Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Persuasion

The Business of Popular Causes

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Starbucks:Championing Progressive Causes, While Undermining Unionization Efforts Starbucks has long been celebrated for its progressive image and support of social justice causes. But when it comes to unionization and better benefits, the company’s actions tell a different story. Internal policies—like cracking down on union activities—raise doubts about how committed it truly is to the values it champions.

Starbucks is a prime example of a wider trend: companies quickly embrace progressive causes, but only when they don’t hurt the bottom line. This is Bandwagon Branding—when businesses latch onto the latest popular cause, whether it’s social justice, climate change, or equality, to align with dominant public values. They roll out hashtags, social media campaigns, and limited-edition products to show support. But once the spotlight fades, they quietly move on to the next issue. Remember when founder-CEO Howard Schultz launched the “Race Together” initiative, letting baristas at 12,000 locations write it on cups to spark conversations about race?

This cycle—big gestures, minimal change, quick pivots—reveals a harsh truth: corporations are profit-driven. Their true loyalty is to shareholders, not social causes. Corporate virtue-signaling often rings hollow.

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Starbucks’ Oily Brew: Lessons on Innovation Missing the Mark

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Starbucks Olive Oil-infused Coffee: Lessons on Innovation Missing the Mark Last quarter, Starbucks pulled the plug on its olive oil-infused Oleato coffee line as part of a broader push to streamline the menu and impro1ve store operational efficiency.

Oleato was among Starbucks’ boldest and riskiest experiments in recent years. It was the brainchild of founder and then-CEO Howard Schultz, an assertive visionary. During a visit to the olive groves of Sicily, Schultz was inspired by the Mediterranean tradition of consuming a daily spoonful of olive oil. He envisioned merging this health practice with Starbucks’ coffee expertise, creating a unique fusion of wellness and indulgence.

Debuting in Italy in February 2023, Oleato expanded globally, offering lattes and cold brews infused with extra virgin olive oil, marketed as luxurious, innovative, and health-conscious. While some customers liked the smooth, velvety texture, many found the flavor odd or the concept hard to swallow. Scaling the product and educating consumers proved challenging, leaving many unsure of its benefits beyond novelty.

Oleato’s flop revealed the risks of niche innovation. Starbucks thrives on pushing boundaries, but not all bold ideas hit the mark. Smart innovation requires knowing when to nurture an idea and when to cut losses. Schultz’s vision of Oleato kept Starbucks daring, but disciplined decision-making is key to ensuring innovation remains a strength, not a liability.

The Oleato dud highlights the perils of leadership driven by unchecked conviction. Schultz’s love affair with Italian espresso bars during a visit to Milan sparked the creation of Starbucks. However, visionary leaders like Schultz often turn bold ideas into untouchable pet projects. Even a passing thought can rapidly evolve into a sweeping directive, leaving little room for dissent. In such environments, feedback is stifled, and ideas can quickly take on a life of their own.

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Escape the People-Pleasing Trap

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Escape the People-Pleasing Trap You may believe that being kind, gentle, and agreeable will earn you love and acceptance. However, doing things for others that they should handle themselves only sets you up for disappointment. Ignoring clear violations of your boundaries and agreeing to commitments you’d rather decline only makes things worse. When you take on others’ frustrations and make their feelings your problem, you add to your own burdens.

Being a people-pleaser, under the illusion that it will win you affection, leads to a harmful cycle of neglecting your own essential needs. This flawed mindset fosters deep feelings of disrespect and disconnection from yourself. You endure constant invalidation based on how others treat you, making them dependent on you. Your relentless efforts to please will never be enough.

Idea for Impact: Shift your attitude. Elevate your self-respect. Take charge of your life. Prioritize your own needs. Don’t hesitate to say “no.” You deserve the same love and respect you freely give to others.

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Restless Dissatisfaction = Purposeful Innovation

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Restless Dissatisfaction = Purposeful Innovation Whenever someone uses that insidious phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” I hear a message of complacency. By dint of whatever it is in fine working order, it must be fit for purpose!

With that kind of thinking, progress would come to a screeching halt. Apply this attitude to the horse and buggy, and you’d have killed off the gasoline-powered car before it even had a chance to hit the road.

Identifying such self-limited thinking can be a fruitful first step in creativity.

Idea for Impact: Never Stop Tweaking

The secret sauce for innovation is a healthy dose of being thoroughly annoyed with how things are now.

If there’s a way, there could indeed be a better way.

Every achievement should be a stepping-stone to a fresh challenge.

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How Ads Turn Us into Dreamers

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How Ads Turn Us into Dreamers through Emotional Baiting Advertisements used to be straightforward, focusing on what a product did and whether you needed it. Simple as that.

Then came a shift—a bit of sleight of hand, really. As consumer culture evolved, advertisers tapped into the power of emotional appeal. With the rise of mass media, lifestyle advertising emerged, connecting products with aspirational images and ideals.

Pioneers like David Ogilvy and Leo Burnett led this change, showing how products could enhance personal identity, success, and social status. Ads for brands like Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz started selling more than just cars—they sold desires like power, achievement, and prestige. The message became, “Own this, and you’ll get that.”

To me, the problem isn’t the desires themselves but the ineffective ways we pursue them. Recognizing what truly fulfills your desires can lead to mindful consumption—you’ll spend in ways that align with your values and reduce impulse buys.

