Starbucks: Providing the perfect corporate culture

By: Morgan Bittengle

Introduction 

Being an avid coffee drinker, and more specifically a Starbucks fan I felt it was only fitting to do the original case study we were assigned on Starbucks and their corporate culture. This case study will provide details on how the company works and how they treat their employees and customers, which in the end, leads to the success and popularity of the company itself.

Starbucks is one of the most popular, well-liked companies in the world. They give people their early morning boost of energy and also their afternoon pick-me-ups. They  were founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, and incorporated on November 4, 1985 to become the publicly traded Starbucks Corporation. It is ranked among Forbes’ top-500 world’s biggest public companies. As of 2015, Starbucks’ profit was $2.5 billion and it had a market value of $70.9 billion. Their mission statement shows just how they are not only about coffee, but also about the soul of the human and how they can and will be the best person they can be. “To inspire and nurture the human spirit- one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time” (Starbucks.com). The way in which employees of Starbucks treat each other and act in the cafes are a very good representations of how Starbucks as a whole want their customers to be treated. The environment Starbucks provides customers with will also carry on to the companies goals for the future. The next thing that I will discuss in this case study will be carrying on into theories that are implemented within the company culture.

Photo credit: News.Starbucks.com

Theories

Communication Accommodation Theory is one that fits well with Starbucks and their culture. The employees consistently try to tend to the needs of the customers, which means they change the way they speak or act to benefit them. An example of this is when one particular Starbucks location tended to the needs of deaf or hearing impaired customers. Starbucks hired people who could read sign language to communicate with the customers enabling them to order for themselves, leaving them feeling humbled and proud they could do this in a society that doesn’t fluently use sign language. That is just one of the many examples of how Starbucks accommodates to their customers through communication, which can be verbal or nonverbal.

Another way communication accommodation theory is used throughout the Starbucks culture is through language in general. Since there are Starbucks locations all over the world, the company realizes that and tends to the communication barrier. For example, hiring employees in high tourist areas that may speak multiple languages or even may just be good at interpreting what is being said is something they strive for.

Acquired Needs theory, though, people are motivated to work to acquire status that is deemed important by society. Starbucks employees main goals are to satisfy the needs/wants of the customers. In the workplace, they strive to expand on the companies brand development and globally.

Theory of linguistic relativity “assumes that the structure of language we use influences the way we perceive the environment” (Organizational Communication). This is also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. In regards to Starbucks and their corporate culture, this is very relative because the way in which employees speak to each other and customers determines how someones experience at the cafe will go. It shows a lot about the company itself when employees speak mindfully, honestly and positively.

The main goal of Starbucks is to make sure that the needs of the consumer are met. In order to do this though, language is very important and key to their success. It starts within the company, too. When managers and others who are high up are discussing what needs to be done, things are relayed in a manner where it is comfortable and easy to see that the manager or whoever it is wants the employee to feel safe and comforted in their workplace.

Since language is such a prominent aspect in a successful company, the theory of linguistic relativity is relayed into Starbucks company as a whole very often. Whether it’s listening to what customers enjoy and what they don’t, or if it’s getting out in the public and asking for suggestions on how to provide a more beneficial coffee drinking environment, they get out there and do these things.

Critical Analysis

Starbucks is a company that is so well known by not just one area of people. It is a company that gets business all over the world. One key aspect to the culture of Starbucks that they take pride in is that they are very diverse. “Our partners are diverse not only in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion and age, but also in cultural backgrounds, life experiences, thoughts and ideas”. Taylor Yukawa, a deaf financial analyst, at Starbucks in Seattle, Washington shares what his experience with Starbucks has been like and how they do not judge or discriminate because of his disability. Taylor is a great representation and example of how Starbucks is a diverse company that focuses more on the outcome rather than being picky on who does the work that gets to the outcome.

As mentioned earlier, there are Starbucks all over the world. In fact, there are 24, 395 retail locations. Starbucks “main markets” are the Americas (including Canada, Latin America, and the US), China and Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. In the United States specifically, California is the state with the most Starbucks stores, with 1,863 locations. Having so many stores all around the world can most likely get pretty hectic at times, so I think it shows a lot about the company itself and how they are able to control and bring in customers consistently on a daily basis.

Starbucks has many values, as does any successful company, but the four main values that they have are:

1.Creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome.

