New York (CNN Business) Starbucks has a plan for employees who are asked about Howard Schultz's presidential ambitions.

If a customer wants to know whether or not the coffee company's former CEO is planning to run, baristas can say "Howard's future plans are up to him."

If someone gets confrontational about politics, employees might try "we respect everyone's opinion. Our goal is simply to create a warm and welcoming space where we can all gather, as a community, over great coffee."

The guidelines, obtained this week by The Huffington Post , were sent out to employees as part of a longer, regular weekly update. This version included the tips and other guidelines for answering questions related to Schultz's new book, "From the Ground Up," about his personal history and time at Starbucks.

The company sometimes uses the weekly communication to help employees navigate difficult conversations, a company spokesperson told CNN Business. For example, the company offers tips on how to speak with customers who ask personal religious questions when holiday cups are announced.