A Microsoft survey finds employees looking for a greater say when it comes to new technology investments and initiatives driving digital transformation efforts. Should employees have more say when it comes to digital initiatives?

Shopify’s New Year commitment to cut down on the number of meetings it holds for more than two people is being touted as a successful productivity hack by the company. What do you see as the keys to raising productivity among corporate workers at retail?

Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer introduced its inaugural FoRWARD Awards celebrating 28 women who have worked their way to the top of the male-dominated grocery industry. What career advice would you have for women seeking to advance in the grocery industry as well as for the stores and brands developing them as leaders?

In today’s fast-paced and often remote workplace, the question typically asked is whether or not brainstorming is still an effective approach to ideation and innovation. What do you see as the benefits and drawbacks of electronic versus in-person brainstorming?

Pacsun last week announced that Brie Olson, president and a member of the retailer’s board of directors, will be appointed co-CEO, effective March 9, replacing Alfred Chang, who is stepping down. Do you see the Pacsun co-CEO leadership model as something that has uniquely worked for the company or an example for other retailers looking to improve their performance?

Target had a lot to say about the importance of company culture in a keynote presentation at the 2023 NRF Big Show. Target CEO Brian Cornell led a discussion on the value of the company’s culture in successfully navigating the pandemic and the chain’s ongoing success. Has “culture,” as Target defines it, been as important to the retailer’s success throughout the pandemic as the people on the panel believe?

Marvin Ellison, CEO at Lowe’s, speaking at the NRF Big Show, said he learned early on that, to get ahead in his career, his best approach was to “just take tough assignments.” Every job he’s taken over the last 25 years has involved succeeding someone who was fired or pushed out. Do you agree with Marvin Ellison’s advice for individuals trying to advance their retail careers?

Nepotism has been in the limelight lately as Hollywood stars have had to defend themselves or their children over gaining an unfair advantage from family connections. Is nepotism at family-run businesses and elsewhere at retail a problem?

According to Harvard business administration professor Raffaella Sadun, the collapses of FTX and Theranos and the recent turmoil at Twitter prove “boring management matters” as well as the importance of context-specific skills and the ability to influence employees. Do you see more potential benefits than risks in having a charismatic retail CEO?

A new survey finds that professionals spend more than one-third of their working hours in meetings and they see about 30 percent of them as unnecessary. What do you see as the core problems with the way meetings are held today?

A new best-selling book from journalists at The New York Times, “McKinsey Comes To Town,” documents decades of scandalous behavior by the consultancy, raising questions to some about the legitimacy of the consulting industry and whether regulation is required. Have the scandals at McKinsey and other larger consulting firms in any way impacted the retail consulting world?

BrainTrust panelist Ron Margulis says, “Pardon my cynicism, but if I had a dollar every time I heard some variant of the phrase ‘the customer must be at the center of every retail decision’ at Groceryshop last week, I’d be able to buy a nice meal at one of the many overpriced restaurants in Las Vegas.” Does the customer really need to be the primary focus of every retail decision?

In its report, Microsoft revealed that 85 percent of managers “have a hard time knowing for sure that their people are being productive” away from the office. The effect this “productivity paranoia” has on leaders risks making hybrid work unsustainable. What solutions do you see for overcoming “productivity paranoia” developing out of remote and hybrid work environments?

With today’s shoppers interacting with retailers on their phones, through social media, websites and countless other modes, “unboxed retail” has created a dilemma for many retail formats anchored on street corners across America. What factors have become more important in guiding retail success amid increasingly “wherever, whenever, however” shopping behavior?

Outside of CEOs, lawyers and celebrities, salespeople score higher than all other professions for three negative personality traits collectively known in psychological theory as the dark triad, according to a recent study. Should individuals with such personality traits be better managed and possibly weeded out or is that a big ask for store managers?

Paraphrasing from John Maxwell’s leadership mantras, valuing people is foundational to changing your company, your community and the world. What traits are common to successful companies with missions to help their employees thrive?

Without the typical in-person social interaction, virtually selling tends to be transactional and lonely, not only impacting morale, but sales effectiveness, according to a new article. What’s your take on the pros, cons and hurdles around virtual selling?

A social media firestorm erupted after a manager of Dollar Tree store in Indiana last week posted a sign disparaging Gen-Z’s work ethic and proclaiming a “Baby Boomers ONLY” hiring plea. What’s your take on the work habits of Gen-Z versus previous generations when they were at the same stage in their lives?

Dave Wendland’s journey to gaining recognition as a thought leader did not begin by accident, nor did it occur overnight. What advice would you have for someone seeking to establish themselves as a thought leader within the retail industry?

A recent Wall Street Journal article observed about business buzzwords, “Some are just hackneyed. Others signal something, but mean nothing specific. Others nod to a shiny virtual future, which they may or may not deliver. Some are just irritating.” What buzzword or phrase do you find most overused at present?

A new university study finds that, while high-empathy leaders tend to be better at giving negative feedback in a helpful manner, they become more distressed, inattentive and less effective at their jobs afterwards. What tips would you offer for delivering as well as receiving feedback?

A primary way to accelerate decision-making, rethink strategies and drive transformation is to move out of your comfort zones. What tips would you have for moving beyond your comfort zone to embrace new ideas?

The reason companies often fail to fully benefit from the retention of consultants may be due to oversimplification or underestimation of what it takes to create results, and treating consultants “as transactional vendors.” What advice would you have for retailers and brands to ensure their investments in consultants pay off?

