Page 36 - MS Year in Review 2020
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THE VALUE OF A “LEADERSHIP



           MOLECULE”™ IN A CRISIS































           By: Eric G. Flamholtz, PhD Published on May 3, 2020


           This article examines the value of a “Leadership Molecule”™ during a time of crisis.
           Our concept of the Leadership Molecule™ was the product of an “accidental
           discovery” as part of an organizational development initiative.




           ORIGINS OF “THE LEADERSHIP MOLECULE”™


           In 1994, I was asked to do coaching with the senior three people who were leading

           Starbucks: Howard Schultz, founder and CEO, Howard Behar, SVP of operations,
           and Orin Smith, CFO. In brief, I would visit Starbucks in Seattle and do individual
           coaching for each individual and then work with the three as a team. As Orin Smith

           stated in his initial phone call, “We have Tiger by the tail and only once chance to
           get this right. This thing is growing very rapidly and we are all under great pressure
           individually and as a management team.” They were looking for someone to coach

           each individually and help them smooth out some wrinkles as a team. Smith had



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