2. Acting with courage, challenging the status quo and finding new ways to grow our company and each other.

3.Being present, connecting with transparency, dignity and respect.

4.Delivering our very best in all we do, holding ourselves accountable for results.

These values provide an insight to the outside world of the Starbucks company as to what they truly believe in and why they do the things they do. They do not focus solely on the customer but they place high importance on the employees as well. This speaks volumes for a company of the size of Starbucks.

In a recent article comparing the difference in corporate cultures between Starbucks and Amazon, I was amazed at what I read. Amazon places high importance on the customer, which is great, but neglects the need and wants of the employees making it a hostile and unenjoyable workplace. Starbucks, on the other hand, placed the two (customers and employees satisfaction) on the same level. Amazon explains what customers need to do for the company for it to be successful and their mission statement where Starbucks leaves it short, sweet and to the point. This goes to show that less is truly more. What needs to be done for the highest rate of satisfaction doesn’t mean neglecting your employees.

Ethical standards are high in the company because they feel so strongly about employee and customer satisfaction. Being able to honestly say that the company you work for cares about others and wants the highest satisfaction rate, not just the highest income is very admirable.

“We are performance driven , through the lens of humanity”. This is a quote from the Starbucks mission statement page and I think it sums up their company perfectly. Basically, what it is saying is that the company works for and does what needs to be done to satisfy the needs of others in the world. Starbucks looks at the outside world and sees what they need to do and listens to the wants of those around.

Another example as to how Starbucks looks out for their employees just as much as their customers, is all the benefits there are for working for the company. Starbucks offers full tuition reimbursement through the college achievement plan. They also offer health care benefits for part-time and full-time employees, including same sex and domestic partner benefits.

Conclusion

All in all, Starbucks is a wonderful company to work for or even just give your business to. They show admirable qualities in what needs to be done for the satisfaction of not just the customers but also their employees, which then keeps them around longer. It also encourages them to WANT to do more for their company on their own. Things such as finding out what can be done better, what customers like best, how they view messages most, etc.

As previously mentioned, Amazon and Starbucks were compared in their corporate culture and it was a night and day difference. Amazons CEO, Jeff Bezos, could learn a lot about employee success and how to keep them going and active in the company from Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz. Doing little things such as positive talk, encouragement, reiteration on how important individuals are to the company goes a long way, and that is just one of the many reasons why Starbucks is so successful in that department. It is also where Amazon is very unsuccessful, so it shows a large difference in the two companies.

So, whether you’re looking for a new place of employment or just for a nice cup-o-joe, Starbucks is your place to go. You will not be let down or disappointed.

References

Bariso, J. (2015). Starbucks vs. Amazon: A tale of two cultures. Retrieved October 3o, 2016, from http://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/starbucks-vs-amazon-a-tale-of-two-cultures.html

Ferguson, E. (2015). Starbucks coffee company’s organizational culture – Panmore Institute. Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://panmore.com/starbucks-coffee-company-organizational-culture

Linguistic Society of America. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/language-and-thought

Mission Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement

The culture case study of Starbucks – Shaun Frankson is a social entrepreneur. (2015). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://shaunfrankson.com/starbucks/

Our culture of inclusion. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/community/diversity-and-inclusion/culture

Avtgis, T., Rancer, A.,& Liberman, C. (2012). Organizational communication strategies for success. Dubuque: Kendall Hunt.

Starbucks – The Best Coffee and Espresso Drinks. (n.d.). Retrieved October 30, 2016, from http://www.starbucks.com/

October 31, 2016November 7, 2016 by morgbittengle

The USAA Standard

By: Morgan Bittengle

USAA is an insurance and financial services company that serves members of the U.S. military and their families. They make it their duty to provide these men, women and their families with the most beneficial and helpful services financially. They go as far as holding “bootcamps” for employees to just get a slight glance of what these men and women do for our country each and every day.

https://www.creditsesame.com/blog/insurance/usaa-insurance-review/

USAA holds themselves to a certain standard to best benefit their clients and their company. There are six particular standards they mention. The first is to keep their membership and mission first. So, with this they want every employee to never stop learning, prioritize, and to protect enterprise performance. Another standard is to live their core values, which are: service, loyalty, honesty and integrity. They want their employees to hold themselves accountable for things, embrace their core values and be a positive representative for USAA internally and externally. The third standard is to be authentic and build trust. They expect the employees to keep commitments they make, be honest in what they are saying and to be consistent in their actions. Another standard is to create conditions for people to succeed. USAA team members are encouraged to contribute to a supportive team environment. They are also encouraged to share knowledge to others across the team, empowering them to solve problems. Purposefully include diverse perspectives for superior results is another standard they have. They want their teams to include relevant perspectives and discipline. They also want to test new ideas to further knowledge and progress within the company. Their sixth and final standard is to innovate and build for the future. USAA wants to make it as easy as possible for co-workers and members to do business, so they easier the better. They also support bold ideas. Change is good with companies like USAA so they encourage it out of each other.

