Why leadership matters to me
I didn’t always believe in leadership.
I thought bosses were fat cats in empty suits.
When I joined Starbucks as a barista in 1990, I was having fun. When I was offered a promotion into management, I thought about two things: I liked the work, and I’d earn more money.
I was in.
What I hadn’t considered was how much a manager could change someone’s experience of work.
Then I met L’il Ronald.
He was 18, raising twin daughters with his girlfriend, and working behind bulletproof glass at a convenience store on Chicago’s South Side. He wanted more for himself and his family.
I invited him to meet me for coffee at Starbucks. A few weeks later, he was behind the counter in a green apron.
He loved the work. People loved working with him. He was earning almost twice as much, and his daughters had health insurance. Within a few months, he earned a promotion to shift supervisor.
We kept meeting to talk about work, life, and family. He would thank me, and I would tell him how much I was learning from him. The appreciation was mutual.
I had assumed authority would make me someone I didn’t want to become. Here was an opportunity to use it in a way I could be proud of.
He married his girlfriend and moved out of public housing.
L’il Ronald did the work. Knowing him changed how I understood mine.
He taught me that leadership can be invaluable.