Retail Leadership in a VUCA World
2020 has been tough on all industries… but especially on retail, restaurants, and hospitality. COVID-19 has seemed like a VUCA storm perfectly designed to up-end the businesses that, especially in Louisiana, form the backbone of our communities (where would we be without restaurants, bars and music venues – and the people who manage them?!)Just as retail was one of the first industries to be affected in the pandemic, it’ll be one of the first to come back fully – to the cheers of a community eager to gather again. When that day comes, first-line workers must be prepared to motivate, lead, and manage strong teams. Given the impact of the retail and hospitality sectors in our communities, leadership development is incredibly important in this space. It’s also important to understand that moving from being a do-er to a leader in retail is an often misunderstood, yet vital, distinction.
What Makes Retail Leadership Unique?
Retail is a unique space in that whether you are a leader, a line worker, customer-facing or back-of-house, you are likely to be in a dynamic role that requires flexibility and collaboration above all. That is to say – moving from do-er to leader means that you’ll be building an entirely new set of skills, while still being involved in daily operations to an extent not always seen in other industries. To make the transition a success, remember that YOU were chosen for a reason. If you focus on developing your skills, understanding the job, and leading your peers well, you will make a great start.
The Difference Between ‘Do-er’ and ‘Leader’
"Do-ers" tend have positions focused around completing particular tasks, while leaders are responsible for overseeing the work, making sure it gets done right and on time, and ensuring that the final product is in line with strategic organizational goals. Additionally, leaders may have to provide feedback and evaluate the do-ers, while holding themselves and their team accountable for the quality of the work. When the line between do-er and leader is blurry, some of these distinctions may cause growing pains… especially when leaders are placed in charge of former peers. This is often the case in a retail environment.
4 Tips for Developing Your Leadership Skills in Retail
Recognize your skills and embrace the learning curve
Leaders in retail often come directly from the line… meaning that you’ve had a chance to prove your skills and your qualities for leadership on an informal basis. Recognize the trust of your manager and peers, and start by believing in your capacity for leadership. Developing skills as a first-time leader isn’t easy, but having confidence makes the process smoother, and makes the transition easier. It’s also important to not be too hard on yourself, because there is a very real learning curve. Especially in fast-paced retail environments, training and development support may not be immediately there for you. In fact, many leaders in the retail space report having to “learn on the job.” If that’s you, go easy on yourself when mistakes and missteps happen. They are inevitable, and just mean that you are gaining new skills to address the next challenge.
Understand what the job actually is
Retail can be a hectic environment, with everybody juggling several balls at once. It can feel difficult in this environment to stop, ask questions, and take the time to really understand the role and necessary outcomes. However, you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration if you take the time to get acclimated to your position and understand what it requires you to do, what your deliverables are, and how best to achieve those using your team. This can include asking directly how this role differs from your old one, how much training is available, and what targets you are expected to hit.
Anticipate relationships changing
Moving from do-er to leader might put you in an odd position: managing your former peers and/or friends. In a high-pressure environment like retail, close relationships on the floor often form – which can make the transition a challenge. It’s not possible to ignore personal relationships completely, but prepare yourself for the certainty that these relationships will flex to accommodate the new roles. Look to your manager or other mentors for examples on how to model your behavior towards your reports and former peers.
Know when to hand over the reins, and when to take them back
A key aspect of leadership in the retail space is that some aspects of your new role will resemble your old one: when a rush is on or the schedule is tight, the work still needs to get done. It’s important for a leader to focus on training and overseeing others to do the daily operational tasks; but there will likely be times you’ll need to jump on the grill, or work the floor. This doesn’t negate or lessen your leadership – in fact, workplace polls show that employees respect the boss more when they know that he or she has the skills to do their jobs. While team management is now your primary task, it will be important for morale and a healthy work environment to show that you are willing and able to jump into rhythm to get the job done.Our favorite cafes, shops, venues and watering holes wouldn’t be the same without the fabulous leaders holding down the fort. Leadership development in this space is hugely important for team morale, customer service, and preparing for the great day when we are all gathered in public again, free of worry and ready to celebrate. Investing in retail leadership, and helping employees move from being do-ers to strong leaders, is the right move for a VUCA world… because we know that no matter what happens, these businesses are and will be an important part of our community and future.Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to grow leaders, build teams and drive results through great people strategy. Contact us to get proactive about expanding your company’s potential.