Arnold Interview Part 3

7. In your experience, how do you elevate a “rank and file” employee to the level of “brand ambassador/brand evangelist?” Why do you feel retailers miss the boat?

Once again it goes back to having a clear vision for the company that is effectively communicated through every part of the organization. I believe that job descriptions should be tied into the vision of the company, so it is clear to the employee how their job effects the execution of the company vision.
Once people understand how their performance affects the customer experience, they are motivated to execute the vision, and achieve the performance goals set before them.
Most specialty retailers don’t have clearly communicated visions and goals, and many don’t even have written job descriptions.

8. Describe a time when you took an active role in the career growth of an employee or group of employees. What did you do to try and improve their effectiveness and morale?

A few years ago I was put in charge of the team in the corporate office. After meeting with the group a few times, it became clear that they did not have a clear understanding of the impact their work had on the company. The feeling among the group was that they were the “forgotten” employees. I initiated a series of meetings where they could voice their opinions and ideas, which set the stage for helping them to understand how important their work is (and that I saw the importance of it!). Once again it goes back to the “vision thing”; helping people understand the vision of the company and how their work helps the vision become a reality.
When the vision and their roles became clear to the team, we were then able to set performance goals for each position and inspire each other to reach them.
I also implemented some special perks for this team; the sales team is constantly getting perks and goals to shoot for, and I wanted to do the same for the corporate office.

9. Describe a leader you admire the most?

The leaders I admire are people who achieve success without losing their core convictions. Ronald Reagan is probably on top of my list; his optimism and dedication to his core beliefs never wavered.