What do you consider a successful hire?

A successful hire is somebody that you had a really strong consensus to hire from the beginning. You do not want to start someone off after 50 percent of the people interviewing that person have said they do not believe he or she will be a fit and the 50 percent who do want that person happen to be higher on the pay scale.

During the first 120 days, a successful hire is contingent upon how well he or she acclimates to the culture, how well he or she understands the nuances of the organization, how well he or she applies their experience to Starbucks and does so in a way that is not cookie-cutter but is refreshing and new.

In the longer term, a successful hire is determined by the kind of projects the individual has accomplished, the problems they have fixed, and the relationships they have built with other parts of the business that will give them longevity and the ability to effect the change we hired them for.

What is the biggest hiring mistake you've made?