XBIZ’s “Execs of 2018: The Year in Review” highlights the contributions of senior-level executives in managing and motivating their team and colleagues.
Managing a pool of talent requires a sharp mind. The XBIZ Exec Senior Leadership Award recognizes those individuals with the outstanding ability to motivate, inspire and build solidarity among all levels of personnel.
Each of the executives we spoke to below is among the finalist nominees for the Senior Leadership Award in the retail edition of the 2019 XBIZ Exec Awards.
How do you keep your team members sharp and motivated?
Kristian Broms
Chief Design Officer, Pipedream Products
“I’m incredibly lucky to have a team that consists of not only amazing artists, but great people. We like to foster collaboration within the team by encouraging new ideas and allowing them to run with those ideas. Allowing team members to make decisions and take ownership of those decisions gets them more invested in the process and creates team spirit. We also like to challenge each other within the team to make sure that our creative development doesn’t get stagnant. I think it’s incredibly important to look at each work day as a new opportunity for fun and unique ideas.”
Monique Carty
Director, Nexus
“The Nexus team is small and therefore we have to be sharp at all times. If anybody drops a ball it becomes apparent very quickly so there’s a general feeling of not wanting to let the other side down. I don’t believe in micro-managing and believe that you get the best from people when you empower them. By asking the right questions at the right time you can ensure they are on course and accountable whilst also allowing them the freedom to manage their workload in a way that they are comfortable.”
Kerin DeFrancis
Director of Sales, Doc Johnson
“My leadership style is to lead by example, with heart, integrity and strong professional relationships. I don’t ask or expect my team to do anything that I do not do, and I believe in giving people the support they need to persevere and grow — cheering them on along the way and celebrating their successes, both personally and professionally. I think that when a team sees a leader that actually, truly cares, it makes a world of difference. You cannot buy this, and you cannot fake this. My team members are very special to me — and I work hard to show them that, with me, they always have someone in their corner, ready to fight the good fight alongside them.”
Tonja Hoyle
Director of Sales and Business Development, Fleshlight
“Trust — it’s the most important ingredient in any team. If your team doesn’t trust you as a leader, you’ll never succeed. I strive to understand my team’s professional and personal goals and to get to know them as individuals. I give them the autonomy to build their confidence so they can freely share their ideas on how to increase sales. This builds better communication. The goal is to work as a cohesive team. We discuss sales goals, we run reports, and we strategize to meet those goals. The proof has been the huge sales increases year over year. I hold them accountable and train them to be better at sales. Leadership is not about telling people what to do; it’s about getting people to do what you want without saying. It’s about grooming them to take your job one day. It’s about creating future leaders. That’s what I do.”
Colin Roy
Senior Vice President, Sliquid
“I believe it’s essential that all members of our team feel that success is a shared commodity. My employees know that when one of us does well, we have all done well together. This is due in large part to being a small, family-oriented company where we all wear multiple hats and have a part in different aspects of the business. Empowering my employees to know that their input counts and is valuable is what I believe motivates them to perform well and take ownership in the work they and the company produce.”
Danielle Seerley
Senior Sales Executive, Shibari Wands
“Investment, and it works both ways. Having employees that are invested in the overall business and its processes highly outperform those that work on a do-as-you’re-told platform. Taking time to go beyond traditional coaching and work with someone to understand the why’s is incredibly empowering for people. It gives team members the ability to understand critical pieces of the puzzle they are a part of, and how their output affects the overall company. Time is a critical investment in your team, and the return on that can be priceless.”
Simon Smith
Vice President of Business Development, Wow Tech
“I am in a very fortunate position where I have an incredible team that is already sharp and motivated on a daily basis. They live and breathe our brands and the inherent promises to our customers. The team members’ strong personal and professional relationships with all of our partners drives them to perform at a high level each and every day. We also internally strive to create a culture of inclusion and transparency whereby all team members are involved in a feedback process for new products and current product improvements as well as any company-related issues or opportunities. This culture helps with keeping our team informed and motivated, and this leads to best-in-class service at the customer level.”
Rebecca Weinberg
Director of Sales and Marketing, XR Brands
“I believe that the key to a motivated team is to make sure every member feels heard and appreciated. I not only am always available to them, but I truly listen and embrace their opinions and ideas. My team knows that I am dedicated and never hesitate doing hard labor side by side with them. I can honestly say we’ve never had a better team here at XR Brands, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work that we all do together.”
