d be a great leader.
What’s the Starbucks business model? What business principles did Howard Schultz bring to Starbucks? As CEO, Schultz made a multitude of decisions that helped Starbucks survive the financial crisis. In total, he made three turnaround strategies: overhauling Starbucks’ management, improving its financial standing, and enhancing the coffeehouse experience. Let’s discuss these decisions and how they left Starbucks in good standing by the end of 2009.
Why do future rewards feel less important than current ones? How does instant gratification cause procrastination? One of the reasons why we procrastinate is that we want to have experiences that our brains perceive as rewarding—experiences that feel good rather than bad. According to Timothy A. Pychyl, this tendency explains why we prefer being rewarded now, rather than later. Find out how to overcome instant gratification, which will then help solve procrastination.
Why is perception in leadership important? How can you look at the bigger picture in a corporation? Leading your perception means taking an active role in shaping how you think about things. This is an important axis of leadership because your perception of a situation influences how you react to it. Below, we’ll discuss the two main ways you can lead your perception: taking a big-picture view and practicing critical thinking.
What was Starbucks’s management strategy after Howard Schultz’s return? Why did the company’s management need to be overhauled? After returning to Starbucks, one of Schultz’s initial turnaround strategies was to completely overhaul the company’s management. There were three major changes Schultz made to accomplish this strategy: hiring new executives, securing emotional buy-in from executives and managers, and reaffirming key values in Starbucks’ management strategy. Continue reading to delve into these three major changes.