Starbucks initiative focuses on personal connection

Cultivating a healthy arrogance that Hollywood TV and film producer Will Packer writes is a "mindset of 'I've got something major to bring to the table whether others realize it or not,'" is key for leaders who take success seriously. Packer also recommends being humble and apologizing or admitting when you're wrong to "take the thunder" out of a situation "so you can move past and focus on the essential goal in that moment."

Put it into practice: Learning how to read people so you can tailor your leadership style to meet their needs can help them realize how they fit into the larger mission, Packer says. "Good leadership relies on getting people to work toward your goals because they understand that they have a stake in them as well."

Starbucks should brew up a feeling of connection with customers under a new initiative from CEO Brian Niccol that harkens back to leadership under Howard Behar, write Michael Lee Stallard and Katharine P. Stallard from the Connection Culture Group. Behar, the former president of Starbucks North America, "recognized that the success of Starbucks was directly tied to how well the company served its people -- employees and customers alike," they write.

Put it into practice: A servant leadership perspective helped Behar focus on people at all levels of the company, not just the C-suite. "For Behar, leadership was about helping others thrive, creating an environment where individuals were respected and valued, and ultimately, leading with heart and purpose," the Stallards write.

You can defuse a tense conversation with a team member by using the "Detour Technique," which involves asking questions with less emotional impact to cool down the exchange, write John Eliot and Jim Guinn in an excerpt from their book "How to Get Along with Anyone." Similar to how magicians distract the audience while performing tricks, the technique helps insert a pause "without the formal or artificial feeling of calling a time-out," they write.

Put it into practice: When emotions start to escalate, ask targeted questions to redirect the conversation into a more rational realm. "Questions allow the other person to still perceive being in control of the dialogue; it’s still about them so 'you' are not interrupting," Eliot and Guinn write.

The "5 to 9 before 9 to 5" trend involves waking up at 5 a.m. to engage in self-care activities before starting the workday. Psychologist Ramone Ford notes benefits such as improved physical health and better work-life balance but cautions that it may lead to sleep deprivation. "You may be more successful if you ease into it. Start by spending an hour filling your own cup," says Ford. "The goal is finding balance, not keeping up with a trend."

Research published in Science shows that sugar consumption triggers a rewarding response in the brain, even after satiety, in a neural mechanism observed in both mice and humans. "Because sugar is so easy to metabolize, its consumption beyond energy needs is favorable for animals," says Henning Fenselau, an author of the study.

In January of 2024, my spouse and I made the decision to drag ourselves out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and do yoga before starting our day. I am proud to say that more than a year later, we're still doing that. I also will walk with the dog for two miles after our morning workout.

The so-called "5 to 9 before 9 to 5" phenomenon is working well for us, but I was skeptical. I have traditionally been a night owl, but I have found that if I'm in bed by 9 p.m., getting up for morning exercise, meditation and journaling has become a sacred time for me. As the experts say, it has helped me lower my stress, get in better shape and get me in a better mood.

You don't have to be a morning person to benefit, though. As psychologist Ramone Ford notes, you could do 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. instead, making time in the evening for exercise or other forms of self-care.

If you're thinking of diving into such a routine, Ford advises starting slowly. "Start by spending an hour filling your own cup. The goal is finding balance, not keeping up with a trend."

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