Tara Garvin

Retail managers have to learn to be so multiple faceted in order to be a successful leader in their role.

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What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation? I saw this question shared on Facebook and immediately I had my answer. How important the development of a team (sports, work, family) really is. Communication is so important. Sometimes that communication is difficult or uncomfortable but it’s necessary. Coaching is often msinterrupted as criticism but most of the time, it’s only because your leader sees potential in you and wants you to be successful. Caring and investment in your team will go a long way but that doesn’t mean you have to beat around the bush and it also doesn’t mean you only have the easy conversations. I’ll stop there, but I could go on and on and on. At the end of the day, it’s all about people. #encourage #teams #development #communicate #coach #care #effort #success

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Want to create a store that people actually enjoy shopping at? Here are 5 strategies to engage people and keep them coming back: 1. Offer exclusive, limited items It creates urgency and excitement. 2. Make it interactive People love to engage with products and each other. 3. Have a clear layout People take less time deciding what to buy. 4. Use social media to share your story People love to know the story behind their favorite products. 5. Deliver a fantastic customer experience Smiling faces, prompt service, and easy returns. Bonus tip: Empower your employees to take care of customers. By following these tips, you can create a store that stands out from the crowd and attracts loyal, repeat customers.

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It pays to be prepared for the summer months in retail. Here are 4 strategic things I'm doing to plan for success. #SummerPlanning #SuccessStrategies #RetailStrategy

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5 lessons from 2 years with Walmart. Here are 6 quotes that mean a lot to me and how I apply them to my life and work. • “Choose your hard.”- What can you be good at that others run from? This is where you make up ground and separate yourself. “Glad to be here” -Blue angels slogan -I use it to express joy, awareness and readiness to perform at the highest level. I truly love what I do and I am thankful to be able to do it each day. “First learn the rules of the game, then play better than everyone else.”- Albert Einstein - I spent my first couple months learning how to run overnights, seeing what systems that were in place and working and what I could tweak or change to make the team more efficient. After that it’s all about buy in, working with the team and leading them by being a servant leader. “Circumstance does not change responsibility.”- Bedros Keuilian - Freight hours are a huge topic for overnights. The way we look at it is, not how many hours we have, or how short are we. We work backwards from the goal of everything needs done. Now how do we make that happen. Where can myself or my TL hop in? Where can our aces beat times to help us get farther? Do we swarm some dept first? Or last? Or push through a large team like frozen dairy who we can then break out into aisles? The game is all strategy, but we all love it. “Every dawg ain’t a leader and every leader ain’t a dawg.”- Deion Sanders - The quote says it all. #retail #walmart #coach #overnight #growth #career #development

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So much truth behind this article! Retail leaders have such a wide range of skills and an over abundance of soft skills.

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It's important to recognize our worth and be proud of ourselves. Developing a growth mindset is essential to success, especially in leadership. Thanks to my experience with #Oldnavy's Ascend training program, I was able to understand the power of mindset early on. This program helped me grow and develop the skills necessary to succeed as a young leader. I'm grateful for the knowledge and experience I gained through that leadership program. #growthmindset #leadership #professionaldevelopment #reflecting #stayvibey 🌸

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🤖 **Exploring HR Automation: Seeking Insights from Industry Leaders** 🤖   As businesses continue to evolve in the digital age, Human Resources departments are increasingly turning to automation to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and elevate the employee experience. At Chewy, we're committed to staying at the forefront of this transformative journey.   Today, I invite HR professionals and industry leaders to join the conversation. We're keen to learn from your experiences and insights into successful HR automations. Whether it's automating recruitment processes, optimizing onboarding procedures, utilizing Chatbots or revolutionizing performance management, we want to hear about the strategies, tools, and best practices that have made a tangible impact on your organization.   Share your stories, challenges, and triumphs in the comments below. Let's collaboratively navigate this ever-evolving landscape of HR automation and empower each other to drive meaningful change in our organization that supports our employees.   #HR #Automation #HumanResources #DigitalTransformation #IndustryInsights

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How are you currently managing your safety footwear program? Lehigh CustomFit can help alleviate one of the many pain points you may be experiencing. Reach out to me at 740-753-9100 x 2164 or send me a message on LinkedIn. #safety #onestopshop #employeesafety #management

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Can I give you some feedback? The dreaded question!!! Over the last few days I got to spend focused time with our Store Leaders from coast to coast leading some growth and development calls about what happens in our brains when we get feedback and how to ‘put the feedback on the table’ in front of you, so you can see it for what it is, overcome those triggers that make you want to scream, and move forward. I’ll share some tips in the coming days, but asking for feedback is my top piece of advice when people ask me ‘how do I grow in my career?’ My response - be relentless in asking for feedback! #achievetheunachieveable

