Can Starbucks' New "Remote" CEO Be a “Present” Leader?
As virtual and global teams have become commonplace, the best leaders must find a way to be as equally present virtually as they can in the same physical location.
A few months ago, Starbucks made headlines when it became public that its newly hired CEO, Brian Niccol, will commute from his home to the company’s headquarters.
That hardly sounds like news. But in this case, it was because Niccol’s home is in Southern California. Starbucks’ headquarters, meanwhile, is located over 1,100 miles to the north—in Seattle, Washington.
The plan is for Niccol to travel to Seattle multiple times a week, and for him to otherwise work from an office located near his home in Newport Beach, California.
This decision was somewhat controversial. Starbucks, after all, had in early 2023 ordered all employees in its corporate headquarters to return to the office at least three days a week.
While Starbucks faced a PR pickle for the deal it cut with Niccol, it also sparked a conversation about what it means for leaders to be present—to build relationships with their team and internal stakeholders and to be available when team members need them.
The big question is whether Niccol is likely to be less present—and less effective—because he won’t be in his HQ office daily.
What is leadership presence?
Leadership presence is both about the physical aspect of being present within a team, and the blend of qualities that allow a leader to capture attention, instill confidence and shape the actions of others.
Do leaders and their teams have to be collocated?
There are many benefits to leaders and team members working in the same physical location. Collocated work can strengthen a company’s culture and deepen personal relationships. Then there’s the information-sharing and serendipitous meetings that happen in the office and that can’t be fully replicated on Zoom calls.
But as remote and hybrid work has grown more common, it’s become less important for leaders to be collocated with their teams than it is for them to be present.
“We are a social species, and we rely on our tribes and our groups for meaning,” says Dan White, Director, Learning & Development, for EZRA. “I don’t think you can do that easily if you work remotely. That’s a real challenge for leaders. And it’s also a real challenge for them to be fully present." So, perhaps collocation is the best solution to the question of how to improve and develop leadership presence.
Still, in the age of remote and hybrid work and virtual teams, it’s not unusual for leaders and their teams to be based in different locations, with some or maybe even none of these individuals—leaders or team members—working in the same company office.
For many teams, that was always the case. Think of a sales team, which may include reps spread across a geographic region that report to a leader who may sit across the country, the continent or even the globe.
Of course, the opposite can also be true and physical location is no guarantee of "presence". As Dan points out, many people can cite examples of leaders who may only sit a few feet away from their teams but who are never at their desks. Or those who work with their door closed—and are often unavailable when their collocated team members need them.
What matters is how well leaders create connection and community- things that sit at the heart of the idea of leadership presence. But what does it take for leaders to do this effectively if they or their team—or both—work remotely?
What effective leaders do to be present?
Patty Beard, an EZRA Executive Coach, says being present as a leader involves building relationships, setting expectations and adopting the right practices—whether they are collocated with their team or leading virtually.
“It comes down to what the team needs to be effective. Ask the team for their input on what processes and protocols are needed and how the team can stay connected.”
Ultimately, though, Patty says those leading virtually need to prioritize keeping in regular touch with team members they may not see in person- communication is key.
“It’s helpful to build into your calendar those serendipitous moments that would happen when you’re in the office and on your way to refill your coffee. It takes extra effort to capture and capitalize on those moments when you aren’t all in the same place.”
Dan recommends that leaders with remote teams strive to make the most of technology, whether it’s video calls, instant messaging or even digital calendars to schedule—and keep—regular meetings with remote team members.
“You have to work a little harder as a virtual leader to not only be present but also to create the things people need and get from being in a close-touch environment. But it can be done.”
Making it work
While there are likely to be some challenges Niccol will face related to his status as a telecommuting CEO, Dan believes the physical distance may not prove to be detrimental to his success.
Besides, Dan insists, if Niccol will be at Starbucks’ headquarters just a couple days a week, he won’t be an outlier.
“There are many CEOs who aren’t at company headquarters every day. And they, just like many leaders with remote teams, find ways to make it work.”
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