348 | Howard Behar | Former Starbucks President on Creating Lasting Impact Through People-First Leadership

The Greatness Machine

Darius Mirshahzadeh

Entrepreneurship, Education, Business

5 • 962 Ratings

🗓️ 16 April 2025

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What does it truly mean to lead with purpose? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius sits down with Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks International and a servant leadership icon. Howard shares invaluable lessons on authenticity, vulnerability, and the importance of putting people first. From navigating insecurities to building a personal mission statement, Howard's insights offer a masterclass in leading with integrity. Discover why patience pays, why persistence matters, and how to align your purpose with your passion. Plus, hear his perspective on long-term thinking in business and the impact of shareholder-driven decision-making. In this episode, Darius and Howard will discuss: (00:00) Introduction to Howard Behar (02:16) Howard's Immigrant Roots and Early Influences (06:54) Transitioning to Starbucks: The Journey Begins (10:32) Navigating Exponential Growth at Starbucks (16:59) Leadership and Building a Strong Team (21:30) People-Centric Philosophy at Starbucks (24:51) Partnership Dynamics with Howard Schultz (28:12) The Essence of Servant Leadership (31:23) Navigating Economic Challenges (34:02) The Impact of Public Markets (39:36) Qualities of Great Leaders (41:34) Lessons from Experience Howard Behar is a renowned business leader, author, speaker, and mentor, celebrated for his servant leadership philosophy. As the former President of Starbucks North America and founding President of Starbucks International, he played a pivotal role in the company's growth from 28 stores to over 15,000 across five continents. Howard's leadership principles, like “The Person Who Sweeps the Floor Should Choose the Broom,” continue to inspire leaders globally. He currently serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards and is the author of "It’s Not About the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks." Sponsored by: Huel: Try Huel with 15% OFF + Free Gift for New Customers today using my code greatness at https://huel.com/greatness. Fuel your best performance with Huel today! Indeed: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/DARIUS. NPR Tech Unheard Podcast: Tune into Tech Unheard from Arm and NPM—wherever you get your podcasts. Shipstation: Go to shipstation.com and use code GREATNESS to sign up for your FREE trial. Shopify: Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/darius. Connect with Howard: Website: http://howardbehar.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-behar-24ba274/ Twitter: https://x.com/NotAboutCoffee Email: [email protected] Contact: 206-9727-776 Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:57.7	businesses grow. Love gang. Welcome to The Greatness Machine. I'm your host, Darius from Shazda. I'm so
1:02.2	pumped to have you here with me. Now listen, the greatness machine were about two things. Number one,
1:07.2	people were living their passions. And number two, those who are creating greatness in the world and doing both of these things
1:12.2	despite the odds against them.
1:14.0	Each episode, we're going to feature interviews with game changers, business leaders,
1:17.5	telling us their origin stories, what made them tick, what got them to where they are now.
1:21.7	Why?
	...

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