Q-1 How is Johnson practicing ethical leadership? Additionally, we can consider what we learn about his character through his actions and his impact.In Philadelphia Starbucks, two black men were arrested. The men were waiting for someone and they didn’t order anything and the manager ask them to leave, they revised to leave so the manager called the police and they were arrested. Also, one woman record video about what happen and she said that she was sitting there for some time but the manager didn’t ask her to leave. The arrest led to protest after the spread of the arrest video because manager action with two black men was unethical because he showed racist agents black. In the next day, CEO of Starbucks Kevin Johnson fire store manager.
When Johnson fire the manager he was not practicing ethical leadership, he didn’t see the story from two parts. After that he apology to the community because they were hurt from what happens in Starbucks that day and he takes all the responsibility for manager action. Following up Johnson went to Philadelphia and met with the two men and asked them what should be different in Starbucks to improve its environment and community. After a week he closes 8000 stores temporarily to give the staff training. After a month of the event, Starbucks released new policy ” Use of Third Place Police” that anyone can stay at Starbucks without buying and this new policy illustrates how the manager will act in a case of rowdy customer and when to call the police.
Q-2 Did Johnson use Starbucks’ shared values as the cornerstone of his decision making after the arrests?Starbucks mission and value is to create an environment that is safe and welcoming for everybody is paramount for every store. According to my analysis, I found that Johnson didn’t follow Starbucks values because he didn’t conduct a thorough analysis of the practices that lead to this incident as he acknowledged in the interview. He fired the manager in the next day without gathering facts and investigate what really happen and way the manager take this decision.
Johnson mention in the interview that employees need more training but he didn’t apply that to the manager. On the other hand, he fires the manager and blame the training system. By his action and firing the manager he didn’t provide a safe environment to the manager and he had a negative outcome by losing his job. Johnson did practice the ethical leadership with the point of Creating Community. When apologized to the community and explain that what happened is a result of bad training. Ethical leaders use the organization’s mission to invest in creating community. They do this by shared values as the cornerstone for decision making. Protest that happens by the community shows that an ethical decision was made to the black men.
Johnson clarifies that before this incident there was no policy to ask the customer to leave and it depends on the manager. After the arrest and closing Starbucks stores to train them and applying the “Use of third place policy”. This policy will ensure that Starbuck values will provide a safe and welcoming environment to all Starbucks community.Q-3 Did Johnson openly acknowledge that his decision was based in ethics and morality?In the interview, Johnson didn’t acknowledge if his decision to fire the manager depends on ethics and morality.
His decision to fire the manager was the unethical decision because he didn’t search for the facts. The outcome was negative to the store manager because he lost his job immediately. Johnson could take some different decision that will have a better outcome for the manager such as training or Warning. This decision wasn’t depend on ethics.Johnson shows that he is moral to the community through his decision by apologising to community promote awareness of an unethical issue which is racism against blacks by the manager decision.
The protest shows that community knew that what happened is wrong. Furthermore, as a part of showing discipline in one’s roll Johnson clearly accept responsibility for the manager decision and provide direction to correct the problem, if this case will happen again. In addition, he acknowledge that his decision to close all Starbucks stores for training and create a new “Third place policy” align with Starbucks’ mission and goals which is to provide both safe and welcoming environment for everyone. Also, Johnson acknowledges that what happened with the black men was because of bad training and he was ethical when he mentions this truth.
Q-4 Did Johnson decision created a positive or negative difference in the communities Starbucks serves? Did it make a positive or negative difference for Starbucks employees and customers?As I analyze, Johnson decision created both positive and negative difference in the communities of Starbucks Serves. The positive difference that employees will have more training so they can conduct ethical actions and behavior under the mission and value of Starbucks. Johnson shows to his employees that he is modeling the character and values of Starbucks and he will encourage ethical conduct for all the staff. This changes with the policy and training will lead to better services to Starbucks community. The negative out that the manager was fired away from Starbucks mission and values and without Johnson practicing ethical leadership. Johnson mention in the interview that employees need more training but he didn’t apply that to the manager. The other negative impact that closing 8000 store will not change individual morality and ethics, it just will show to them how to deal in different situation.
Johnson handling with the incident helps to provide positive relationships between employees and customers. Because he applies to community protest and apology to the community. This an incident led to some changes that are good for the customer and employees to know what are their rights and to create a new community that is safe and welcoming for everyone. In addition, Johnson designed an ethical system that will ensure that everybody is welcome at Starbucks and clarifies new culture that is the “use of third place policy” clearly states that anyone can use Starbucks and it facilities without making a purchase.
