July is the quintessential vacation month, and, like many of you, I’m taking the opportunity to do some traveling this month. Over the course of my career in retail store operations, field leadership, and learning and development, I’ve been able to travel to many different places for work, leaving just three states in the U.S.…

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When your retail leaders and team members complete training, whether it’s on-the-job, e-learning, classroom-based, or a blend, there’s a sense of accomplishment. They’ve checked the box and completed the event. However, that doesn’t necessarily tell you what they now know. Do they have the knowledge they need to be successful on the job? Will they…

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The retail industry is no stranger to constant change, intense pressure, and high turnover, but the last few years have tested even the most battle-hardened among us. Today, a shortage of qualified talent — and the competition for it — is creating a serious employment crisis, and it’s heating up just as retailers are staffing up…

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retail leadership hacks

We’ve been talking about “retail leadership hacks” with clients lately — those bite-sized nuggets of insight that can deliver a quick hit in terms of productivity, performance, and results. Sometimes a small change or genius little shortcut can make all the difference in the impact we make as leaders and in the results our teams…

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retail training and development

This is part two of a three-part discussion with MOHR Retail’s new president, Mary Beth Garcia, about trends, challenges, and predictions for retailers in the coming year. Read part one here. With the lines between shopping channels blurring, how is that affecting the skills and behaviors today’s store leaders and associates need?  Right now, we…

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Retail Leadership Skills

“Do more with less.” Is there any more tired phrase? In retail, though, it is, without a doubt, the everyday reality. Retail multiunit managers are struggling to deal with effective execution in the stores, retention issues, labor shortages, pressures on payroll, online competition, and on and on. These issues are always present to some degree,…

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retail leadership development training

From Amazon’s growing brick-and-mortar presence to the news that Michael Kors is planning to buy Versace, if there is any industry that’s experiencing shake-ups, it’s retail. Mergers and acquisitions. Right-sizing and restructuring to make a company more competitive. Relocating headquarters. Adapting to increased pressure on distribution centers. And on and on and on. They’re all part…

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We all know the power of being present. As a retail district manager or regional field leader, when you’re able to be present both mentally and physically, it magnifies the opportunity to influence and affect behavior. Of course, when you’re leading from a distance, the lion’s share of your communication doesn’t happen face to face. And that means…

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Watching the Olympics on TV is a completely different experience from watching it in person. For one, when you’re watching on TV, you’re entirely focused on one specific event, and one particular heat or match. But in an Olympic track and field stadium, as an example, a number of track events might be taking place…

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retail hiring

Whether it’s preparing for the holiday ramp-up or gearing up for peak demand seasons that affect your niche — like the busy spring season for home improvement stores — at various points in the year, retail managers will turn their attention to recruiting and interviewing to staff up. When there’s a tight labor market, this task can…

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