Humanity In A Coffee Cup
What Starbucks’ Business Model Can Teach Us About Our Humanity
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When you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born, And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth. It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit. Work is love made visible — Khalil Gibran
Capitalism has always been about funny business. It is funny because if i told you business can teach you a lot about humanity, you would laugh. Business is ultimately more human than most people tend to give it credit for. Think about the last time you met your banker or relationship manager and they made you feel special by remembering your anniversary. Forget anniversaries, some of them don’t remember your name. They just remember what bracket your assets under management fall under. I would argue that people would accept a lower return on their investment for a while in return for great service. If the relationship manager just removes the friction in doing business and makes transacting with the bank a memorable experience, the relationship becomes long term, personal and in many senses a marriage. In a marriage, people are willing to compromise a lower interest rate on their investments for a truly pleasurable banking experience.
This truism applies to every single business on this planet. I hate to break it but business is as personal as it gets. Think about it — if you are parting with your money, you expect the business to appreciate you as a client and as a human. Using the example of Starbucks, this article argues why business has always been about the art of being more human. Think about it-do…
