Permission and Knowing What’s Possible Can Change Lives
Permission and possibilities are two things that everyone needs to have if they want to be succesful. Permission to try something new, do it in a different way, or do something out of the ordinary. They also need to know that it’s possible, regardless of their situation or their beliefs.
I’m re-reading The Power of Habit for the first time in 7 years, and the chapter Starbucks and the Habit of Success reignited this idea for me.
I found this quote from Howard Schulz to be particularly powerful.
“And I really, genuinely believe that if you tell people that they have what it takes to succeed, they’ll prove you right.”
Starbucks’ success has hinged on this belief, and has been a huge influence on the way they train their employees. They grant their employees permission to succeed, and they give them the knowledge to make it possible.
They don’t just tell their employees what to do, how to make a cup of coffee, or how to treat customers. They give them the tools to do so. They’ve developed a full curriculum around it. The LATTEE method is one example. It’s used to address angry customers.
Listen
Acknowledge
Take action
Thank them
Explain why the problem occurred
They also teach their employees how to properly give colleagues criticism, and a system for handling orders when the store gets very busy. One of their mottos is: They don’t serve coffee, they serve people.
They set their employees up for success by giving them permission to be great, and showing them how it’s possible.
The book outlines the example of one employee. A young man born to drug addicted parents. Before going to Starbucks he was unable to hold down a job. Because he grew up in a chaotic home where stolen cars would often be parked in the driveway, and he and his siblings didn’t know if today was the day they’d have to save their parents from another overdose, he struggled to control his emotions, and would frequently lash out at customers and colleagues.
No one ever gave him permission to be anything other than the son of drug addicts. And no one ever showed him it was possible to get out. Until he starting working at Starbucks and started to acquire tools necessary to be succesful in the world, and how to interact with other people.
People need to know that it’s possible to change, and they need to be shown how. I think that’s a key component for anyone growing up. Without permission, and without knowing what’s possible, people are left stuck with no hope of improving, and nothing to aspire to.
Kids need this knowledge to reach their full potential.