USAA takes a more relationship-based perspective when it comes to ethical decision making. They achieve this through open and honest communication with the public. It’s transparent. USAA members go through essentially what is a boot camp for ten weeks. In this challenges are simulated that military personal would endure in an average day. Trainees are given stern commands, heavy gear to wear, and even military standard meals to eat. This is all supposed to install a sense of solidarity and empathy with USAA’s customers. USAA wants all of their team members to understand where their customers are coming from, especially with their unique military background.

USAA goes above and beyond for their customers when it comes to raising money. They hold fundraisers and events that attract many people. They also donate their own money to military causes as well to show support. USAA says that by learning and understanding a customers culture it can help greatly the company. The training bootcamp that USAA holds for new employees is one of their best ways to show these new employees just a little of what goes on in their customers lives.

If I were designing a code of ethics for USAA, I would make sure that each and eery new employee had proper training. I love that they do the bootcamp but I would take it a little further and make sure that respect, drive, communicate  and dedication  were all apart of the standards and codes that each and every employee. It is so important for employees to not only see where their customers are coming from but to also relate them on a personal level. By going through the bootcamp and being held to certain standards, they are obligated to be a good employee. Being able to determine what is acceptable behavior in the workplace and whats not is very important, so by creating a code of ethics it enables every employee to not have to question their actions and or attitudes. Ethical perspectives mentioned above are crucial for a successful company because it shows the relationship between customer and employee but also shows that they want to help more than just what is necessary. Customers appreciate and want to see when companies go the extra mile for them. USAA is clearly a company that does that and I think that is a result of their ethical codes and standards.

Being comfortable in the workplace is very important and I feel that I would want my employees/co-workers to feel the same way. Holding each other accountable is something that I feel would be very important for the company and make for a successful team environment. When employees want to succeed and have the dedication to stick with a customer or certain topic, it shows a lot about the employee and the company which is an attractive trait to have. USAA does a really good job at supporting those who are/ were in the military and their families. Having such a good record with others will help them continue to have success and bring in business.

References

Fleurke, B. X. (n.d.). Menu. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.corporate-ethics.org/walking-a-mile-in-the-shoes-of-your-customer/

Innovation, N. R. (n.d.). Culture at USAA | USAA Career Centers. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from https://www.usaajobs.com/life-at-usaa/culture/

McGregor, J. (2012). Employee innovator: USAA. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from https://www.fastcompany.com/53782/employee-innovator-usaa

Shevory, K. (2014). Boot camp for bankers. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/01/boot-camp-for-bankers/?_r=0

USAA The USAA STANDARDS. Retrieved from https://www.usaajobs.com/docs/USAA-Standard.pdf

October 17, 2016October 19, 2016 by morgbittengle

Netflix: Redefining HR

Netflix is among one of the most popular websites in the world. People of all ages go to the site to watch TV shows, movies, documentaries, etc. Statista provided some details on just how well Netflix really is doing and they weren’t surprising. There are over 70 million Netflix subscribers in the world, with 26 million being outside of the United States. With the convenience of laptops and now smartphones, Netflix viewers can watch their favorite show with just a click of a button.

With the success of Netflix, employees hold themselves to standards in which they can strive in. The culture is something unlike most companies. They specifically have seven aspects to their culture, which are: value, high performance, freedom & responsibility, context not control, highly aligned loosely coupled, pay top of market, and promotions & development (Hastings, 2009).

