Amon Rappaport, MA (he/him)’s Post

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition

Parallel stories unfolding in Seattle right now at Boeing and Starbucks. Two new CEOs. Two major turnarounds. I've been watching both Kelly Ortberg (Boeing) and Brian Niccol (Starbucks) initial communications closely, and there's a fascinating pattern in how they're architecting change. Most recently from Starbucks' preliminary Q4 guidance and Boeing's Q3 results. The diagnosis is strikingly similar: ▸ Boeing: "Trust in our company has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "We have drifted from our core" But it's their parallel playbooks for communicating change that caught my attention. 1. Heritage as North Star 🌟 Both CEOs are heavily anchoring their change narrative in company DNA: ▸ Boeing: Return to engineering excellence ▸ Starbucks: Back to coffeehouse roots  ▸ Lesson: Use your company's legacy as the springboard for the future, not something to run from. 2. Front-Line First 👥 Their first moves weren't PowerPoints - they were: ▸ Ortberg: Factory floors and engineering labs ▸ Niccol: Store visits and barista conversations  ▸ Lesson: Ground truth comes from where value is created, not headquarters. 3. Problem Definition is Everything 🎯 Note the clarity in problem statements: ▸ Boeing: "Trust has eroded" ▸ Starbucks: "Drifted from our core" ▸ Lesson: You can't solve what you won't name. 4. Framework, Not Frenzy 📋 Both use clear four-pillar strategies to make change digestible: ▸ Simple enough to remember ▸ Specific enough to execute ▸ Sequenced for impact  ▸ Lesson: Complex change needs simple architecture. 5. Time Horizon Management ⏰  Both are explicit that: ▸ Quick fixes won't work ▸ Fundamentals come first ▸ Change is a process, not an event  ▸ Lesson: Set realistic expectations on the long, hard road of change and transformation early. The meta-lesson? Successful change leadership requires: ▸ Brutal honesty about problems ▸ Deep respect for heritage and what got you here ▸ Clear frameworks for action ▸ Authentic engagement with front-line teams ▸ Realistic timelines For leaders stepping into turnaround situations: notice how both CEOs balance urgency with patience, heritage with change, and clarity with complexity. If you were stepping into either role today, which elements of their playbook would you prioritize? And what might you add? #changecommunications #communications #leadership #ceotransition