Engagement is more than a buzzword, it is an output of effective leadership. If we were to simplify that thought process, we might be able to make a more significant impact on those we serve. There is no shortage of information related to the subject of engagement.

Creating an outstanding customer experience should be the goal of every retail leader. Over the past decade, voice of the customer type surveys have continued to gain in popularity. I would wager that nearly every major retailer has some level of customer satisfaction measure within their business.

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.

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 remember when you were a toddler and your favorite question was why? Maybe fresher in your memory is *your* toddler asking *you* why a seemingly endless number of times. Children do this because they are curious, and they really do want to understand more.

It feels great to complete a project, regardless of the size. There is a sense of accomplishment and pride that comes from getting to the finish line. Whether your project was a tremendous success or it had bumps along the way there is something that every project has.

You may wonder how coaching and customer service may go together outside the tradition thought of a manager coaching an employee on providing service to a customer. But, the two have more in common than one might suspect.

What are the most important skills I can learn to become a better leader?This is always a difficult question to answer. There is not a single, right answer. My responses almost always start with, ‘it depends’.

Servant Leadership is made up of many different components. At its foundation it is leadership that is based on the leader serving those around them. The leader prioritizes the needs of the team before satisfying there own needs.

Celebrating the successes from the previous year is always a good way to get the team excited for the year ahead. But recognition should not be a once a year event.

Everyone needs to know how they are doing. Understanding performance is a fundamental part of leadership. The term performance gets used in many different ways, but ultimately it is the outcome of our actions and behaviors.