New research from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania finds major benefits to expressing emotions in the workplace. Is encouraging the sharing of emotions net beneficial on selling floors, corporate retail offices, both or neither?

A recent survey of more than 25,000 people, aged 18 to 40, across 35 countries found half believing their age would help their chances of success. What’s the ideal age to start a retail business or launch a brand?

A new study found corporations with “very effective” CMO-CIO working relationships have sizable advantages in driving data-driven innovation, but that only 23 percent of corporations believe they have attained such collaboration. What should be primary and secondary priorities in driving collaboration between marketing and IT?

A new university study finds store loyalty, purchase intentions and spending behavior are negatively affected when consumers encounter a salesperson who is standing nearby. What channels or types of stores may be guilty of associates sometimes being too attentive for in-store shoppers?

Although change for change’s sake is seldom a good course of action, a well-executed brand refresh could be just what the doctor ordered — if the underlying rationale justifies such measures. What do you consider the right and the wrong reasons to undergo a brand update?

A university study shows that when women express calm, happy emotions, they are perceived as more effective leaders than men. The effect is most pronounced for leaders in top positions in an organization. Do women leaders have an advantage in connecting emotionally with employees or does that conclusion misjudge men?

Authenticity in leadership is judged by how you behave, how you communicate and how you serve your stakeholders and customers. What traits define authenticity in leadership?

Best Buy looked like a retail chain on its way out of business in the early 2010s. Under the guidance of then-CEO Hubert Joly, however, the retailer turned its fortunes around in impressive fashion. What can other retailers pursuing turnarounds learn from Best Buy’s experience?

Last year, many companies struggled to implement tactics to build resilience into their organizations to survive short-term perils, without losing sight of long-term strategies for an unknown future state. What tips would you have for businesses for building resilience in uncertain times?

New research found that IQ is unquestionably the better predictor of job performance and career success, but when it comes to entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence was found to be the stronger predictor of success. In what ways have you seen EQ being key to entrepreneurial success vs. IQ?

The death of creativity and imagination are at the heart of low sales in retail shops around the world. Some think technology is the answer — not The Retail Doc. What suggestions would you have to help retail associates overcome selling fears?

In separate virtual sessions last week at the 2021 NRF Big Show, Marvin Ellison, CEO of Lowe’s and Wayfair co-founder and CEO Niraj Shah shared perspectives on how each of the businesses’ operations have set them up for success. What do you see as the biggest impediments to operational excellence throughout retailing today?

After-Christmas retail can be fun — even with a pandemic — as long as you stay focused on making money and minimizing returns instead of just giving profits away through aggressive promotions and discounts. What tips do you have for minimizing the impact of returns and maximizing sales in the week after Christmas?

From delayed launches to expansions put on hold, COVID-19 has caused many organizations to scrap plenty of plans — thus putting innovation at risk. What advice can you offer for driving iterative or disruptive innovation in a remote work environment?

COVID-19 has intensified the need for marketing and IT to work together while also creating new stress points for both departments that potentially sidetrack collaboration, according to a new report.  Do you see the COVID-19 pandemic helping to drive IT and marketing collaboration and transforming each department’s role?

The words innovation are often thrown around when it comes to retail businesses and the executives that lead them, although very few leaders, in fact, really qualify. Do you think retail leaders today are more willing to practice their personal values than those in the past?

A great retail store manager develops teams, continually inspires and elevates morale. The job has become increasingly tech-savvy. Having the right attitude and being open to feedback, however, is a core trait of managers that are a cut above. What are the hard and soft skill sets that make a successful store manager today?

One of the top elements of an employer brand – for 73 percent of the professionals surveyed – is having a defined and clearly articulated culture, according to a new report. What are the biggest hurdles to creating a strong employee brand and making it visible to prospective recruits?

Completely rearranging daily routines and continually adapting amid significant uncertainty can take a huge toll on the spirits of store owners and managers. What suggestions would you have for chain executives on down to store owners on how to manage anxiety amid the pandemic?

In a recent survey of Americans who are working remotely, 55 percent felt less connected to their company. Overall, the survey found favorable perceptions, but isolation and distractions were tied as the biggest challenges. Do you see working from home as having a positive, neutral or negative effect on corporate culture?

One long-lasting outcome of the pandemic affecting everyday business will involve many more remote workers and expanded video conferencing. What do you find are the advantages and shortcomings of remote communications versus face-to-face?

Retailers and their consulting partners must adapt to the coronavirus. Probably the biggest change in their business model is the travel ban. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing retailers and their technology suppliers and consultants as a result of the coronavirus outbreak?

Countless articles and studies have been published that endorse the concept of collaboration-friendly environments. But it seems that a gap remains in effectively moving a team toward execution. Which of the four components for encouraging collaboration mentioned in the article do you think is most critical?

Each year we ask successful retailers how they make each trade show trip profitable. Here are some of their top secrets. Which of the tips above do you find most valuable?

An assistant store manager is a bridge between the manager, who is frequently unavailable on the sales floor, and associates. They also often become store managers themselves. Should the assistant store manager basically provide back-up to the store manager or does the position entail much more?

A focus on implementing a few best practices now can ensure a store’s team is optimally prepared for Christmas selling. What suggestions would you have for store managers on establishing a strong selling culture ahead of the Christmas season?

Executive coach Jerry Colonna wants managers to stop focusing on output and achievement. Instead, he wants them to engage in radical self-inquiry, which builds the maturity required for leaders to lift up others, not just themselves. Do the skills that help individuals initially succeed often become detrimental with greater leadership roles?