Being an effective retail executive means staying at the top of your game, and seeking top-level coaching and mentoring that’s tailored to the needs of retail executives is an essential element of your career tool kit.
What is an executive retail coach and mentor?
An executive retail coach and mentor is an experienced and qualified professional, with a specialised knowledge of the retail industry. Your coach will work to develop skills like goal setting, clarity around development targets and help uncover keys to unlocking potential. They will also offer a listening ear, and a way to uncover solutions to problems encountered.
What does a retail executive coach and mentor do?
The role of an executive coach and mentor is to be a source of confidential discussion and development. By asking questions, addressing long-held assumptions and steering the path to clarity, a coach can help their client to identify and achieve their goals. A coach may provide advice, but only with express permission. Coaches may also use familiar tools such as 360° assessment and behavioural analysis. The underlying goal is to foster and inspire their clients’ sense of autonomy and engender an understanding of being in control of their own performance and desired outcomes.
Who are retail executive coaches and mentors for?
No longer seen as a means of “fixing” broken colleagues, seeking top-level coaching and mentoring is regarded as an essential element of career success. People in a retail executive role may well source their own coaches or mentors, but it’s more usual that they will seek advice from the human resource department who will have access and understanding of the range of coaching and mentoring available in a particular industry sector.
Where can I find an executive retail coach?
Various firms offer specialised executive coaching and mentoring and there may be an established provider associated with your company. It’s important to be sure that the coaching service you commission has close knowledge of the retail sector and the quirks and challenges that this industry brings, to garner concrete confidence in the process, particularly if any participants are a little sceptical of the need for coaching or mentoring.
While word of mouth recommendations are a valuable resource, you may find that approaching a specialist like Anthony Gregg means you can have complete confidence that you and your colleagues are part of a coaching and mentoring programme that truly understands retail, and truly understands executives.
At AGP, our unrivalled industry knowledge and coveted network of retail executive talent makes us expertly placed to offer retail executive search services to our clients. Get in touch today.
