Let’s face it.  Great leaders do not always make great decisions.  Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz is largely recognized in the business community as a heroic business leader, and a classic American success story.  Shultz books Pour Your Heart Into It, and most recent book Onward, are upheld in the business community as a blueprint for transforming business.  Shultz is also looked to as a role model in the business community of strong ethical integrity, and providing a company culture where all people are valued.

Despite all the great things that might be said of Shultz, it is extremely disappointing he decided to back out of a speaking engagement he was scheduled for this past week at Willow Creek Community Church’s global Leadership Summit.  The reason according to the Chicago Tribune was because a “petition posted at change.org asked him to denounce Willow’s views about homosexuality before speaking there.” (Manya A. Brachear, “Willow Creek pastor clarifies stance on gays,” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2011.)

Shultz decision is not only disappointing it is cowardly.

Earlier in the year the Starbucks CEO put out a companywide memo explaining the coffee giant’s position on equal employment opportunity (EEO).  He affirmed Starbucks commitment of not tolerating discrimination of any kind, which includes religious, as well as sexual orientation.  The company, like many corporations today, employs people from all walks of life, which is why it is surprising a political petition of 800 signatures kept Shultz from appearing. 

Mr. Shultz has to know millions of dollars come into Starbucks through all the “leadership” meetings done in his coffee houses by church leaders all over the world.  Starbucks is also a highly visited place on Sunday’s by church attendees whose churches may not have a coffee shop or coffee stand to pick up great coffee.  There are plenty of evangelical churches across many denominational lines who do offer that sort of luxury for their congregations often brewing Starbucks coffee.  In short, churches have given plenty of goodwill and praise with the use of their dollars, and incorporating the Starbucks name into sermons or skits in “seeker” churches.

Shultz caving into another part of his market shows political partisanship.  Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit is just what the name suggests: a leadership event.  Willow Creek Church has had very high profile people, like Bill Clinton, Bono, and Jack Welch.  The fact that a leader is invited to speak at an event does not mean the speaker is in line with the events values, or has to adopt them.  Couldn’t Shultz have done the classic political correct stunt that we sometimes see or hear?  You know the phrase, “the following program may not reflect the views of the company.”  However, the show must go on, because many people want to see it and like it.

Starbucks is a fabulous image management company, but Shultz got this one wrong.  From a business standpoint this was an opportunity to push the brand further, to develop more market share, and loyal customers amongst 72,000 people.  It was also a moment for him to truly be the risk taker he is known to be. Instead it seems Shultz contradicted his own writing by the action he took.  Willow Creek didn’t get the cup of bold they came to expect, but were served something worse than decaf. I guess actions do speak louder than words.