I’m sitting in a Starbucks watching the manager lead better than perhaps 50% of the CEO’s in the world. Here’s what I’ve seen:

    1) He took out the trash

    2) He makes everyone who walks in feel unique and important (in five seconds of interaction)

    3) He encourages his team with humor

    4) He makes everyone on the team feel like their contribution matters (a lot)

    5) He has a banter in the store that keeps things moving, fun and focused

He looks to be 20 or 21-years old-23 tops. I’m a big believer that leaders can be  cultivated. But this guy reminds me, some people do it without even trying.

By the way, as I write this, he just keeps getting better. The team is engaged, laughing and feeding off his energy. Maybe we should let this guy teach the rest of us.