It's Not About the Coffee Lessons on Putting People First from a Life at Starbucks

During his many years as a senior executive at Starbucks, Howard Behar helped establish the Starbucks culture, which stresses people over profits. He coached hundreds of leaders at every level and helped the company grow into a world-renowned brand. Now he reveals the ten principles that guided his leadership-and not one of them is about coffee. Behar shows that if you think of your staff as people (not labor costs) they will achieve amazing results. He discusses the importance of building trust, telling hard truths, thinking independently, and more. And he shares inside stories of key turning points for Starbucks, as it fought to hang on to its culture while growing exponentially.'A book about how to succeed anywhere-not just in business.'-Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley 'The most down-to-earth, in-the-trenches, straightforward, and utterly useful leadership book I've ever read.'-James A. Autry, author of The Servant Leader'The tips inside are intelligent, heartfelt, tested and honed in reality. Bravo.' -David Allen, author of Getting Things Done

Howard Behar joined Starbucks as a senior executive in 1989, when it had just twenty-eight stores. His positions have included executive vice president of sales and operations, president of Starbucks International, and president of Starbucks North America. He has also served on the company-'s board of directors since 1996.

Janet Goldstein is a publishing consultant who has worked with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and nonprofits.