On one level, keeping momentum of new initiatives fresh is having a way to provide at least the content and skills needed to support the initiative. Technology helps us automate and ensure that new people are brought into the fold of what we believe and value. Another critical part is having visible senior management support for all new folks. Today, maybe it’s Skype or pre-recorded BlackBerry messages but it’s available without the asking. It comes to you where you are. Mobile is better than fixed. Personal is better than generic.

Integrating success stories from existing and new associates is also critical. People want to be part of something that has momentum. They like being acknowledged early and often.  Celebration by inclusion helps motivate everyone to be seen and heard supporting the initiative and creating real results. In an interview with retail legend Stanley Marcus of the Neiman-Marcus brand of yester-year, he shared a concise and essential definition of culture.  “It’s the stories we tell each other.” That is what he thought best represented culture and what today is often referred to as values. Blog posts, podcasts, and other mobile messages are perfect vehicles for sharing the stories that define our values.

In some ways, with today’s technologies, leveraging success and momentum of initiatives is even more possible and perhaps a bit easier. Ask one of your millennials how to do it.  They’ll set you up. Without a focus on leveraging what you launch, it will all become an interesting event rather than a powerful process.

How do you leverage, keep alive, initiatives you value most in your company?  Share your thoughts here or tweet us @mohrretail.  In retail, every day is a chance to learn. MOHR!

Posted in Editorial
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About Michael Patrick

Michael held positions in retail management, merchandising, and human resources before joining MOHR Retail’s predecessor in 1986. In 1990 he purchased the retail division of that firm to form today’s MOHR Retail. Michael holds true to his retail roots by delivering learning that changes behavior—providing both immediate and lasting business impact. In addition to facilitating MOHR Retail training programs, he offers executive-level coaching in one-on-one sessions dealing with critical strategic issues such as succession strategies and executive team development. The author of “The New Negotiation Mindset: Guarantee A Bigger Slice,” Michael is a longstanding member of NRF as well as ISA: The Association of Learning Providers. He has a B.A. from San Diego State University, completed Master’s level work at Arizona State University, and lives with his family in New Jersey.