What if you have to have “that” conversation? It is around performance. The hard part is that it is about numbers. Completely objective. Not what they did or did not do with the customer. Did they hit their number, their target? And if this is three months in a row, this is a conversation that […]
The Art of Selling // Part Seven
We have been teaching our girls that “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.” As managers and leaders, we are given an interesting mix of realities in our days. How many fits have we had to embrace? OK, so let’s look the landscape of our job…a retail store that has to […]
Do you have a Positive Outlook?
Have you ever just woke up and felt, “OK, today will just not be my best day”? And really, from that moment on, it just doesn’t work out the way you would typically want. Is being or, at best, staying remotely positive a difficult task? I believe no one wants to fail in life. But […]
The Art of Selling // Part Six
As a sales rep, you are required to sell stuff. You are given targets to meet and to exceed. You are also expected to fulfill operational tasks and duties to assist in the maintenance of the work environment. Ideally, employers also like reps to be professional, courteous, respectful, outgoing, willing and preferably on time. Sales […]
The Art of Selling // Part Five
I have been reflective recently. I have been reading some of my posts and must admit what my brother-in-law has said on a couple of occasions, “I really didn’t understand what you were saying.” I read one of them in particular and agree. In almost everything in life, we are asked or at least recommended […]
What is your Management Identity?
Do you remember the first day you became manager? I always like to jokingly say the clouds parted, rays of light illuminated you and angels blew horns in conjunction with your crowning…ta-dah, you are now manager. Ahhhh. Then the clouds come back together, the light goes away, and the angels, well, they leave and you […]
The Art of Selling // Part Four
You are what you wear. Well…kinda. Think about what is required by your job, by your company. Some require a uniform (something logo’d). Some require a dress shirt and tie. I used to have to wear a suit. In fact it had to be black with dark tie, belt and shoes. So we can agree […]
Training & Coaching your Team
OK, they started. Cool. Now what? This is a big challenge for almost every company on the planet. How do I get Skippy, Todd or Mary up and running right away? And if you are in retail sales, how do I get them selling yesterday (especially if they are new to retail sales)? Before you […]
The Art of Selling // Part Three
Next in line for the art of selling is something that impacts us all. How many of you have had that sales guy or gal who is so aggressive you immediately think they are like snakes or sharks? You may be thinking of the proverbial “used car salesman”. Which I find a bit harsh, but […]
The Art of Selling // Part Two
We continue exploring the art of selling. And it will be confusing. But before we go cross-eyed, let’s consider this…many times and in many ways, it has been stated that knowledge is power. I agree. I also agree with one of my favorite quotes by Einstein that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” So does […]
Management & Leadership Series: Reflection
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. The last installment, Part 52: Reflection (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Joy
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 51: Joy (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Service
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 50: Service (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Grace & Truth
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 49: Grace & Truth (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Awareness
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 48: Awareness (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Respect
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 47: Respect (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Gratitude
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 46: Gratitude (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Honesty
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 45: Honesty (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Courage
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 44: Courage (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Management & Leadership Series: Empowerment
52-week series focusing on the character traits that amplify and enhance management and leadership skills. Part 43: Empowerment (Go to the Resources tab and click Download for the the PDF supporting the video)
Coaching Awareness; a 4-Part chat from 2012
This series proceeds the Coaching Steps podcast. Consider this a moment or two to contemplate coaching and what is behind it.
Coaching Steps; a 5-Part chat from 2012
Coaching can be defined in so many different ways. Is it a sit down or on the fly? Is it challenging, enabling, encouraging, sharing or modeling? Is it training? This is a five part series tales a simple look to see at the what, why, how and to what extent.
Sales & Service; a 4-Part Chat from 2012
Don’t over-complicate the sales and service reality in the retail environment. Keep it simple.
Prioritization
This podcast explores how an idea moves from realization to doing-ness. This is a first of a series of ad lib discussions.
Non-Compliance Podcast
This podcast is meant to add consideration to the blog posts. It highlights two specific ways to look at non-compliance.
Intro to Communication in Retail
This podcast introduces the upcoming blog series on communication in retail. It will look first at what precedes communication. The subsequent postings will cover aspects and tactics within the act of communication, especially with your team and the customer.
Managing Retail during the Holidays; Part Two
This represents our second glance into managing, leading and executing in the retail environment during a very busy time of year. This part looks at how you work with you team.
Managing Retail during the Holidays; Part One
Are you a new retail manager? Do you know what you do not know? The goal of this podcast series is to look at three aspects of managing retail during the crazy time of year. Each part will share insight from a different lens.
Motivation & Generations; Part Two
This moves from the generational environment to the individual choice machine. You decide your own motivation and as manager the best you can do is influence another motivation.
Motivation & Generations; Part One
This podcast is part one of a series meant to look at motivation. Generations matter in the workplace and this is the starting point to better manage how people make decisions.