Healthy self-reflection remains a good way of making sure you’re staying ahead instead of falling behind.
To find our path in life, we have to reach an understanding about our skillsets as well as what we enjoy the most. I don’t want to spend my life doing something I don’t enjoy, and I think you’d agree. Do you enjoy your work? If you’re struggling, or if your work has lost some of the magic it once had, how might you change things? Exactly a year ago in this column, I wrote about the traits of a good manager and invited owners and managers to consider the ways in which they lead their teams. This is always important. Arguably, it’s more important than ever before. As the world around us changes, retailers will need to embrace flexibility—if they haven’t already—and learn to pivot to embrace new technologies and revenue streams. In order to accomplish this, businesses will need strong teams. Businesses will need to ensure they’ve created an environment in which employees are encouraged to learn, grow and thrive.
Keep learning to stay ahead of the curve
In this month’s Model Mentor feature, Michael Betts traces the progression of his career, recalling a moment when a mentor chose to advise him. He found his path when he got familiar with his strengths and learned to hone them. In Strategy and Tactics, industry leaders talk about building a strong team. In Retail News, Lumberton, NC-based Extreme Soundz laments the difficulties of finding more qualified staff members to join its team. So much of this involves knowing oneself, communicating and getting familiar with strengths and weaknesses. How do you see this playing out in your own professional life?
In this issue, we’ve also highlighted KnowledgeFest Atlantic City in our show coverage, as well as our topical What’s Happening feature. Company representatives observe that there’s a deep gulf between businesses that are doing really well and businesses that are struggling. Seth Halstead of VOXX touches on his disparity, noting that his company aims to help improve the experience not just for end-users, but retailers, as well. In the continually changing landscape, Ken Litten of DAS advised industry professionals to keep learning and get ahead before they fall behind.
Take the time to assess your approach in the coming months
As we move from summer into fall, take the time to consider the coming season and make some notes. What shifts have you observed in your business? What changes have you observed in your customer base, and how might you strengthen your approach to better serve them? Is your business doing well, or are you struggling? When it comes to growing your business, improving your marketing approach for the coming season or planning for the future, be sure to ask your team members for their feedback. During the Industry Awards ceremony, we often hear award-winning retailers thank their team, making the point that a business is nothing without its internal support system. There’s a reason for this. When we listen to the voices of others and make room for varying perspectives, we become stronger. As we move from summer into fall, and fall into winter, let’s take a closer look at our choices, our strategy and the environments in which we’ve built our legacies. Need to make changes? Make them. And most of all, learn from them.
“As the world around us changes […] businesses will need to ensure they’ve created an environment in which employees are encouraged to learn, grow and thrive.