Brian Niccol's Personality Type Implications

Brain Niccol has been on the job at Starbucks, and based on his initiatives, he might be an ISTJ personality type; without a formal MBTI assessment, I'm speculating. This wouldn't be unusual for a CEO as most are ISTJ, ESTJ, INTJ, or ENTJ. The preferences of each personality type come with both strengths and weaknesses.

ISTJs, known as "The Logisticians," are reliable, organized, and detail-oriented. Their strengths include a strong sense of duty, practicality, and a methodical approach to tasks, making them excellent at managing projects and ensuring efficiency. They are dependable and value tradition and stability. However, their weakness is risk aversion.

Of the 16 personality types, the ISTJ is the most risk-averse. This results in resistance to change and an overreliance on what has worked in the past or what has been approved by professional bodies. Cautious about innovation, they tend to look internally for ways to make processes work as intended.

Continual improvement and operational excellence are their mantras. They approach strategy by improving existing processes and ensuring systems run smoothly, often focusing on reliability and efficiency. ISTJs will not transform a business with new strategic opportunities, at least not in the way an INTJ like me would. For them, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Niccol plans to revive Starbucks's old practices, such as writing customers' names on disposable cups, using ceramic for in-store coffee orders, returning the condiments bar, and returning to free nondairy "milk." Because that is how things were always done at Starbucks, Brian is committed to delivering a high-quality, hand-crafted beverage prepared quickly and with care and handed directly to the customer by our barista.

Cautious about adopting innovations, Brian lauds "the premium equipment we use in our coffeehouses." Brian does plan to provide the stores with better seating, but this is low-hanging, low-risk fruit that competitors already do. He also plans to continue product innovation but is scaling back (risky?) new product development, but he will improve their iced coffees and Iced Shaken Espresso. He also plans to separate mobile and in-store fulfillment.

ISTJ likes to set measurable objectives, and Brian aspires for Starbucks to fulfill brewed coffee orders in thirty seconds and lattes in four minutes. He also wants to give precise pick-up times to customers who order online or use the app and find technology to help him.

If Brian is an ISTJ and Starbucks only needs to find a way to be more efficient and reliable without compromising the Starbucks Experience, he might be the right person for the job. However, if Starbucks needs new products, new types of customers, or a new vision, an ISTJ might not be the right choice.