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.)

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I don’t have one friend who graduated college in the last year or two who isn’t struggling financially right now. These are bright, driven, visionary people too, people who spent thousands to acquire a quality education and worked hard to achieve the grades they did, people who were told all their lives that if they applied themselves and were responsible, they could achieve anything.

Now, Starbucks won’t even hire them. There is a tremendous and overwhelming feeling of failure, regret, frustration, and hopelessness. Thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” “I’m worthless to society,” and “What were the past four years for?” penetrate the restless and weary minds of many.  People who enrolled in universities with the dream of educating future generations are seeing door after door closed in their face. Creative minds with media degrees in film and radio are being rejected by Bestbuys and Blockbusters.

So what should we do?

Do we move back home with our parents and slip into a state of apathy? Come to think of it, our little league trophy shrine and emo mix CD-R's do miss us. And after all,  society seems to understand this notion.  There’s less shame in it now then there was in years past.

Do we flee to the mission field? Maybe 6 months in Brazil will make us feel better about ourselves. South American Starbucks have to brew way better coffee than US ones anyway.

Do we go back to school? Ah, college.. life was AWESOME then. No worries, less responsibilities... a cafeteria!  How hard would it be to take out a few more loans and just ride this recession wave out?

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