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🤏🏼LITTA BITTA VALUE🤏🏼 Focus. Today I reached my turnover goal for the entire fiscal year—in the second month of Q2! I have already posted a >25% reduction YTD. What did I start doing differently? The biggest thing: I focused on becoming more than just a paycheck. Compensation is important, and it’s a vehicle that drives retention and engagement—but at the end of the day if you *only* focus on money… … you’re going to lose out to a competitor that pays more than you do. Focus on what you can do to solve somebody’s problems. Just as much as you’re interviewing a candidate, a candidate is interviewing the company! Identify a problem🔍 Offer a solution🗣️ If you can build a bridge over a chasm an applicant previously thought impassable, you will pave the way for RETENTION. How can you do this during your interviews? Learn about the candidate outside of work. Be curious about their goals and how this partnership could positively affect them. Do everything you can to sell somebody on the wonderful benefits at your disposal versus *just* the check you can write them! #HRcommunity #poeoplepartner #interviewer #hiringmanager #compensation #LittaBittaValue #WhatCanIDoForYou ( 25 / 60 )

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The TJX Companies, Inc., the parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, is rolling out police-type body cameras for its store employees, in the latest approach taken on by retailers to tackle theft and shoplifting. 👉The initiative was disclosed by company execs during their last earnings call and has been in place in some stores since last year. 👉 The body cameras are intended to serve as a deterrent and preventive measure to help de-escalate incidents. 👉Not all employees will wear them, but only "select loss prevention associates" .i.e. security workers who have "gone through thorough training on how to use the cameras". 👉Video footage is only shared upon request by law enforcement or in response to a subpoena. Will the sight of a security staff wearing a tactical vest with a body cam be enough of a visual deterrence for bad actors? One to watch. #retail #retailing #lossprevention #shrink #shrinkage #stores #commerce #ecommerce https://lnkd.in/euBD22zT

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Top 5 things I've learned in the past 4 months of being a Store Manager of two stores. 1. Listening is a much more important skill than speaking. Your team will respect you and appreciate any advice you give them much more if you first take the time to listen. 2. Assess who is on your team. This means figure out who they are as a person, the skills they possess, and where they want to end up. And to the last point, not everyone will want to be in management like you...and that's ok! 3. It's ok to let the team make small mistakes. Often, associates will learn best from making mistakes and come back much stronger than if you had just taken over in the moment. 4. Develop and foster a culture of team work and positivity. This part can be the biggest challenge of all for some leaders. Culture is a living and breathing thing and without giving it attention it can fall apart. Encourage team members to share best practices with each other and celebrate all wins. 5. Be creative. There are many complex issues you will face as a leader. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you, other times you will need to get very creative and outsource some ideas from your fellow leadership. It never hurts to collaborate.

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"Did you give them a corrective action?" "Maybe it's time for a performance improvement plan." "Are you documenting every time they are late?" Performance management in retail is a largely bullshit system that is ineffective at changing behavior. Too many companies, and a lot of peers of mine in most companies I've been with, are all too quick with the paperwork and documentation. Leading with empathy, and compassion. Allowing for grace, and room for error and failing, is more difficult than rote write-ups, and black or white declarations, and stead fast compliance with arbitrary rules. People will be late, they will have days where they perform under their baseline, they will fail, and err, and stumble. And when they do- it is our job as leaders to lead. To show them what better is, to support them, to help them grow, to allow them space to fuck up, and have it not be a big deal. My teams have achieved incredible, sometimes award/contest winning results. We have done this not through individual performance metrics and strict adherence to "policy," but through working towards a goal as a collective. My people know I have their back, and know that I am there for their betterment, whether within my four walls or not. Too much of the typical PM approach is based on each individual perfectly adhering to certain metrics, timeliness, and arbirtrary rules (don't get me started on most dress codes, what a waste of fucking time). I don't document a lot of my conversations with my team because they are organic and filled with compassion and honesty and not intended to be used at a later date as a "gotcha" in case I ever want to fire them (Often the purpose of such documentation.) That is not leadership, that is manipulative, and quite frankly, I think it lacks integrity. When I've shared this viewpoint with others, especially peers, the same question is often asked, "But how do you hold people accountable then?" And to that I will always say, Accountability does not equal punishment. And when people ask, "but don't your other employees get mad or lose motivation when so and so isn't punished for _____." If they do, then I have not completed cultivating the team environment. I strive to create an atmosphere where there isn't a petty need to tattle tale and watch for others to be punished in order to be motivated. My teams understand that their peers will have bad days, and when they have one, it's okay, we will lift them up too. And I'm going to repeat because I think some people may need to read this many times: Accountability does not equal punishment.

