Following Howard Schultz’s announcement that he is considering running for president in 2020, people are imploring the former Starbucks CEO to follow his own “values-based leadership” advice.
Dubbed “Real Leadership: What Do You Do In Crisis,” the first in a series of lessons Schultz is teaching on the celebrity-led online education platform MasterClass sees him share his take on being a leader in troubled times.
“One thing’s for sure, it’s very easy to lead when things are going great and you’ve got the wind at your back,” he says in the video. “It gets really hard when you’ve got headwinds, disappointments and people are telling you you’re going the wrong way.”
The episode debuted on Jan. 23. But in the wake of Schultz’s “60 Minutes” interview, some people are now using the video to appeal to him to run as a Democrat rather than a “centrist independent” who some fear could act as a spoiler and help President Donald Trump get re-elected.
“Mr. Schultz, I admire your vision, but please do not run as an independent,” one Facebook user commented. “The priority in 2020 will be to defeat Donald Trump, and we do not need to see the Democratic party splitting a la Ralph Nader 2000. If you believe you have the right stuff, run as a Democrat.”
“Please do not run as an independent!” added another. “We don’t need you to hand Trump this election!”
However, others were totally on board with Schultz’s current stance on a potential presidential bid.
“I like what you stand for politically, I appreciate how you run your business and I really admire how hard you have worked to get to where you are,” wrote one supporter. “Go for it Howard!”