 

The seven aspects of culture that they hold themselves to all hold each other accountable day in and day out of what they expect from each other. The first one mentioned, value, is very important because it truly shows what the employees and company stand for. To be so successful Netflix knows how they have to treat their employees but also how they need to be their best for others. The trust between each other is very high throughout the company. An example that really stood out to me was that those who work for Netflix (with a few exceptions) are able to pick their vacation time, including how long they want to be off for. They are trusted to be responsible enough to choose wisely and not take advantage of the system. They even encouraged senior leaders to take vacations and let people know about them. They said they were the role models to others throughout the company. Another example is that the employees who travel do not have an expense policy. They did away with travel agencies and instead let the employees take care of their own accommodations. Leaders told their employees that the new policy was to “Act in Netflix’s best interest” (Hastings, 2009). If the behaviors and responsibilities are clear cut, then their won’t be any questions as to what is expected of employees.

In comparison to organizations I have been apart of, Netflix compares a lot to my university soccer team. Most organizations I have been apart of don’t have that much responsibility and leeway as Netflix does. They didn’t have much trust in the other members involved and it wasn’t very organized. My soccer team has a different way of viewing things, which is much like Netflix’s culture. We put a lot of trust in each other to know what is right and what is wrong. On and off the field. On the field, there are so many things that can go wrong but we put faith into our teammates to know that they will do whats right. Off the field, the responsibilities are endless but we know that each and every one of us can handle it. I truly love being apart of something that is so important and special. Knowing people are trussing in you and counting on you to succeed can get nerve raking but succeeding and showing them your abilities is very rewarding as a whole.

I, personally, feel I would be a more effective worker in Netflix’s culture. This is because I already have experience in that style of culture. I also have experience in the opposite style culture and I know that is not what I want out of an organization. Many people may not agree with how Netflix runs its company, and that’s perfectly fine because it is a different approach than what most people are probably used to. Knowing people are counting on me and putting their trust in me to do what I know to be right can be hard and stressful at points, but in the end it is very rewarding when there is success throughout the entire organization and I know that I was able to provide some type of input to that specific success.

Not all people would be fit to work in the culture that Netflix provides. Much like the company Google, there are people who love working for them and those who feel that they run the company completely wrong. It shows Netflix’s true colors the way they handled having to let go some of their best employees due to change in technology. What stood out most to me though, was how those employees who got laid off reacted. They understood and were respectful towards Netflix, showing they respected them and their decision, even though it didn’t benefit that specific employee. Overall, I came to the conclusion that I would enjoy working for a company like Netflix. They give a lot of leeway but only because they trust their employees to be respectful and responsible of the company.

References:

Hastings, R. (2009, August 1). Culture. Retrieved October 5, 2016, from http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664/8-At_Netflix_we_particularly_value

McCord, P. (2016, January 27). How Netflix Reinvented HR. Retrieved October 05, 2016, from https://hbr.org/2014/01/how-netflix-reinvented-hr

Irvine, V. (2016). Topic: Netflix. Retrieved October 06, 2016, from https://www.statista.com/topics/842/netflix/

October 7, 2016October 10, 2016 by morgbittengle

Google uses Project Aristotle to find the roots of an effective group.

By Morgan Bittengle

Google wanted to break down what made a group or team of employees so effective in their projects. In order to do this they started “Project Aristotle”. Project Aristotle studied over 100 work teams within Googles company to find some answers. It took a few years to do so, but in the end they were able to find some results.

Ultimately, the purpose of Project Aristotle was to find out what makes the perfect team. They looked at different types of people put into groups together. Some groups consisted of strong-minded individuals who liked to get straight to the point and finish their work right away while other groups had members who liked to get personal and chat about other topics as well as the actual work topic.

The findings were very interesting to me. They found out that when people go to work they don’t want to have to put on a “work face”, they want to be able to be themselves in their work environment and not have to change their personality. I was happy to hear this, because I feel the same way about my personality and how I would want to be in the workplace. Sakaguchi, a leader in the Google workplace who has stage 4 cancer, describes that “By putting things like empathy and sensitivity into charts and data reports, it makes them easier to talk about” (Duhigg, 2016). It just helps employees feel more comfortable when they know they have coworkers who are there to support and comfort them personally and work related.

Employees at Google are able to meet and work on projects together in a casual manner. http://www.businessinsider.com/google-is-the-best-company-to-work-for-in-america-2016-4

Based off of the results, when forming an effective team it isn’t as much about the individual and how much they know, but about how the team meshed and worked together. The researchers looked into qualitative and quantitative data to narrow down the groups and their results showed that it counts more to have members who work well with each other. They found five important qualities that were needed in the group. Those qualities were: Psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact. When each individual in a group shows these qualities, it makes it much easier to work together and mesh, resulting in an effective and efficient group. In another blog post, Quartz,  about Google and their Project Aristotle, it is said that “the best teams respect one another’s emotions and are mindful that all members should contribute to the conversation equally” (Mohdin, 2016).

