S&S Activewear

In business, especially retail, the main object is to make the sale or ‘take care of the customer.’ In most cases, businesses put all of their focus on customers. Smart businesses focus on taking care of their associates because happy associates, in turn, take care of their customers. In my opinion, smarter companies pour into their leaders because, ultimately, they have the biggest impact because they directly lead and influence those associates who take care of the customers.

I was born and raised on the west side of Detroit. I attended Michigan State University, where I earned my B.A. in Supply Chain Management. From there, I went on to work for several different Fortune 100 companies, where I led both small and large teams. I have helped departments increase productivity by over 25% and even helped a company save $1M by modifying SOPs. I have been fortunate to have these kinds of opportunities, but the most important part of my decade-plus[1]long career has been my ability to develop leaders. I pride myself and am very intentional about being a good leader.

There is no secret to the success that I’ve had over the years. Any leader that I’ve led understands my expectations and approach to leading people. I operate in 2 ‘Highs’ and 2 ‘Extremes.’

The first high is High Energy. Energy is contagious. Good energy spreads, but bad energy spreads even quicker. Energy sets the tone for how your team is going to respond to you and how they are going to perform. It’s important to have good positive energy because it affects the way you think, and mindset is 70 percent of the battle.

Smart businesses focus on taking care of their associates because happy associates, in turn, take care of their customers.

The second high is high engagement. To be a good leader, you have to be ‘in the know.’ This simply means you’re knowledgeable about the business you’re in. People will look to you for answers. Associates will start to lose confidence in a leader they can’t go to for answers. Also, you can’t lead a team or operation you don’t know. I’m so in tune with my operation that if I step onto the floor, I can literally feel if something isn’t right. I know associates by name, and yes, I make it my business to learn and understand them. This helps me keep my team motivated to exceed goals every day!

The first extreme is extreme execution. As leaders, we get paid to execute. End of story. Attempts are cool, but at the end of the day, we are judged for what we actually do. We don’t make excuses. We get it done by any means necessary (ethically, legally, and safely, of course).

The second extreme is extreme ownership. As leaders, we don’t point fingers. We take ownership of every situation and see it through. No one can win in an environment of finger[1]pointing. It’s counter-production. Every issue is my issue, and I will ensure that it’s fixed. Good leaders think this way.

For any business to be successful, the company must invest in its leaders. Good leaders protect the bottom line in many ways. The most crucial role for a good leader is to develop future leaders. That is how customers are ultimately taken care of, and businesses win for many years.