Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM FEBRUARY 2019 54 I recently returned from the Furniture Today Leadership Conference with an abundance of inspiring new leadership ideas. I found one session to be particularly relevant to our industry, and to our BrandSource members. The presenter was Lorri Kelley, CEO of Lorri Kelley Advisors, who has more than 25 years' experience in executive leadership and sales. Lorri's executive experience includes serving as president of BDI Furniture, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Palliser Furniture, chief operating officer at Home Elements, and various roles in the retail store program at Rowe Furniture, among others. Lorri's session, "The Art of Creating Great Leaders," was full of practical, actionable, measurable advice that can help retail dealers create strong leaders. Lorri said that the first thing real leaders need to do is focus on creating and cultivating more leaders. Creating great leaders, she stressed, is best done by employing the leadership Four E's. 1. Engage. Leaders lead at all levels, from the boardroom to the mailroom. They engage with their employees and keep a sharp eye open to spot employees who are demonstrating an ability to take on larger roles and assignments. 2. Equip. Leaders carefully nurture their ability to build their employees up, in part by "training them up." Make sure you're giving your team the tools they need to grow your overall talent pool. 3. Empower. Good leaders know how – and when – to hand over responsibility. Lorri Kelley admitted that this can often be the toughest of the Four E's, because successful people often believe that nobody can do it better than they can. But, even if it's true, she says, a leader cannot cultivate new leaders without handing over the reins at the right time. 4. Execute. Strong leaders take steps to give their leaders-in- training a strong head start. She notes, "You can engage, equip and empower, but unless you execute to get your people started, you will miss the mark." Kelley has adapted the Four E's into a simple, effective leadership grid. In the box marked Engage, she notes that this is the area where the leader says, "I watch – you do." In other words, allowing the employee to see firsthand what you're doing as a leader is one of the most effective ways to engage them. For the grid marked Equip, the leader essentially tells the employee, "I do – you help." By allowing the employee to take a proactive, hands-on role, the leader begins to equip them to develop the tools and skills they will need in their role as a leader. In the Empower grid, the leader tells the employee, "You do – I help." Here, the leader stands back and takes his/her hands off the wheel, but remains close enough to step in as needed. The final grid, Execute, is where the leader says, "You do – I watch." At this point, the employee has been prepared not only to start actively leading, but to seek out and empower others to lead. Summing up these steps, Kelley advised the leaders in the room to raise their own leadership standard – to "let their leadership ceiling become their leadership floor." Kelley closed by sharing seven characteristics of a great leader: 1. Leaders inspire others to achieve more than they ever thought possible. 2. Leaders listen more than they speak. 3. Great leaders begin with a person – not a title. 4. Great leadership is about wisdom, not education. 5. Great leaders first become great followers. 6. Great leaders demonstrate stability while driving change. 7. Great leaders give back. They always pay it forward. Good leadership skills are essential to the success of every business, regardless of its size. I hope this roadmap will help us all to develop great leaders in the retail furniture and appliance industry. To contact Lorri, visit www.lorikelley.com. Mike Allen Furniture Trends IS YOUR COMPANY POSITIONED FOR ITS NEXT LEADER? RO E. Michael Allen – VP Home Furnishings AVB/BrandSource

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