I believe that the qualities are accurate when it comes to evaluating a groups effectiveness. However, I also believe there may also be qualities that weren’t mentioned that are just as important. For example, discipline id a big one for me because even if you may not be the smartest or the strongest, if you are discipline you will stick it out and do all that you can to finish out what you started and succeed.

An example of a time where I was part of an effective team was for a class project I had at Ashland University. We had to write a paper and think of solutions to a specific problem. We collaborated together and everyone was able to have some type of input. We then all did part of the paper, in which every member finished early so that we were able to mesh it all together and proofread. We then solved the problem by relating it to our personal lives and thinking how we overcame certain issues. We were effective because we were discipline in our work. We also found solutions based off personal experiences we shared with each other, which was on of the most successful things we did, in my opinion.

After the results and findings of this study, I would definitely take them into consideration when I am in a group leadership position. I feel like it is crucial for a group to mesh well and care about each other on a personal level in order to truly be successful in whatever it is that they are doing. Googles, Project Aristotle, will help a lot of companies and people in the future by showing the public their findings and offering advice and ways of effectiveness when it comes to a successful group in the workplace.

 

References

Duhigg, C. (2016, February 25). What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team. Retrieved September 29, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html?_r=1

Re:Work – Guide: Understand team effectiveness. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2016, from https://rework.withgoogle.com/guides/understanding-team-effectiveness/steps/introduction/

Mohdin, A. (2016, February 26). After years of intensive analysis, Google discovers the key to good teamwork is being nice. Retrieved September 29, 2016, from http://qz.com/625870/after-years-of-intensive-analysis-google-discovers-the-key-to-good-teamwork-is-being-nice/

September 29, 2016October 3, 2016 by morgbittengle

Holacracy: Giving Zappos A Whole New Meaning

by Morgan Bittengle

The atmosphere of Zappos workplace changed its ways starting in 2015 and never looked back. Holacracy is not just changing the workplace, it changes the attitudes of the employees in the workplace. It all began with a man named Brian Robertson, who owned Ternary Software where he was a computer programmer. He developed this style of work environment where each employee was equal. There were no managers and bosses, everyone just developed and picked up “roles” in the workplace. When Mr. Hsieh heard of this, he instantly fell and love and wanted to implement this in with the Zappos employees. In the remains of this post, you will be able to see some of the benefits and some of the downfalls of holacracy.

“Holacracy replaces the traditional management hierarchy with a new peer-to-peer ‘operating system’ that increases transparency, accountability, and organizational agility”(Holacracy, 2016). This differers greatly from traditional management styles, where for example, each employee had one specific job and they were under the rule of a superior. Holacracy, on the other hand, enables everyone to basically decide what project they want to work on within the company. Every employee has roles and they aren’t restricted to just one thing. This creates a more relaxed and open environment in the workforce which can then lead to greater productivity and ideas for the company.

“As Zappos grew, the innovation slowed. The staff expanded, more managers joined the ranks, and the freewheeling culture lost momentum” (Gelle, 2015). With this in mind, Mr. Hsieh knew change needed to happen and holacracy was the perfect move. There are many strengths to Zappos adopting this holacratic environment, one being the health of the employees. Hierarchy in a workplace causes a lot of negative stress on people. “The stress of belonging to hierarchies itself is linked to disease and death. One study showed that, ‘The lower someone’s rank in a hierarchy, the higher their chances of cardiovascular disease and death from heart attacks.’ – Harvard Business Review” (Stevens, 2016). With knowing this information, one can see why employees may feel like the holacratic approach would be beneficial to all.

When it comes to the weaknesses of a holacratic workplace, some employees may feel it would be chaotic. Not having that one person in charge, telling others what to do, could seem like a wrong move because nothing would get accomplished. That is where the weakness comes in because some people may not be open to trying to work in this type of environment.

