Interview
May Snowden Starbucks
“MENTORING MEMO” from May To anyone who wants to rise in their organization: be courageous; be visible; ask clarifying questions of Conduct and Standards—including demonstrating commitment to the welfare, economic improvement and sustainability of the people and places that produce products and services; and adherence to local laws and international standards regarding human rights, workplace safety, and worker compensation and treatment. Verification of compliance is subject to audits, and failure to comply or to correct situations is grounds for cancellation of open orders and termination of the business relationship.
About Her Role Where does your personal belief in diversity and inclusion come from? I’m about learning, and when you’re about learning, you engage yourself in areas where you may not be as comfortable. I learned diversity at an early age because I grew up in Las Cruces, NM, where Caucasians were the major population, but the next largest population was Mexican Americans. I lived in a Mexican-American neighborhood, and African Americans were a very small group, so I learned very early to interact with Mexican Americans and Caucasians. In school, my friends took bean burritos for lunch, and my mother made me baloney sandwiches. None of us wanted to take our lunches to school, so we traded: I would have the bean burritos and they would have the baloney sandwiches. They were embarrassed for their bean burritos and I was embarrassed for my baloney sandwich. It’s really interesting when you look at cultures and how people
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see things they feel are part of the majority group and to increase understanding; how they want to see themselves differently. demonstrate your competence I’m really glad I grew up in that environment, and I through continuous high have kept in good contact with Hispanics in my life, such as my mentor, Solomon performance; and develop an Trujillo, who was CEO at US West when I worked there. I internal and external network also remember friends in my neighborhood wanting to through relationship building. learn English and regret that I did not learn Spanish; so I’m doing some self-taught classes right now because Spanish is such a bridge to the concern or recognition I received. My culture. It all comes from having a pastor helped me identify my purpose need for learning and exploring and and mission in life and how that can getting out of my comfort zone and be integrated in my career. My husmy little area to broaden my perspective. band gives me a male perspective and reminds me how history and geography influence our paradigms or world What was your career path? How did you come to be working views. I am also mentored by my three adult children who give me a at Starbucks? generation X and Y perspective. My career path has taken me through In the corporate arena, one of my several line and staff positions in closest mentors is Solomon Trujillo, a telecommunications and manufactur- Hispanic male who has led a Fortune ing industries. My first diversity posi- 500 company, start-ups, and internation was in telecommunications, tional businesses, and is a director where I was selected because of my on four boards. His style—working operational experience and success in hard, being confident, being a high hiring, retaining and developing a performer and selecting great diverse high-performance workforce. I was talent—has influenced my career. recruited by Starbucks for this posi- Another CEO mentor is a white female tion; I did not seek it out. business owner dedicated to developing and advancing women and the Who were/are your mentors, readiness of men in leadership. I have and are you mentoring anyone? two executive African-American I have had several mentors in my women who help me with undercareer, including my Mother who standing the culture of Starbucks and helped me develop my character with how to get things done here. I am much love and attention. I could now mentoring several people; to always go to her with any question, whom much is given, much is expected.
Profiles in Diversity Journal July/August 2005