OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Symbolic Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the symbolic frame
2. Apply the symbolic 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.

I have been with Starbucks for ten years and am currently in role as a shift supervisor. I
have stayed with the company despite an array of changes as the benefits are uniquely
competitive. Back in 2014, there was a very obvious first-come-first serve basis that
simplified our work as baristas. Today, the majority of our customers skip the line and use
their app to mobile order their items. There is a limitless capacity of orders that can come in
during any thirty-minute period with no cap-off algorithm. Asking for mobiles off is like
pulling teeth- there is almost always pushback. From the machine-mentality instilled in each
of us to muster through the dehumanizing 6+ hour peaks, to lack of senior pay, to the lack of
safeguards in place when call-outs happen- it is no wonder Starbucks partners are pushing to
unionize. The question is, why is Starbucks fighting it?

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

Barista-life is a fairly romanticized occupation. Popular media always paints an ironic,

yet predictable scene: the barista makes pretty designs on lattes while engaging in cliché
small-talk at the hand-off plane. After ten years of working at Starbucks I can confidently say
that the role is far from romantic. We deal with cruel and impatient customers, transients who
abuse the third place, and work at an unrealistic pace to keep up with the digital demand of
the Starbucks app. The green apron used to be a symbol for empathy, leadership, integrity,
and excellence. Today, ten years later, the green apron symbolizes the human machine. We
have no feelings, the customer is “always right,” and our bodies are indestructible with no
off-switch. There used to be more emphasis on partner connection with rituals such as coffee
tastings and coffee passports to enhance our coffee knowledge. These tastings are never a
priority and always seem more like an inconvenience considering we rarely have adequate
staffing. With every new store that opens, corporate grows more and more out-of-touch with
the reality of their culture. Here is a memo that Howard Schultz sent his top executives in

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 2007 during a rocky point in the company’s life cycle that is eerily similar to what is
happening present day:

Over the past ten years, in order to achieve the growth, development, and scale necessary
to go from less than 1,000 stores to 13,000 stores and beyond, we have had to make a
series of decisions that, in retrospect, have led to the watering down of the Starbucks
experience, and what some might call the commoditization of our brand.

Currently, Starbucks has over 15,000 locations in the United States alone and over 33,000
locations nation wide (Andreas, 2021). The monopolization of the brand has really chipped
away at the soul of the company and many locations are struggling to stay afloat with how
demanding the job actually is. There is literally no time to plan excursions let alone room in
the budget to even entertain such a thought. Corporate heads need to do better to create more
of an intimate, meaningful experience for partners. The job feels excruciatingly routine with
little to no effort on behalf of the company to foster any kind of change. Symbols play an
important role in my case analysis as much of the union-efforts stem from Starbucks’
inability to nurture their partner’s spirits. “The essence of high performance is spirit. If we
were to banish play, ritual, ceremony, and myth from the workplace, we would destroy
teamwork, not enhance it” (Bolman & Deal, 2021). Starbucks operates under a hollow vision
as their altruistic values seem more like a ploy to gain a following than to benefit the partner
experience. These values lose their traction as there are no rituals or systems in place at an
operational level to give their existence significance. Rituals that are in place are treated as a
joke. For instance, managers do not prioritize partner development conversations and when
they do happen, they are treated as a task to check off a list rather than an opportunity to
grow/develop another human.

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

I would use symbols as a means of enriching the partner experience. First, I would focus
my attention on barista trainers. These partners should be proficient in their roles, passionate
about their craft, and cautious with their communication. The onboarding process can feel
isolating as new baristas only get a couple weeks to shadow their trainer with little to no
follow-up in the months following. This puts immense pressure on trainers to cover all the
bases in a short amount of time. In retrospect, after the two weeks, new partners are
encouraged to lean on their team for support and guidance. However, this is not always the
case, as many new partners tend to rely on their own devices rather than ask for help. Making
drinks wrong, getting defensive with coaching, and not grasping the bigger picture. These
issues could easily be remedied if baristas had more time with their trainers throughout their
first few months. This time would allow them to discuss bottlenecks, role clarity, deployment
strategies, and myth busting. Growth happens when we have these kinds of conversations
with people whose opinion matters- people with expertise, know-how, and a passion for

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 storytelling. That being said, Starbucks should be more particular about who they choose to
train green beans (new partners). There should be prerequisites of sorts that need to be
fulfilled before applying for such a position. For instance, barista trainers should be seasoned
partners with at least three years’ experience under their belt. Partners should also have to
interview for the title of barista trainer as this would help the manager assess motive,
compatibility, and credibility. Trainers play a pivotal role in the partner’s overall perception
of the job; moreover, a bad first impression usually means a quick turn over.

Next, I would suggest that Starbucks devise a plan to improve security in their stores.
“Plans are symbols. Planning is a signal that all is well or improvement is just around the
corner” (Bolman & Deal, 2021). Most consumers do not realize how transient activity effects
the business. Most of these individuals are seemingly harmless; however, many are substance
abusers whose behavior is erratic and unpredictable. From making grotesque comments to
the young baristas working register, to abusing our restrooms, to soliciting, to yelling
obscenities, to shouting at us at 3:30a as we walk into the store- nothing about this side of the
job is romantic. Supervisors are responsible for handling these disruptions despite not having
the means to defend ourselves should the situation escalate. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I
asked a homeless woman to kindly stop bringing in outside trash and putting it on our hand-
off plane. Her immediate reaction was to spit on me. I remember feeling extremely violated
and frustrated by how long it took the police to show up. High risk stores determined by
crime rates in the area should have security guards to survey the grounds. If Starbucks were
to invest in mandatory security measures, partners would feel safe at work at all times.
Creating this plan and putting in the work to ensure it is followed through would be a symbol
for partner well-being, a concept that seems to be in short supply today.

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

Given what I have learned about this frame, I am going to make it my mission to be more
present with my partners. I can become entranced with tasking and this focus can come
across as uninviting or closed-off. “Groups often focus single-mindedly on the task, shunning
anything not directly work related. Seriousness replaces playfulness as a cardinal virtue.
Effective teams balance seriousness with play and humor” (Bolman & Deal, 2021). I enjoy
playful banter in the workplace and feel as though leaning on humor eases tension, enhances
collaboration, and inspires comradery. I will use storytelling to help guide my coaching
conversations to inspire resiliency in my team. “Stories are deeply rooted in the human
experience. It is through story that we can see into each other’s souls, and see the soul of the
organization” (Bolman & Deal, 2021). Moving forward, I will use stories to better connect
with my partners and to also advocate for them. The security issues I mentioned earlier
deserve to be made a priority and will be if I can tell my story to someone with enough
authority.

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 References

Andreas. (2021, January 23). Starbucks World Map – Starbucks Stores in the World | Mappr.

Www.mappr.co. https://www.mappr.co/worlds-best-starbucks/

Bolman, & Deal. (2021). REFRAMING ORGANIZATIONS : artistry, choice, and leadership.

John Wiley & Sons.