OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Ethical Communities Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the four ethical communities
2. Apply the ethical communities 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.

Starbucks 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 ethics of the organization influenced the situation.

Starbucks, when stripped of its identity, is just a coffee shop that could be categorized
as a fast-food chain. The difference is the culture and the ethics that the company has
surrounding the people that dawn the green apron. There have been too many instances
where I have been networking or communicating with individuals out in the world when
the topic of Starbucks has come up and coincidentally, there always seems to be a
confession of how that individual, or someone they know worked at Starbucks. This
usually brings about a conversation surrounding the company and its’ impact on the
individuals. These encounters serve as a statement to the company’s ethics and culture.
While it might be a coffee shop, there is a sense of pride surrounding the majority of
employees, both past and present. The structure of the company and the rigid standards
surrounding the simplicity of coffee is something that is unwavering. In 2014 I was
fortunate enough to be invited to a book signing/presentation where Howard Schultz
spoke. There was a level of passion that may have come across as stern or harsh, but
those of us that understood his leadership were in awe of the power behind his passion for
the company and each individual that chose Starbucks as a career path. He challenged us
to never settle for mediocrity.
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 While Howard Schultz might have this unwavering passion, the op down message is
sometime lost as it trickles down the ranks. This is where I feel Starbucks has an
opportunity in incorporating both their ethics and culture into a strong tool for inspiring
both pride and confidence in the baristas that are behind the counter. In a recent situation,
there was a concern surrounding a training barista (seasoned barista that trains new
baristas). This trainer was communicating and training in a way that did not follow the
structure of the training program and also missed the mark when instilling the symbol of
faith within the new employees. There was a total of five baristas trained by this trainer,
two of which quit before their training had completed. Four of the five individuals
communicated the lack of professionalism from the trainer. I feel this shows a situation
where the manager should have followed her ethical thought process rather than allowing
the trainer to prove themselves after countless inquiries to become a trainer. The manager
eventually had to have a coaching conversation with the trainer and inform them that they
were no longer going to train barista until they could show growth in structure and
professionalism. This is just another situation in regard to the training and upbringing of
new baristas and how the level of importance in the work environment and structural
training is crucial for future business. In the end, I feel as though the manager should
have viewed the decision through all four frames before allowing the trainer to alter the
Starbucks experience in a negative way.

3) Recommend how you would apply one of the ethical communities for an alternative
course of action regarding your case.

There is a way to filter decisions for this situation by utilizing each ethical community.
While reading through the ethical communities, I have sorted them in a structured pairing
and a pairing of empathy and pride. “The ethical imperative of the factory is excellence:
ensuring that work is done effectively and efficiently as possible to produce high-quality
yields” (Bolman & Deal, 2021). When choosing someone to train and truly embody the
quality that drives excellence within the barista role, there should be a history within the
trainer of professionalism, structure, and pride. The decision should also be something
that falls to those in power, and not just a single individual. The ethical community
labeled “The Jungle: Justice and Power” (Bolman & Deal, 2021), there is a point made of
how “The key gift that leaders can offer in pursuit of justice is sharing power” (Bolman
& Deal, 2021). If not just the Store manager, but the shift supervisors also came together
in order to choose who should be a trainer, I feel as though the decision would be well
rounded and just because of a consensus rather than an unplanned decision which was
forced out of necessity rather than proactive planning.

The other ethical communities have a focus on the trainer and the trainee. When
looking at these ethical communities I was viewing the outcome for both the experience
and the future growth of both individuals. In regard to The Family community, I have a

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 heavy want for the trainer to create an environment of warmth and belonging. I feel as
though the moment an individual chooses Starbucks as their job of choice; they should be
treated as if they were a family member. Accepting new partners is the first step to
creating a cohesive team experience within work life. In congruence with family, there is
the building of trust and instilling faith in the new hires that we, as a team, will be there
for one another. I also look at this ethical community as a way for leaders to truly hone
their leadership skills while adapting to the wide variety of individuals that they
encounter on a daily basis. Not only will this help the working environment, but it will
enhance the initial experience of new hires and their first impressions of the company as
a whole.

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

When looking at the decisions of past managers and even my own past experiences, I
feel there are quite a few steps that can be taken to ensure excellence and positive training
experience. I think my first step would be communicating with the leaders in the store
and searching for the best candidate. Once there were multiple candidates, I would
choose one to two and approach them with the opportunity and see if they would be
willing to consider the responsibility. I would communicate the importance of the trainer
role and ho detrimental it is that the structure of the training process follows the four
ethical communities. If there was ever a need for another trainer, I would again seek the
advice of fellow leaders in order to embrace justice in the work environment. Having
multiple trainers not only allows for flexibility, but it allows for a diverse training
experience with a sort of quality assurance and excellence gauging.

When the training of new hires was completed, I would revisit with the trainees and
converse with them about their experience. I would ask questions about the training and
whether it was a positive experience, or if it had any opportunities to which they could
speak. As the trainers produced successful baristas, I would then communicate with the
trainers to see how their experience training was impacting them. I would be mindful of
their development and eventually ask them, along with other leaders, who they would
consider a viable candidate to become the next barista trainer. With the experience of
training and understanding the aspects that are needed to aptly create a welcoming
environment for new hires. The in depth reading and application opportunities for the
ethical communities prompts questions and possibilities of creating an assessment tool to
check and assess not only the training processes but the experiences and structure of an
organization as a whole.

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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)