Onward
2007 • 350 pages
Ratings13
Average rating3.1
15
Ratings13
Average rating3.1
In 2008, Howard Schultz, the president and chairman of Starbucks, made the unprecedented decision to return as the CEO eight years after he stepped down from daily oversight of the company and became chairman. Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz was determined to help it return to its core values and restore not only its financial health, but also its soul. In Onward, he shares the remarkable story of his return and the company's ongoing transformation under his leadership, revealing how, during one of the most tumultuous economic times in history, Starbucks again achieved profitability and sustainability without sacrificing humanity. - Publisher.
Reviews with the most likes.
I should begin by saying that I am not a coffee drinker, so I feel like I related less to the content of this book in light of that. Overall the book was interesting, but not very fulfilling or a book I would recommend widely for others. Much of the book read like something you would see in a company's annual report. There was a lot of self-congratulatory talk. Whenever anything problematic was discussed, it was always presented in the context of ‘what we learned from this minor misstep.' The book did not come across as a candid discussion, and I felt like I learned very little about the true environment of the company or its leader. Seemed like a typical ‘knight rides in on a horse and solves everyone's problems” kind of book, and I didn't find that fulfilling at all.
At its heart, this is a tremendous story about a company's fall from grace and return to the top of its industry. Although he is by no means a perfect writer, it is obvious that Howard Schultz's success as Starbucks' CEO comes from his sense of spirit and desire to enrich the lives of everyone that the company comes into contact with. A wonderful read, and one that I would recommend to every business leader.
