Leadership: "E" is for Experience

Nothing takes the place of experience. As I type this sitting in a Starbucks coffee shop, I am reminded of the “experience” that this company really sells to its customers. Make no mistake, the coffee is good, but it is not the coffee that the folks here are selling. They are selling an “experience” that a cup of perfectly good java at your house doesn’t have. Experience is hard to explain and even harder to reproduce for the masses as Starbucks has been able to consistently accomplish, thus making them arguably the leader in the coffee industry.

In leadership the experience is just as much a part of your product or service as is any more tangible element contained within. As a leader you are constantly branding yourself and your organization. As the potential follower perceives you, so they perceive your company, church or organization. And we all know that perception is reality when it comes to leadership/followership.

As you grow in your leadership, you must consider the “experience” that you want your potential client, church member, or customer to have when dealing with your organization. Even if the product or service you have to offer is the best in the world, you still need to remember that nothing takes the place of experience.

Recommended reading is “The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary” By Joseph Michelli