CAREER DEVELOPMENT By Jason Odell, CFI
Mentoring the Big Jump A
Odell currently serves as senior field asset protection manager covering the southeastern division for a large hardlines retailer. He leads a team spanning fourteen states and the Caribbean. With 19 years of experience in the loss prevention industry, Odell is recognized as a certified forensic interviewer (CFI) and is a member of the International Association of Interviewers. He is an alumnus of The Penn State University where he studied law and society. Odell can be reached by email at odelljason1@gmail.com.
Altitude Change
s leaders in the asset protection industry, we have the unique opportunity to mold our star performers from their current role to the next stage of their career. This jump in their responsibility can range from taking the journey from one store to their first multiple-store assignment, or from district to regional management. Our role in supporting this upward change is to prepare them for the vast differences they will face in their new position. Whether the changes are emotional, geographical, or functional, we owe our new leader the skills and insight to remain successful and build on the potential that brought them here. In most cases, our star is walking into their new role with limited opportunities to observe the behind-the-scenes functions that we sometimes take for granted. When our promoted leader first takes the reins of his or her new team, they are often blinded by the whirlwind of changes that are taking place in their new world. In most cases, they are too busy trying to keep up with their transformation to stop and learn how to deal with the significant changes they are enduring. Yet while these adjustments and life lessons are an important aspect of their growth and development, there are several things that we can do to mentor and assist in their journey to ensure that they are successful, and the stress of the changes are minimized.
With upward promotion comes a different level of thinking. Moving into a new role will also mean managing a different set of responsibilities. The thought process revolving around what is truly important will change and become more global. At a store or district level, AP professionals are flying close to ground level. The move to 30,000 feet can be significant, and quite often a new leader has not been prepared for this flight. Taking time to start the mental transformation will be important and will decrease stress once your mentoree gets in their new role. Take them out of their comfort zone as often as possible during the process. Your current star will thank you for it later. Report Analysis. If possible, assign higher-level reports to be reviewed, analyzed, and reported back on. This practice will provide many benefits down the road. We must teach our future leaders how to lead a team and course-correct a store without having immediate physical access to the location. Lead Store Visits. Have the mentoree lead store visits with you in other markets or stores they are not familiar with and have not previously visited. This not only gives them an opportunity to get out of their comfort zone, but also gives them a taste for the job prior to being thrown into the fire.
Communication
Prioritization
With job transition comes a change in communication. The new leader will be experiencing different kinds of discussions with a different level of leadership. Whether it is email, simple conversations, or conference calls, our mentoree should be prepared and know exactly what to expect. Here are some ways that you can help. Conference Calls. Once you’ve identified high-potential employees, allow your mentoree to run your conference calls on occasion. This helps with their confidence level and gives them a rhythm for their own calls when the time is right. Get permission for your student to listen in on other leadership calls. Whether it’s your supervisor’s calls or another member of leadership that they will likely interact with, listening in on these calls prepares them for what they will be dealing with on a first-hand basis. Email Communication. Send out practice emails that you typically get and respond to. This practice will help get them focused on the potential changes in upward communication. It might include anything from an email received from a vice president to one you simply make up. Have your mentoree respond to you and then set aside time to critique the response. This will improve their communication skills and might prevent a communication regret down the road.
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New leaders often struggle with prioritizing issues that need to be addressed. Fires can spread quickly and our mentoree will be trying to impress his or her superiors and business partners with every decision they make. The eagerness to please those important to us sometimes blindfolds the thought process, thus leading to poor and ineffective choices. This can also lead to trying to tackle too many tasks at once, which can further dilute our effectiveness. We need to teach our future leaders to prioritize decisions and projects to get the biggest impact with the least amount of time and effort. Teach the Numbers. Leaders should know where they stand in all areas of profit and loss at all given moments. This should be a consistent element of all of the various decisions that are made. Does it make us money? Does it prevent loss? Will it make the job easier? If it falls into one of these categories, our leader should take a deeper look.
Global Thinking
The decisions we make will often provide great benefits, but can also have the potential for adverse effects on our entire markets. New leaders often make situational decisions in one location that eventually bleed over to other markets. Additionally, such decisions must also
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