Barista Trainer

Training Basics Module

 Welcome to the Barista Trainer:
Training Basics Module

During this lesson, you will learn some key

principles to effectively train new baristas.
Upon completion of this lesson you will be able
to:

✓ Describe the basic training principles

✓ Apply the basic training principles to

effectively train new baristas
As a barista trainer, you have in essence become a teacher …

Barista Trainer
=
Teacher
Your role as a teacher is important because it directly impacts your
new barista’s ability to deliver the Starbucks Experience to
customers.
Training Basics Principles
There are four basic training principles you need to learn to effectively train new
baristas. Applying these principles is vital to the success of your new barista.
Turn the page to learn more about each.

Create the Assess Prior Provide Recognize Learner

Environment Knowledge Feedback Differences
Principle #1: Create the Environment

As a barista trainer, it is your job to create

a welcoming training environment where
your new barista feels comfortable asking
questions and is motivated to learn.
Your goal is to make it easy for your new
barista to learn and apply the information
that you will be teaching them.
Principle #1: Create the Environment (continued)

You can create the environment by …

✓ Ensuring that you have all your training materials
and tools prepared before your new barista arrives
✓ Letting your new barista know that it is okay to ask
questions and make mistakes
✓ Enhancing your new barista’s motivation by
sharing what you are teaching today and why it is
important
✓ Creating excitement by showing a genuine interest
in seeing your new barista succeed
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge

All learners, regardless of experience or age,

have prior knowledge and prior experiences that
they bring with them to a job. This will be the
foundation on which they build new skills.

As a barista trainer, you will need to assess your

new barista’s knowledge by asking questions.

You should assess prior knowledge before

training each skill, as your new barista might
have a lot of experience with some skills and no
experience with others.
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

Some questions you could ask include:

What is your
experience with …

What do you know

about …
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)
New baristas will have a wide range of prior knowledge, so it is important that you
adapt your training style accordingly.

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience

Learners with no experience in a skill will need thorough explanation and

demonstration before they feel confident trying it themselves. Make sure to …

✓ Explain all definitions, concepts and principles associated

with the skill prior to demonstrating it (for example, defining
espresso before showing how to pull a shot).
✓ Ask questions to ensure your new barista has enough
information before moving on.
 Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience

For example …
You are training Jonah on the espresso bar. This is his first time ever working on an
espresso machine, so you take extra time to explain what espresso is and what
makes a perfect shot.
You ask what questions Jonah has before demonstrating how to pull a shot.
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience

Learners with some experience in a skill will require some explanation but will be
eager to move on to practice. Make sure to …

✓ Add to their existing knowledge by describing

definitions, concepts and principles to improve
understanding.
✓ Look and listen for verbal (“I’ve got it” or “Okay”) or
nonverbal (head nodding) cues that your new barista
understands.
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience

For example …

You are training Monique on the espresso bar. She makes her own espresso at
home, so you ask her to tell you what she already knows about espresso.

She tells you that espresso is a concentrated form of coffee. To add to her
knowledge, you tell her what makes a perfect espresso shot using the learning
card. She nods her head that she understands, so you move on to
demonstrating how to pull a shot.
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience

Learners with a lot of experience in a skill will not require much explanation or
demonstration. Make sure to …

✓ Demonstrate the skill to your new barista and let

them practice.
Principle #2: Assess Prior Knowledge (continued)

No Limited A lot of
experience experience experience

For example …
Raja is coming back to Starbucks after taking two years off. Since he worked for
Starbucks for a year previously, you demonstrate how to pull a shot of espresso
and then let him try.
Principle #3: Provide Feedback

Providing feedback is critical for

learning to be effective. It is as
simple as letting your new barista
know if they have completed the
skill correctly or if they need to try
again.
Principle #3: Provide Feedback (continued)

Delivering effective feedback takes practice. Effective feedback is …

✓ Based on actual observations, not perceptions

✓ Focused on behaviors, not personality

✓ Specific with concrete examples, not generalities

✓ Relevant to the skill demonstrated, not about other

topics
Principle #3: Provide Feedback (continued)

There are two types of feedback to provide to your new barista.

The type you use depends on whether your new barista performed the
skill correctly or incorrectly. Turn the page to learn more about …

1.) Reinforcing Feedback

2.) Redirecting Feedback

Principle #3: Provide Feedback (continued)

Use Reinforcing To Encourage

Feedback Performance

When using reinforcing feedback, you should tell the learner specifically
what they did well and why it was correct or important.

For example, if a new barista correctly made a tall Mocha, you could say

“You followed the recipe for making a tall Mocha exactly to

standard. Great job!”
Principle #3: Provide Feedback (continued)

Use Redirecting To Change

Feedback Performance

When using redirecting feedback, tell the learner specifically what they
did incorrectly, what they should have done and why the correct way is
important.

For example, if a new barista added an expired shot of espresso to a Mocha you
could say …

“You added a shot of espresso that was expired. You need to incorporate
shots of espresso within ten seconds to meet Starbucks quality
standards.”
Principle #4: Recognize Learner Differences

People have different learning styles.

Some people like to learn by doing,
while some people like to learn by
seeing. It is purely a matter of
preference.

The better you are able to adapt to

your new barista’s needs, the better
chance you have of being a
successful trainer.
Principle #4: Recognize Learner Differences (continued)
“If the learner has not learned, the teacher has
not taught.”
You can adapt to your new barista’s learning style by …

✓ Discovering how your new barista

prefers to learn
(1)Visual (2)Audio (3) Kinesthetic
✓ Checking in consistently throughout
the training to make sure they are
understanding the information up to
now
✓ Asking to see if your teaching style
is meeting the needs of your new
barista
 Congratulations!
You have finished this lesson …

Use the four basic training principles to be an

effective barista trainer. Remember, as a barista
trainer you play an important role in the overall
success of not only your store, but also the
entire company!