Leadership Strategy in Business: Why Great Leaders Stay Close to the Front Line

When Starbucks faced falling customer satisfaction and operational challenges, their new CEO didn’t start with a boardroom review or a consultancy report. He trained for six months as a barista, working in stores alongside employees. It was a powerful move that transformed both company culture and operational performance.

The lesson is simple: the closer leadership gets to the front line, the better they can understand the real issues that shape outcomes.

What Front-Line Leadership Teaches Us About Strategy

Leadership strategy in business is not built in isolation. It requires a deep, lived understanding of how people, systems, and customers interact daily. Here are four key takeaways for any business leader:

1. Operational Problems Are Leadership Problems

When something isn’t working at the store, team, or customer level, it usually reflects a broader issue in leadership, systems, or strategic direction. Ignoring front-line problems is a fast track to deeper business dysfunction.

2. First-Hand Experience Leads to Better Strategy

Metrics and dashboards are valuable, but they’re no substitute for direct exposure. Immersing yourself in day-to-day operations allows you to make decisions grounded in both data and experience.

3. Respect Is Shown, Not Said

By working alongside baristas, Starbucks’ leadership demonstrated more than curiosity. They showed respect. Leaders who actively engage with their teams build stronger cultures and more loyal employees.

4. Fixing the Basics Enables Sustainable Growth

Innovation means little without a solid foundation. Operational excellence, getting the basics right every day, is what supports long-term success. Before scaling, optimise.

How We Approach Leadership Strategy in Business at Fiorenza Advisory

We believe that no effective strategy can be developed without first understanding how the business truly operates. Our advisory approach begins by examining systems, structure, and people at the ground level. This ensures that leadership decisions are both strategic and practical.

From scaling challenges to underperformance, we help our clients lead through clarity, proximity, and execution, not just planning. Because at the end of the day, fixing a business always starts with understanding it deeply. Contact us here.