Friday FAQs - Questions from Today’s Future Leaders - August

One Friday each month I dedicate the post to looking at some questions I have heard recently from developing leaders. Sharing those questions and my thoughts for them is a way for me to spread the information to as many leaders and future leaders as possible. If you have a question about leadership or just a situation you would like some additional insight on, please email me at Effective Retail Leader. Let’s take a look at this week’s question.

My District Manager is pushing hard for financial results, but I know I need to build my team. How do I balance both?

Balancing the need to build a strong team foundation and delivering on immediate results is nothing new to any retail leader. It is the constant paradox that almost everyone faces. It becomes especially challenging in today’s climate. Most retailers face sales growth pressures and are continually fighting a battle with the Amazon factor. So being asked to deliver sales results from your supervisor is a familiar refrain. What is a Store Manager to do when they find themselves in this situation?First, celebrate the fact that you understand that the solution lies in building a strong team and not something that can be fixed overnight. There are no shortage of tactics that may be employed to gain very short-term sales results. Resist those initial urges and instead take a couple of specific steps that can help you win for the long-term.The most important thing you can do right away is agree with your District Manager that delivering sales expectations is essential. From there, you need to lay out your plan for how you will do that. Your District Manager must become a partner in your strategy, and that is not always easy. You will need to have specific steps you are going to take with your team and then explain how that will lead to future sales growth. Take action quickly on your steps and keep your DM informed about how you are progressing along the way.Find areas that are delivering successes or are making meaningful progress. As you explain your plan upfront, define some of the key milestones you expect to cross and what they will lead to. Then, as you begin to pass those markers, you can point back to your plan and the results that are coming from it. Select behaviors that can demonstrate that the actions it will take for the future are starting to take hold now. If you have a loyalty program and you expect that will be a key driver of future sales growth, point to your results in loyalty sign-ups. Conduct observations with your DM during visits to show what you are doing with your team to move the needle.Of course, this is all predicated on the idea that you are working hard behind the scenes to coach and develop your team. Make your assessments upfront as part of the planning process you share with your District Manager. As you progress, call out the people changes that are taking place. This can be the development of key players or replacement of them. Either are important steps to show progress, especially early on when sales likely will not be moving yet.The balancing act comes from having some of those small tangible, financial wins along the way as you take the time necessary to build and develop the team it will take for the successes of the future. You have to have a well-defined plan that you fully commit to and share with your District Manager. When those pieces are in place, you are setting yourself up for the vision you have created to come true in partnership with your supervisor.What questions do you have about becoming a leader at a higher level? Send your questions to chris@effectiveretailleader.com. I look forward to hearing from you.