What if he or she, meaning the team member, is smarter than you? Really, yep…what if? They do this and that. They make really great decisions and you look at them and think (please don’t say out loud) “you are pretty amazing, please don’t leave.” By the way, they will. Retail is not the industry […]
Management from weird places
OK, I am going to attempt something a bit odd. I am going to weave three, initially non sequitur completely random things into a management point of view…sleeping downstairs, my cat sneezing and a haircut. Wow, even I think this seems daunting. I sleep downstairs sometimes. Yes, my basement bedroom. I snore on occasions; especially […]
managerial face
OK, hang on…this could be quirky. I was watching the movie Brave. Scottish, animated and about arrows. That is really not all the movie says. Although my daughters now each have a love for archery. I did to and still kinda…OK, the topic. The voice of King Fergus is Billy Connolly. He is a Scottish […]
Management Musing: I want to say this!
Once, I was out with my mother. We were shopping for “whatever”. I was a teenager. That should be enough said to consider how this unfolded. My mother said she couldn’t find the “whatever”. Breathe. I said, “Umm Mom, here’s an idea. Do you know they hire people to work in the store? Why not […]
sales & service: the 10% factor
I had a manager once who said something which surprised me. Not the idea. Just that it came from him. He wasn’t that witty. Well, perhaps that is a bit harsh. Sorry. He said that (paraphrasing mind you), “where we must excel is involved in the 10% we do.” Now stop for a second and […]
sales & service: when the holidays create pain
“I’m at my limit.” What does that mean? What is your threshold for a job? The term threshold comes from, I think, well: “The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so […]
sales & service: selling in seconds
As sales reps we have been trained and trained again to do certain things when a customer shows up. We all know the five steps in selling: Hi, what do you need, here it is (with some extras attached), buy it and thank you (tell others how awesome I am). What if the customer is […]
Sales & Service: Right or Rich?
Let’s talk sales. I was reminded of something today about sales and customer service. Oh yeah, question, are they different or the same? This is something I love to ask my learners in sales training. I love the debate which ensues. There will inevitably be one group who are convinced it is separate. They are […]
Standard; to be or not to be?
I was preparing for a client’s presentation and happened to mention to my wife that I did not really agree with one of their standards. Now, please note…my wife is easily one of the best managers I have ever known. Wait for it, there will be heck to pay. The standard was to greet the […]
Managerial Moment
Have you ever just stopped and paid attention to what was happening around you? Have you ever been so wrapped up in stuff, you forgot the reality? You were trying to meet “x” and then “y” got in the way and then you took a pause and then there was “z”? You have one of […]
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.