(Employees at Zappos, enjoying the view. Zappos.com)

Some longtime employees may have been resistant at first over this new workforce environment, and with good reason. When things take a 180 twist so drastically, it will cause some commotion and confusion. Some employees who mentioned having long-term goals as to what they wanted to achieve in the company were disappointed when they found out they wouldn’t be able to “advance” positions to get them to be in charge of other employees. Change is difficult even when you know the outcome will be in your favor. I personally believe Zappos employees had all the right to be hesitant at first.

If Zappos were to try another management style or way, they may think about trying to keep some similar holacratic styles but also have a few authoritarian figures so that there can still be some sort of hierarchy within the company. Informal relationships in the workplace would be the best bet to keep because there can still be order but it is more relaxed with rules and norms.

Gelles, D. (2015, July 17). At Zappos, Pushing Shoes and a Vision. Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/business/at-zappos-selling-shoes-and-a-vision.html?_r=1

How It Works. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://www.holacracy.org/how-it-works/

Reingold, J. (2016, March 4). How a Radical Shift Left Zappos Reeling. Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://fortune.com/zappos-tony-hsieh-holacracy

H. (2016). Following In Zappos Footsteps: Is it Time to Shift to the Holacratic Workplace? Retrieved September 22, 2016, from http://www.business.com/management/is-it-time-to-shift-to-the-holacratic-workplace/

September 23, 2016September 26, 2016 by morgbittengle

Strength Finder 2.0 Analysis

by Morgan Bittengle

StrengthsFinder 2.0 has been very beneficial to me in just the short two weeks I’ve been using it. It has helped me realize and see the areas in which I succeed most in, as well as opening my eyes in seeing the select areas that may need some work done. StrengthsFinder is very useful also because it helps me get a better understanding of my leadership styles by going in depth about each of my five strengths. Being able to read into the details helps me realize that the strengths mentioned do apply strongly in my personality and the way I work with other people/groups. I also like how StrengthsFinder enables me to see the connection to my strengths. They all relate and bounce off of each other in some sort of way and it is helpful being able to see that.

My number one strength was Discipline. I feel like this strength is very fitting for me and the way I present myself.To be discipline means to be on track and efficient, even when there are a million reasons and ways to get distracted and off topic. It also means being able to be stern with others when it comes down to a serious project or assignment. A possible weakness to this though may be that you could get caught up too much in trying to stay on track that you get lost and aren’t able to bring in other ideas. Being discipline is something that everyone has to achieve at some point to be able to succeed and reach a certain goal. There are so many distractions in the world that it can be easy to get off track.

An example of how I am discipline in my everyday life is by being a student-athlete. It is easy to get behind in classes due to the amount of times I have to miss a class, but by being discipline I am able to study and do my homework, even when all I want to do is sleep. Also along with being an athlete, it takes a lot of discipline on the field as well. Our coach tells us this everyday. Whether it be discipline enough to make the last sprint to get behind the ball or it be having the composure to finish the game winning shot. Ashland University is a great school and to be able to represent it through academics and athletics is something my team and I are discipline enough to do. Discipline is something I learned to be from a young age and I take pride in this being a strength of mine.

Another strength of mine is Harmony. This strength is all about trying to keep the peace between everyone involved and I think this is also a great representation of my personality. I feel that harmony is something I strive for because it helps things go a lot more smoothly when people are trying to work together for one goal/outcome. Harmony is finding the good and common in people even when there may be conflict going on. Being able to find the good in everyone is not an easy task, especially when there may be people who you may not like. Being harmonious means putting that aside and trying to find a common ground in which everyone will benefit from.

An example of how I am harmonious is one that my friends bring up often. No matter who it is that is arguing, I am always one of the first ones to step in and try to clear it up. I am not a fan of having awkward encounters and when friends are arguing, I feel it is awkward so, I step in. This also rolls over into group projects as well. I typically have a lot of input but I like to try to mix everyones ideas so no one feels left out on their ideas and everyone can be happy in the group. When a group all gets along, they are more likely to be successful and have better ideas to go off of, so I like to try to keep the peace between everyone.

Futuristic is the next strength on my top five list. Those who are futuristic are said to be inspired by the future and the what could be. They are amazed and fascinated by the future. Being futuristic means being inspired by the things that could happen in the future. The future is an exciting, scary thing, so being able to work now for success in the future is such a great motivator and it can make anyone work hard.