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Expanding Your Retail Career Beyond the Store In retail, many believe that career growth is limited to working in stores. However, the truth is that the retail industry offers a wide range of career paths that go beyond just selling products. Here are some areas where you can grow your career in retail: 1. Headquarters Roles: Retail companies have headquarters where different teams work together to make important decisions. These teams handle things like finances, operations, human resources, and marketing. Working in headquarters allows you to have a bigger impact on the company's overall strategy. 2. Merchandising and Product Development: Merchandising is all about deciding which products to sell and how to present them in stores. It involves understanding what customers want and working with suppliers to get the right products. If you have a good eye for products and trends, this could be a great career path for you. 3. Marketing and Brand Management: Marketing is crucial for retail companies to reach and connect with customers. It involves creating campaigns and promotions to attract customers. Brand management focuses on how the company is perceived by customers. Both roles are creative and strategic, making them exciting career choices. 4. Supply Chain and Logistics: Supply chain and logistics are about making sure products get from suppliers to stores efficiently. It involves managing inventory and coordinating shipments. If you enjoy problem-solving and working with numbers, this area might be a good fit for you. 5. Store Operations and Management: Running a store involves overseeing daily operations, managing staff, and ensuring the store meets its targets. Store managers play a key role in driving sales and providing excellent customer service. If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, this could be a rewarding career path. 6. Career Growth Opportunities: Retail companies often provide training and development programs to help employees grow. The skills you learn in retail, such as customer service and sales, are valuable in many industries. This means you can explore other career paths outside of retail if you choose to. In conclusion, the retail industry offers diverse career opportunities beyond the sales floor. By considering these different paths, you can expand your career horizons and find a rewarding career in retail. 🚀 #careerdevelopment #retails #sportsdirectmalaysia #frasersgroup

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Over the years, I've found immense joy in training managers, supervisors, and staff members. As a store manager, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of well-structured, practical training programs and well directed motivation, taking my own stores from the bottom to the top performance. Unfortunately, many companies, including our own, often overlook this crucial investment.  While significant funds are directed towards recruitment agencies, the key to retaining and elevating staff performance lies in robust training initiatives. At times when recruitment is so challenging; structured practical, training should become companie's priority. What differentiates word leading companies are exemplary programs; like the Dyson Institute and Richard Branson's apprentice schemes; highlighting the long-term benefits of nurturing talent from within. I can clearly link; how investing in such training, not only enhances individual capabilities, motivates employees to perform at highest level, but as a result drives overall company success. 

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Since my Store Manager, Bobby Poole announced it on Friday, I will be returning back to work on Monday, July 1st!! I am incredibly thankful and blessed to work for a company that believes in giving it's employees PAID Maternity Leave and PAID Parental Leave! I've gotten to spend the last fourteen weeks at home with my tiny herd of babies! It truly has been a blessing! My husband, David, got 4 weeks of paid Parental Leave as well, which was not nearly enough. Fourteen weeks is more than most get, but it still isn't enough! (10 Maternity and 4 Parental.) I am a huge advocate for paid Maternity/Paternity Leave for families! Did you know that a baby doesn't realize that it isn't a part of his/her mother anymore for SIX months? This time is crucial for mama, dada, and baby to bond! 🤍 We won't even get into the time it takes for mom to heal post baby! Throw in birth trauma/PPD/PPA and it takes even longer to heal mentally, in addition to physically. Most countries around the world offer some type of paid time off for employees after they have a baby. The U.S. is one of the only countries that does not measure up globally to the minimum of six weeks of paid maternity leave and the global average of 18 weeks. Did you know that 1 in 4 employees in the US private sector have access to paid leave, that's a mere 23% of the employees in the private sector. That leaves 76% of them without access to paid leave. For that reason, and many others I haven't touched on, I will continue to advocate for better Maternity Leave for Moms and Paternity/Parental leave for the other parent. A HUGE shout out to my husband, David, and my two receivers, Jim and Rich for holding down the fort while I was gone. You three are amazing gentlemen. I appreciate you guys more than you know. Mama Hen is back and ready (sort of!) to get back on that Receving Forklift! 👏🏽 🚛 Lowe's Companies, Inc. #maternityleave #Lowes #receiving #advocate #lovewhereilive #lovewhereiwork #lowes0713 #lowesofbloomfieldhills #Wonderfold

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🏦Update to my last post and some thoughts on business efficiency🏦 Capital One has miraculously found my “lost” check and it took: 2.5 months. Several hours on the phone. 17 phone calls. 9 to Citi and 7 to Capital One. 1 time that Capital One called me. 19 call center support reps. 4 supervisors. 4 pieces of physical mail sent via USPS. 0 emails. 0 texts. 1 very gracious Senior Account Manager at Capital One who took a little responsibility and figured it out herself, which took all of 30 minutes. ———— There are a TON of lessons to learn here, but here’s a few I gathered: 1. How empowered are my people to find solutions? How often do they need to come to me to make something right? 2. What time consuming circus hoops are our customers jumping through that may be chasing them away? 3. How many “processes” are we placing on ourselves, that actually take away from the customer experience and in the end, lose us money? Everyday as a store manager, we uncover these new micro-inefficiencies that, once made efficient, not only save our business money, but make our customers and people happier. It took 1 well-paid senior account manager to get through the hoops that 23 others had either created for me, or for themselves. ———— When was the last time you evaluated your processes to make sure they empower not only your people, but your customers as well?

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