It’s a Privilege to Lead During this Uncertain Time and Pull the Lessons Forward

Last week, I had the great opportunity to join the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Leadership event, where various leaders discussed the qualities we see as necessary to guide businesses and organizations to success during this period of economic and social uncertainty. After a year managing through a global pandemic, the subject of leadership has very much been on my mind. 

This year, I've had the fortune of working with many strong leaders on my own team, and I've connected or reconnected with leaders at other companies across several industries. For most, this year presented the biggest professional challenges of our lives. And for me, managing through this global pandemic has presented valuable lessons around what matters most in leadership: Communication, Decisiveness, Agility, Innovation and Courage. 

In moments of chaos and crisis, communication brings clarity and confidence. Leaders need to be transparent about the challenges they are up against, and optimistic about the ability to overcome them. 

Being open and transparent with associates amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic has been a key priority for me. But, it's more than just transparency; it's about connection. People want to follow leaders who share both the good news and the real challenges, who explain the thinking around big decisions so they feel involved and informed, and who show empathy for everyone on the team so they see that you understand them. 

Teams that feel informed and connected to you will come with you through the journey, will give you the benefit of the doubt, will show up to be a part of the solution together, and will listen openly and enthusiastically when you share news about the future and what needs to be done to get there. 

Candid and transparent communication must be balanced with optimism. People need leaders who are grounded in the present yet always looking to the future—creating hope and trust for people that this is a team they want to be a part of. It’s why showing up with positive energy for your people is so critical—especially now. I am asking all of our leaders at Kohl’s to be present for their teams, to have empathy, to look optimistically at our future, and to create an environment of openness and inspiration for people to do their best work.

Everything about running a business—in still or rough waters—is about making forward progress. Especially in times of crisis or challenge, progress is always made by balancing decisive action with agility.  

The best leaders are great decision makers—and great decisions are made by having a clear understanding of the goal, taking in all the relevant information or data, welcoming debate and the opinions of others, weighing the risks and rewards, and reaching a decisive conclusion in order to take action. In times of crisis, rarely will you have all the relevant information and rarely will you have the luxury of time. For the sake of forward progress, you must make the best decisions with what you do have, what you do know. Then, expect to make adjustments as you go. That's not a reflection of a bad decision or poor execution, that's agility—the ability to learn while moving, and incorporate the real-life learnings in real time.

In the depths of a crisis, we must lead with a growth mindset and cultivate a culture of innovation and courage.

The bar has been raised for how all industries, and especially retailers, operate. This past year has changed the way people and teams operate, how consumers will shop, and what they expect from retailers in the future. Leaders should not be daunted by this rate of change, we should be inspired by it. 

At Kohl's, we've taken inspiration from the acceleration in consumer trends to push our teams to innovate and make bigger, bolder moves in order to serve customers today and well into the future. The insights around today’s consumer preferences have served as the basis of our new long-term strategic framework that will pave the path for a bigger, bolder, customer-centric future at Kohl's.

As an organization, we have been fostering a more courageous culture to set the stage for the next era at Kohl's. The pandemic has only accelerated our cultural transformation. We are more agile, innovative and courageous, and I’ve seen our best thinking, best decision-making, and most brave work this past year. As we look to the year ahead and beyond, I’m committed to ensuring we bring this new and evolved innovative spirit forward.

For Kohl’s, 2020 will be one of the most pivotal years in our history. We’ve faced extraordinary challenges but also have the most opportunities we’ve ever had—and for that, we’ll emerge a stronger and better company. And I’m looking forward to all of the exciting changes ahead for the retail industry overall.

This upcoming year presents an important opportunity for all of us to think differently about how we want to show up for our businesses and our teams. How will you show up differently this year? What lessons are you pulling forward?

Leave me a comment to share your thoughts—I’d love to hear from you.