OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Political Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the political frame
2. Apply the political frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

Starbuck has had a continual change in their training programs over the last few
decades. I often reminisce about the training method I went through when I first started in
2006. While the training has adapted to the innovations that have become Starbucks
norms, I feel as though there has been a detachment from the personal aspect of the
training and learning process within the company. While there is a constant effort to
reform and or adapt, the human aspect and adaptability for each individual is lacking and
is reflected in not only the quality of the product but the quality of service. Team morale
may also be impacted by this impersonal teaching method.

2) Describe how the politics of the organization influenced the situation.

When working at Starbucks, each individual is trained in accordance with what

training plans Starbucks has laid forth. However, shortly after the barista is in role, they
end up working side by side with individuals that may have developed habits that do not
align with the processes Starbucks wants their employees to abide by. There is also the
disconnect between the digital training and the real time application during work
moments. While the shift supervisor role is supposedly the “in the moment” leader, the
expertise in situational awareness lacks the attention to detail needed to properly nurture
and grow the new partners into the confident Baristas that they can be. “Power flows to
those with the information and know-how to solve important problems” (Bolman & Deal,
2021). When a shift supervisor, or leader is not equipped with the appropriate knowledge
and expertise, the subordinates that may have some opportunities for improvement could
end up suffering from a lack of appropriate coaching or guidance. This is where the
politics of Starbucks corporate appears to be relying on the “groupthink” theory for all
employees to just fall in line with the company agenda.

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 At the end of the day, the majority of employees have skimmed through the iPad
training modules but lack the appropriate leadership that guides them in the direction of
perfect execution and retention. The corporate giant might have viewed the person-to-
person training as too costly or inconsistent. However, my question is whether or not the
company is seeing a stronger retention of knowledge being dispersed through digital
formats, or is the company just bridging a gap between training costs and turnover rates?
Store managers do not view training as moments of learning and investment in future
business progression, but instead they are viewed as a check list or task that needs to be
completed. While the push to get each partner trained on whatever new product,
structure, or safety measure might be crucial; it is the retention and learning that is
glanced over. For example, throughout my years with the company, the spread of
knowledge has always been a struggle. Once the iPads were introduced to each store,
there was a step back taken in he knowledge management portion. Instead, managers and
district managers were more concerned with completion rather than retention.

3) Recommend how you would use organizational politics for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

When looking at Starbucks as a whole, the company seems massive and a bit
overwhelming, but within each store, there is a little society and culture that is unique to
that location. The factors that influence these little societies are the alliances and
networks they have within them. The team that is lead by the store manager is the
alliance. They work together as a team in order to serve the individuals that frequent that
location. As they work as a team, they network with the customers and create a socially
comfortable place of belonging that provides a sense of familiarity to the patrons. This is
the aspect in which I feel politics should reside. The big changes and the company
adaptations and innovations should reside with the corporate leaders, but the small
society within the store should be focused on as an individual network. I know that
competition within an organization could potentially be damaging, would it at all be
possible to nurture and grow each store into a healthy alliance that competes against their
neighbors or even other stores across the country in order to better network with
individuals at their own level rather than the typical order of command?

With these alliances and networks being focused upon within each store, I feel as
though there will be a stronger push for growth and nurturing for the partners working in
the store every day, every peak period, every kid rush, every BOGO, and every triple star
day. The store manager would have a stronger sense of pride within each store if they
were focused on the growth of their team rather than the task list they need to complete.
My first store manager had meetings and broke down the store sales and even taught us
all how to read a profit and loss report. I have yet to witness another manager treat us like
the “partners” we are and communicate what numbers and results we have reached as a
team; let alone the follow up after training periods to check for retention or

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 understanding. I also feel that with the politics cut off at the store level, there would be a
stronger sense of personal development within each partner and the business and
customers would thrive because of the growth in knowledge each partner would have.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

I think the power managers and leaders have over their constituents is not only a huge
responsibility, but a bit of a life altering position. At the moment, there is a push in my
store from my store manager to have each partner open up their availability in order to
accommodate for gas in scheduling. This is not the first time I have witnessed a manager
use a coercive power to get what they want. The threat is that if partners do not open up
their availability, there will be a need to hire which will result in a loss of hours for all
once the new employees are hired. I feel as though this would be something I would
handle differently. With the spread of knowledge and an open form of communication, I
would communicate in a plain fashion the need for more availability within different day
parts. I would also communicate the number of hours that I had to spare throughout the
week. Then I would communicate what it would look like if I was forced to hire for the
availability that I needed. I would ask if anyone would be willing to open up their
availability. I would ever use my power as a “or else,” type of power.

I would also ensure that there was retention within the alliance that is our store. I
would have frequent follow-ups and knowledge checks in order to ensure that my team
was equipped with the appropriate knowledge they needed to complete the day-to-day
tasks that I would be expecting from them. I feel as though a transparency surrounding
the business and the profit and loss the business was going through throughout the year
would be knowledge well planted as each partner would then be more aware of how the
money is dispersed throughout the business. I have never lost that sense of pride when
ensuring that I am NOT wasting single use products. The training around the use of
personal cups or reusable cups that the store provided was impactful. It took a leader to
break down the amount of single use cup waste each store produced on a daily basis, and
then to multiply those numbers by each store and then by each month and year really put
into perspective the difference each of us could make by using our own personal cups
while at work. This training, this individual message delivered to that team from the
leader who had a sense of pride and invested in us as individuals, this is the change that I
want to deliver to others. This is the reason I want to lead.

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 Reference or References
(Choose appropriate Title if Applicable and Delete the Rest)

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership
(7 th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (ASU Bookstore Automatic Purchase-Perusall
Version Only)

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
John Wiley & Sons