How many times have you visited a store, identified some opportunity areas for your Store Leader and the team, then asked for an action plan on how they would address those items that were identified? Probably fairly often. Right? Alternatively, maybe the store has struggled with a recent inventory, and they have a high shrink number.

Writing the schedule for your store or location can be a time consuming, frustrating experience. Even with the best workforce management solutions, there will always be aspects that the location manager needs to factor in when writing and maintaining a schedule for their store.

Does your team frequently state that there is too much on their plate? That they are receiving too much information? They may even indicate that there needs to be a ‘gatekeeper’ to prevent too many things from coming to them on a daily or weekly basis.

If you are a multi-unit leader or aspire to be one, you likely know that visiting the locations you oversee is one of the most important aspects of your position. Regardless of what method your company provides you for capturing your store visit notes, you need to know what you want to accomplish during your time in the location.

A year ago, I posted my first blog entry, and it was about the choices we each have. Our power to choose what we do is unmatched in determining the outcomes we will ultimately experience. More than ever I believe that to be true.

Who is the most important person in your development? That answer is easy.  It is **YOU**!  You will have many people in your life and your career that will be vital to your development. But none will be more important than **you**.

Leadership is a full time role. Your team counts on you to be ready to support, serve, and develop them at any time they need you. You want to be ready for any situation that arises and ensure that your best self is geared up for their needs. But how can you set yourself up for that high expectation?

There are many things that are written on becoming an authentic leader. In fact, I have written several articles on its importance and [what it means to be an authentic leader]. There is no better way to build trust and long-term effectiveness than to be seen as someone that others can count on.

Do you want to be more productive? Of course you do, its a silly question, almost like asking do you like food? However, the desire to be more productive and actually being more productive are two completely independent things.

When I tell people I travel a lot for work, about half of them respond with ‘how exciting that must be”. The other half, perhaps living it themselves, seem to offer their condolences. The truth is, I still find travel interesting, but I would stop short of calling it exciting, especially when you are doing it for work.

78 percent of employees would work harder if they were better recognized, according to [Globoforce]. What would that added productivity and engagement mean to your business? Could you achieve more? Could you grow your sales faster than you are today?

Many of us remember learning how to complete mind maps or brainstorming sessions from school. We used to draw it all out on paper or the chalkboard, yes those were a thing once. Today, there are many options for capturing and organizing your thoughts. MindNode is one of those tools and one that I find extremely useful.

Most organization have some way of identifying their high potential associates. And, if for some reason there is not currently a way, I would encourage you take matters into your own hands and ensure you know who your best players are.