Idea for Impact: Materialism is shallow. The symbols of prestige, security, power, and self-worth—like Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton—are empty. Unless you project meaning onto them.

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The ‘Buy More’ Madness Has to End

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Stop Buying Stuff: The 'Buy More' Madness Has to End Stuff, stuff, stuff.

We’re all fed up with our stuff. Sure, some of it is genuinely useful or at least nice to have. But most of it? It’s just clutter—we’ll never use it.

What once seemed essential now just takes up space.

Advertisers, exploiting our endless craving for more, spend their careers tricking us into buying things we don’t need or even want. It’s infuriating how these so-called “creatives” see themselves as artists while devising ways to get us to spend money we don’t have on stuff we don’t need.

This madness has to end.

Someone should offer top dollar to those who can convince us to stop buying stuff.

What we really need is a killer ad campaign with the slogan “STOP BUYING STUFF.”

The irony? The ad industry geniuses who could create this campaign are busy getting us to do the exact opposite.

Could any amount of money persuade them to run an ad campaign aimed at, well, ending all ad campaigns?

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What Knowledge Workers Want Most: Management-by-Exception

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What Knowledge Workers Want Most: Management-by-Exception Peter Drucker called them ‘knowledge workers.’ These professionals possess specialized skills, are inherently driven, thrive on challenges, and require a high degree of independence to convert raw data and ideas into valuable knowledge.

What distinguishes knowledge workers is their strong desire for autonomy and the freedom to confront complex problems head-on. Their brilliance truly shines when they maintain control over their work processes and decision-making.

Micromanagement? That’s a non-starter for knowledge workers. Their productivity soars when they’re entrusted with the essential tools, authority, and the room they need to carry out their tasks.

Above all, what truly fuels the passion of knowledge workers is a compelling vision of the future that drives them to be active contributors. By nurturing intrapreneurship and providing opportunities to experiment with innovative ideas and calculated risks, managers can unlock their full potential.

Through the management-by-exception approach, managers only need to step in when they notice a significant misalignment with organizational priorities or when results start to falter, striking the perfect balance between guidance and autonomy.

Idea for Impact: Don’t apply traditional management methods to knowledge workers.

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How Understanding Your Own Fears Makes You More Attuned to Those of Others

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Understand Your Fears, Connect with Others Fear is a nuance of vulnerability. Being vulnerable often means exposing ourselves to potential harm or loss, which naturally leads to fear. This emotional response is triggered by perceived threats, and feeling vulnerable amplifies this reaction.

We often twist ourselves in knots trying to conceal our vulnerability. However, acknowledging our vulnerability is a strength. Being honest about our flaws and insecurities fosters self-awareness and emotional growth, allowing us to face our fears and promote personal development.

The incredible ripple effect of being at peace with our vulnerability is realizing that we’re not alone in having fears; everyone else is grappling with their own fears too. We start to get curious and understand that what others present as strength—often manifest as resistance or aggressiveness—is often a reflection of their struggles.

Recognizing the complexity of others, including what they’re not expressing, helps us see that their behavior may be the opposite of their true feelings. Their vulnerability often shows up as a protective, rigid mask.

Idea for Impact: Acknowledging vulnerability opens up possibilities for connection and understanding between people. It takes courage to express vulnerability, especially since we can’t predict how it will be received. Yet, it is the doorway to intimacy, connection, and a deeper love for one another in all our human imperfection.

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A Mental Hack to Overcome Fear of Rejection

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A Mental Hack to Overcome Fear of Rejection Afraid of rejection? Worried you’ll sound stupid, look like a loser, or face a big price for asking? So, will you decide it’s better not to ask at all?

Next time fear keeps you stuck, try this quick mental hack: tell yourself that not asking causes more suffering than facing rejection.

You can handle rejection—heck, even ten rejections—just fine. But if you keep avoiding asking, you’ll only get what life hands you. And in a world where most people go after what they want, you’ll end up with leftovers. Now that’s something to really be scared of!

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Are These 3 Key Fears Blocking Your Path to Growth?

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Are 3 Key Fears Blocking Your Path to Growth? Fear can hold us back in many aspects of life, preventing us from reaching our full potential.

Among the various fears we face, three are particularly common and impactful, but easy to tackle.

  • Fear of Speaking Up: The fear of speaking up often stems from concerns about judgment, rejection, conflict, and the potential to damage relationships or appear incompetent. To overcome this fear, start by building confidence through practice in low-stakes situations. Prepare and rehearse your points thoroughly, focus on your message, and gradually take on more challenging scenarios. Remember, you can assert yourself or choose to walk away without regret.
  • Fear of Saying No: People fear saying no because they feel obligated to help others, even at their own expense. This fear stems from concerns about disappointing others and the pressure to meet expectations. Learn to say no gracefully when you’re overwhelmed or simply don’t want to, and don’t feel guilty about it.
  • Fear of Quitting: People fear quitting because it feels like failure, threatens their self-image, and conflicts with societal values of perseverance. Yet, quitting can sometimes be the most sensible choice, showing strength and wisdom. Assess the costs of continuing versus stopping, and consider the potential for growth and new opportunities that quitting might offer.

Break down each fear to better understand what holds you back from flourishing. Work with a trusted friend to rehearse and build confidence, and you’ll be better equipped to handle these fears effectively.

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