One Minute Manager Does Coffee

Leaving the office for a coffee meeting, good management skills or a waste of time?

Image:Morguefile 

O.k..you guys know that even though Starbucks is not my favorite coffee I do spend a lot of time there because I live in a coffee- shop wasteland, where there may be four Starbucks in a quarter mile radius…and nothing else.

So, if I want to get away to think, or to read, or to talk to Marc or my friend Juanita, I head for…Starbucks.

But the thing is so does everyone else around here and there-in lies the absolute wicked cool-ness of the Starbucks experience.  Listening in on other peoples chats.

What I have noticed is that there is a manager, or what seems to be a manager, that takes various employees to Starbucks for their reviews, meetings, and state of the store chats.  I have listened in on several of his meetings and I have come to the conclusion that this guy is brilliant.

You see, he doesn’t take them there to fire them.  Nope.  He builds them up, tells them what they are doing right, and gives them the opportunity to talk to him about what is going on in the company from their perspective.  Did I say this guy was brilliant?  In that meeting, that very companionable, relaxed meeting this man builds his company, creates strong employee relations, and probably saves himself a bit of headache.  All for 3.50 or so for a coffee.

I think it is the way to go.  Lingering over a cup of coffee is relaxing.  No one is getting drunk and asking the barista to sit on his lap, and being out of the office is non- threatening.

If you are a manager, or a business owner, you might think about it.

And hey, if you are all ready doing  this, or you are part of a company that is, comment and let me know what you think…Is it a great idea or a money waster?