“During challenging economic times when sales and profits are declining and both retailers and CPG companies are struggling to achieve their goals, it’s critically important to realign on “Joint Value Plans” and maintain a scheduled process to ensure both the brand and retailers are achieving their goals or to realign plans to do so.”

“During a very challenging start-up at one of the P&G Mixing Centers, we were shipping late, cutting cases and our dock space and drop lots were full.  My boss, who is an incredible leader, exuded confidence in our team’s ability to resolve the issues, shielded us from dealing with leadership distractions, and when necessary, got into the nitty gritty details to help solve the issues. She didn’t just say go solve this problem. She participated in all the daily operational meetings, walked the floor, and engaged with the warehouse teams. I felt incredibly supported, and she reinforced for me how important is to be a servant leader and lead by example.”

“There are tremendous personal growth opportunities and skills to develop during times of uncertainty. It is not a time to sit and wait for something to happen to you or your company. The best leaders quickly ramp up engagement with their teams and enroll them in shaping the path for the future. I was fortunate to have a leader who role modeled these behaviors and allowed me to own a critical part of our company’s transformation during a deep recessionary period. The direct communication and on-going support allowed for much quicker decision making during this uncertain time, and it built commitment from each employee to achieve our strategic goals.”

“Great leaders quickly recognize changes in the marketplace and remain focused on customer acquisition. During an earlier economic shift, there was a realization at Family Dollar that our customers and prospective shoppers were shifting away from print, and we were heavily invested in electronic communications through emails and apps. Our Marketing Department, in collaboration with several large CPGs, built out a robust strategy to shift how we acquired new customers, converted light shoppers to heavy shoppers, and engaged with our current heavy shoppers. The strategy included the development of an app-based marketing strategy, which allowed for content marketing, social media marketing, coupon delivery, shopper conversion, etc.”

“The best leaders I have worked with were strong communicators that always kept the team focused on the customer. They would increase communication to their teams during uncertain or changing environments. These opportunities to talk to the team were critical to keeping everyone focused on the mission of using the lens of the customer for all decisions. The other huge benefit was aligning and empowering the organization. Aligned and empowered teams can accomplish so much more than individuals.”