Got your newest guide yet?
How to Write Impactful Reviews That Matter
Annual reviews are just around the corner. Writing employee reviews used to feel like climbing Mt. Everest. Then, I developed a process that streamlined the whole thing.
Now, I get to share all my best practices with you. This 8-minute read will show you how to plan, write, and deliver impactful reviews that matter.
"Kit uses simple language and avoids extra jargon. This guide is relatable, engaging, and easy to apply." - Vaia Mesitsa, Assistant Manager.
You can grab it right here.
Now, on with today's newsletter.
Welcome to Retail Renegades.
In every issue, I tear into 1 of the 10 biggest problems all retail leaders face:
- Delegation
- Priority order
- Building culture
- Self-confidence
- Speaking up
- Time management
- Actionable empathy
- Dealing with an overbearing boss
- Clear & consistent communication
- Streamlining processes - working smarter & saving time.
(If you want to smash all 10 of these AND master the fundamentals of running a kick-ass store, I'd love to have you in The Break Room.)
Speaking Up
Advocating for yourself and others.
This week, I want to help you be an outstanding partner to your bosses.
Here's how you do it.
Rule number one: Push back.
The world of work has changed dramatically over the past two years.
The pandemic stood up and flipped a table over on us; some got used to working from home, and then many questioned what we do for work.
Quiet quitting entered our lexicon, and so did quiet firing.
Now, people are figuring out how to do work they enjoy without sitting in gridlock for four hours a day or missing their kid's bedtimes.
But no matter how we work, we all deserve a boss who is our true partner so that we can be that true partner back.
True partnership and teamwork include asking questions and pushing back.
Once I was comfortable in my career and my team-building skills, I was vocal with my questions or concerns.
- My priority was taking care of my team.
- The second priority was customer service.
- Third was company directives.
Later in my career, I had a great district manager. She was dialed in. She knew all the answers and worked as hard as we did. She helped however she could. She once worked as the visual manager in a store for four days because there was no one else to do it, and she figured she might as well.
Four days.
Do you know how hard the job of a visual manager is?
They receive and process all the shipment at ungodly hours of the day. Then they manage a team of people to sort all that, get it to the floor, and execute any floor moves the company hands down. Often, these teams help with floor coverage and customer service, too.
So she did that for eight hours and then had to be a district manager, too. Like, what? Anyway, she was in it to win it, is what I'm saying. She was a real one.
She knew I was working my guts out, too, so I would often push back, question company directives, and say no to small things I deemed a waste of time.
This is how true teamwork evolves.
Without discussion, you cannot arrive at a better version.
I'd shut up when I knew it was time.
One summer, I was re-hiring a fantastic employee. I was hiring her back because I suspected my assistant manager would soon quit, and I planned to promote her to that spot once he did.
The time came sooner than expected, and he quit before she started, but her paperwork had gone through. I pushed hard to get her more money (outside of the raise she'd get when we moved her up). I brought it up several times until one day, my boss was like, straight up, "NO. It's not going to happen."
So, I shut up about it.
Did I think it was wrong? Yes. But it no longer mattered. I said what I had to say - several times. She said no - several times. That conversation was over.
That interaction didn't stop me from challenging her or questioning company directives, but you have to know when you've lost. I lost, so I moved on.
"Regardless of what you do, you're in the people business." - Simon Sinek
Being a fantastic partner to your boss does involve speaking what's on your mind. It does involve pushing back, getting creative, and streamlining processes. You're all on the same team here.
However, a fine line exists between being an excellent partner and being a jerk. Every brilliant idea you have will not be adopted. Your boss will not hand down every raise you want for your team.
Collaboration, transparency, and teamwork are the quickest ways to achieve positive results. It doesn't matter what business you're in. All businesses work like this because humans run all businesses.
If you are fortunate enough to have a boss who even entertains these conversations, you're lucky. Many bosses do not.
If you find a boss like this, hang around for a few years.
If you can be a boss like this, your team will be more engaged, dedicated, and driven for results.
Just watch.
Mailbox
I got this DM this week.
Hello! I am so glad to have found your page. I have often felt worthless in my retail career, and I appreciate you speaking up for all of us. Thank you for helping me "rehire myself" by inspiring me, allowing me to start fresh each day. You are the rebel of retail and it is refreshing!
Man, I'm so bummed that so many people have felt worthless in their retail careers. The people who work retail are so talented. But I am glad they found my work, and they feel inspired.
BTW:
Check out the latest podcast I was on right here if you haven't already.
F’ing Up is a podcast dedicated to sharing real truths about the career journeys of successful individuals.
Host, Deanne Rhynard, interviews these individuals, points out what they’ve achieved and immediately throws that out the window and focuses on the tripping hazards along the way.
Society has programmed us, largely by way of social media, to think success happens easily and overnight. Deanne points out the realities and humanizes the experience by asking probing questions and urging guests to be vulnerable.
Level-Up
One thing you can do today to be a better leader.
Speak up!
Yeah, you knew I was gonna say that.
Speak up for yourself and others. Advocate! It's how good leaders become great! It's also how you move business forward.
Hit reply and let me know what you think of this newsletter. Good? Bad? Helpful? Do you have questions you want answered?
See you next time,
Kit
Looking for more ways to save time and run an awesome store? Let's go!
If you want to learn how to write an excellent schedule in 60 minutes, go here. This ten-minute read will save you time and make your store more money, even if you are new to leadership.
Got a store visit coming up? Want to know how to prepare? Go here.
I'll show you how to prep for a store visit and you won't have to work twelve-hour days.
Score 20% off right now.
Buy one and you'll have the option to add the other in the checkout screen. 🤓
⭐️ Want ALL the how-to nitty, gritty info?
Order my book today! The Retail Leader's Field Guide: How to Run a Kick-Ass Store Where Everyone Wants to Work will help leaders at all levels, even if they are new to leadership.
See you next time!
PS - You're a badass and you can do hard things.
PPS - Stay rad.