What do the annual Starbucks shareholders’ meeting and the movie 300 have in common?

Do two things as apparently disparate as a coffee enhanced group of investors and a violent, animated action packed movie really share a theme? Actually one theme did emerge.

At the shareholders’ meeting, one of the main speakers was Howard Schultz, the visionary for Starbucks. The concept of Starbucks came to Schultz after a trip to Europe and more specifically Italy. While there, he noticed the ambiance and savoring of the moment that he found in the coffee shops. People stopped to smell the coffee and take a break. It was a break worth replicating. Schultz set about to replicate that experience. Could he reproduce that same scenario in the United States? It was a challenge he accepted, that evolved into a vision. Howard Schultz locked on to that vision. He locked on with passion. He nurtured it. He protected it. Through being turned down for funding by over 200 venture capitalists. Through being told it would never work. Through impediments and rejection. Howard locked on.

That was over twenty-five years ago. Howard locked on until he reached his vision. By then the vision had expanded. From his seemingly simple desire to bring a bit of the Italian culture to the United States has birthed a plan to have over 40,000 Starbucks stores throughout the world. Step by step for over 25 years. Focused action.

I saw Howard Schultz on the stage. He exuded the strength and pride of a person knowing what he is doing and where he is going with his life. He sounded grounded in what he wants for Starbucks through the audience questions that showed hostility and the questions that shared gratitude. He had purpose. He had passion.

That afternoon I saw the movie 300. The hero was King Leonidas. Leonidas was born and raised in Sparta. In Sparta boys were trained to fight from an early age. They were taken from their mothers at seven years old to learn to become warriors. Leonidas was sent out on his own to endure the elements during early adolescence as a coming of age trial. He survived the perils. He became a Spartan warrior.

He married and had a passionate connection with his wife. But he had a greater strength and calling. Freedom. He had learned the way of the warrior. He lived it. Never retreat. Never surrender. When the king of Persia challenged Sparta’s independence, King Leonidas was unwilling to bow to another king. It was a challenge to the independence of Sparta and all Spartans. It was a challenge to freedom. It was a challenge to Leonidas as a free man.

Leonidas was clear. He was a warrior, trained to protect himself and Sparta. He had a vision. He had a conviction. He rounded up 300 Spartan warriors and went to the sea to take on 1,000,000 attacking Persians. All the time he focused on what he wanted to do. He was willing to do whatever it took. He planned. He had passion. His passion was contagious. He had 300 passionate men. They won several of the various waves of attacks. And even though they fought to death, they kept the Persians at bay and gave Sparta time to refortify.

The annual shareholders meeting and the movie 300 both have strong leaders. Howard Schultz and Leonidas each had passion for their visions. They were crystal clear on the path. They knew where they were going. They held on with the tenacity to stay with it in spite of obstacles and attackers. Today they both shine as leaders. They have stayed true to themselves. They both embraced a passion to a committed vision.

And you. Do you have something in common with Howard Schultz and King Leonidas?