For anyone who knows me well, they know this is something I take very seriously. I am surprised that this strength wasn’t my top strength, because it means so much to me and I feel so strongly about it. For example, my senior year of high school I developed a “ten year plan” in which I included my goals and intentions of what I want to happen in my life in the next ten years. Some think this isn’t a good idea because it just gets my hopes up for stuff that may not be realistic, but I think of it as a good way to push myself to get to the things I want in life. One goal that I feel very strongly about is being able to move to Charleston, South Carolina at some point in the ten year plan.  Being able to look into the future and realize what I want out of life pushes me to be the best me each and every day. Since I have developed the ten year plan, I have had some set backs and I feel that it has only made me stronger and work harder to achieve what I truly want.

Photo Credit: http://www.10best.com

My fourth strength was Relator. A relator is someone who is drawn to people they already know. They also have many friends, but keep a knit circle of a select few and form a deep relationship out of that. Someone who likes to build off of close friends in order to succeed more.

All my life I have been known to be a relator. I have had a lot of friends, but really only hung around a small group of them. With the small group I surround myself by, it is obvious we have that deep connection that isn’t just like an average friendship. I am grateful for these relationships because they truly bring out the best in me in school, soccer and life in general. We like to compare ourselves to Rachel, Ross and the rest of the crew on Friends.

My fifth and final strength mentioned was consistency. I take a lot of pride in this strength. People who are consistent try to make things as even and fair in the beginning as possible. Setting up clear rules and adhering to them is also another characteristic that someone who is consistent has.

When it comes to my personal life, I try to keep an even balance between school, soccer, social life and more, which means me being consistent. I am consistent with my personality as well, which means most people will know how I’m going to respond to something, I don’t typically change my views very easily.

I would say that my leadership style would lean more towards informal because even though I like to be efficient, I am personable and want what’s best for everyone in the group, hence the harmonious strength. I also feel in a work environment, that is how I would work best so I would want to try to create that type of scene as well. Having an open-door policy or workplace is very appealing because it doesn’t seem so restrictive and many people are able to show their strengths this way. In the workplace, it would be beneficial to be able to take ideas to anyone and everyone that way people can bounce ideas around and work off each other, rather than have a workplace where you can only take your ideas to the boss. Having a futuristic personality makes me feel even stronger about the open-door policy because I can see all the success that would come from people being open and discussing their ideas out loud.

After looking at my five strengths, it is helpful in seeing my leadership styles and how I will be able to succeed more with taking advantage of knowing the strengths. By being discipline, harmonious, futuristic, a relator, and consistent, I am able to achieve goals and accomplish projects in an efficient yet effective manner.All of these strengths pertain greatly to me and I could relate each and every one of them to playing college soccer, but I tried to limit that because it would have been repetitive. College soccer has taught me so many lessons though and brought my attention to my main strengths and where I am able to succeed the most.

September 16, 2016September 23, 2016 by morgbittengle

Morgan Bittengle

Morgan Bittengle is a junior at Ashland University. She is double majoring in Health and Risk Communication, Public Relations and Strategic Communication. She has plans to graduate a semester early, in December of 2017.

Morgan is a third year starter on the Women’s Soccer team at AU. She plans to also get involved in PRSSA as well. Some previous work experience she has includes being a fit model for Limited Too and Abercrombie, hostessing at Longhorn Steakhouse, coaching all different ages in soccer, and being the beverage cart girl at a golf course. This past summer she was working at Westchester Golf Course so her job was to drive around in the cart all throughout the day and sell beverages/snacks to the golfers. Typically on weekends she worked outings, where mostly beer was sold off of the cart and in the clubhouse. While in school, she continues to coach local Ashland kids (of all ages) foot skills for soccer. Morgan hopes to be able to find an internship somewhere in Columbus for the summer of 2017.

An accomplishment that Morgan is most proud of is maintaining a high grade point average while still being able to excel on the soccer field, being the leading scorer her freshman and sophomore year.

In the future Morgan hopes to be a medical sales rep in South Carolina for her uncles pharmaceutical company that deals with women’s health. However, right after graduation, she hopes to be able to find a job in the Columbus area in a public relations department.

Besides soccer and school, another personal interest Morgan has is spending quality time with her family. She also enjoys four wheeling, hiking and doing any type of outdoor activity with her boyfriend. Morgan is very family-oriented so, in most of her spare time you can find her with her parents and/or older sister.

September 9, 2016September 12, 2016 by morgbittengle