January FAQ - should I work in the corporate office?
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.
I am considering a position that is located in our corporate office. I have always worked in a field position, should I pursue this new opportunity?
Making the shift from a field position to a corporate role can be a difficult consideration for anyone in retail or any business, for that matter. Few can fully comprehend the differences between the two environments. I happen to believe that anyone is capable of making that transition, but for some, it will take longer than others.
For anyone contemplating this choice, I recommend spending time with someone that has been in their company’s corporate office. Ask questions about what the environment is like. What their day looks like. And what they like most about their role. These can be helpful in getting an idea of how it might be different from your current field role. Before making this transition myself, I had been fortunate enough to have spent time in the office on various projects to have at least some idea of what the change would be like. As much as I had been exposed to the environment of the office on projects, I was not fully prepared for how a big a change it would be working in the office environment.
Many different aspects of the corporate roles are difficult to anticipate or prepare for since they do not occur when you are running a store, district, or region. Working collaboratively, cross-functionally, and with a compromise, mindset is absolutely critical to success when moving to the office workspace.
Successfully making the transition requires a level of humility that recognizes your expertise in the company is different from the roles filled in the office. Both are important and can be an excellent combination when both parties value the other’s perspective. The scale and scope are difficult to describe or be prepared for. Consider when you run a store or district your impact touches dozens, maybe hundreds of associates depending on the size of your business. In the corporate environment, you immediately have an effect on thousands, if not tens of thousands. This can be a daunting realization and responsibility.
The service aspect expands, as well. You are now serving a support team of peers, the entire field organization, as well as the paying customers who shop the locations you now support fully. It is a rewarding experience, but one that comes with tremendous responsibility.
Having served in multiple roles in a field leadership capacity as well as several corporate positions, I believe it is a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of it if available. It will expand your horizons and provide development, unlike anything else, when serving only in a field role. I have moved from a field to a corporate role, back to the field, and then back to a corporate role. In each of the transitions, I felt better prepared and wiser for having had the experiences I did.
I often get asked which role I prefer - I can never definitively answer that question. I do not think that one role is better than another. I love them both. Both have extremely positive characteristics, and both can have challenges. If you are considering a move to a corporate environment, be prepared for the differences you will face, but embrace the opportunities that it will present for you. I am confident you will find it rewarding, educational, and a highly developmental experience for your career — best of luck to you.
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