In today’s post-pandemic world, where hybrid work has become the norm, creating a strong culture and brand mission has become significantly more challenging.
In FN’s annual “Women Who Rock” issue, we asked female leaders from throughout the shoe industry to explain how, in uncertain times, they make sure their teams stay motivated and aligned with their vision.
Below are their responses, in alphabetical order.
Vanessa Abrahams-John
SVP of DEI, Adidas
“I focus on unlocking engagement and retention by transparent and honest communications to set expectations, rewarding and celebrating wins and individual accomplishments, and practicing deep empathy to address individual concerns. Employees will enhance their resilience and loyalty during difficult times, if they feel there is a culture of trust, honesty and psychological safety.”
Jennet Chow
Founder, Co-CEO & design chief, Evolution Design Group
“In the midst of uncertainty, it’s much more important to establish the core values of our company. I founded Evolution Design Lab in 2009, in the most uncertain times. The idea of adapting to change is very appealing to me. Evolution, this word alone has so much meaning to me. When times were tough, we weathered the storm, and our incredible employees were all on board and more motivated than ever. We established education, personal development and corporate development. This is our time to show how employees and customers are important to us.”
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Brenda Christmon
Senior director of brand communications, Rack Room Shoes
“One of the first things I instituted, when starting our DEI team, was an employee survey to glean pain points. The results became my roadmap when defining our objectives, goals and measurable key performance indicators. My team is motivated each time we launch a new program and receive positive feedback from managers and associates, or when we reach our goals of increasing the number of scholarships, interns or associates taking DEI training. However, some of the best motivation has come from women and associates who are POC and LGBTQ+ that send us a simple ‘thank you.’”
Libby Edelman
Co-founder & SVP, Sam Edelman
“As a fashion company, we are constantly thinking about the future and what’s next. Instead of looking at the past and dwelling on the things we can’t control, we look ahead to create positivity and excitement in the form of newness and fashion. This process of constant discovery, inspiration and collaboration is what keeps us aligned and motivated.”
Marina Larroudé
Co-founder, Larroudé
“Starting any company offers unique challenges, and our experience was no exception. From overseeing employees across continents to making a ready-to-wear shoe in a time where no one was wearing anything but slippers and sweats to a global supply chain crisis, I am still catching my breath. Because of these unprecedented circumstances, we really prioritized celebrating each victory. We have a WhatsApp group with every employee, where we honor each sale, birthday, celebrity moment.”
Caroline Machen
VP & head of global marketing, Reebok
“Quiet self-confidence. I’ve never been the loudest voice in the boardroom at Reebok (maybe at home, but not the boardroom), and that’s OK. I’m proof that you don’t need to be the loudest to succeed. I empower myself and those around me by ensuring they accept who they are. However you choose to lead, to present yourself, there is no right or wrong. There’s no magic playbook or checklist to success.”
Tara McRae
Global chief marketing & digital officer, Clarks
“While it sometimes isn’t easy, I believe in total transparency with the team. I’ve found that setting very clear directions and then providing our talent the freedom to collaboratively navigate a task or challenge at hand has garnered us great results and strong internal morale. It’s also incredibly important for me to ensure there is proper time allocated to check in with my team members – both formally and informally – throughout the various stages of a project so we stay constantly connected and on target.”
Anne Mehlman
EVP & CFO, Crocs
“I believe the best leaders overcommunicate and are approachable for their teams. This can be difficult with global teams on differing schedules, but prioritizing check-ins with people is critical. These check-ins don’t have to have the perfect agenda, just the opportunity for conversations about what is on employees’ minds. These conversations allow you to strengthen relationships and create better work environments. They also allow the best ideas to win.”
Faryl Robin
Founder & CEO, Faryl Robin
“Our absolute top priority is the happiness and wellbeing of our team. As leaders, we have committed time and time again to people over profit and have earned the trust of our employees. As a company, we are committed to working together to empower and honor women. The collective desire to leave a positive impact on the world only grows as times get tough, and I am so proud and inspired by the entire team at Faryl Robin as they work day after day to bring our mission to life and take it to the next level.”
Jori Miller Sherer
President, Minnetonka
“Making sure that the team feels empowered, regardless of the world feeling secure or uncertain. I always strive to communicate our strategic initiatives clearly and encourage team members to create their own path. In uncertain times, you must be nimble and willing to adapt by encouraging a ‘continuous learning’ mindset. You can’t get stuck or let your team get stuck.”
Enid Torres
Director of account services, Steve Madden
“Always focus on the positive, follow through and care about your team members. I find the most important aspect to a strong culture is to be able to give and receive feedback. I have grown up as part of this company and throughout the years have faced many challenges, but these challenges have helped myself and my team to work smarter and grow stronger together. Estoy muy orgullosa de la cultura Steve Madden.”
Mary Turner
VP, Designer Brands Inc.; President, Designer Brands Canada
“At DBI, it is a priority that our team members have a sense of purpose, feel valued and understand the role they play in Designer Brands’ overall success. Clear key performance indicators and alignment on what success looks like are critical. We have frequent regroups with our DBC senior leadership to check back in on how we are doing and what may need to be tweaked, accelerated or wrapped up. And of course, celebrated!”
Sarah Zurell
Chief marketing officer, Cels Enterprises Inc.
“Building a reliable team has played a crucial role in our success, and I made it a priority to carefully select individuals when assembling my team. To foster a shared sense of purpose, it is imperative to surround yourself with individuals with whom you can be transparent and honest. We have been incredibly fortunate to create a remarkable team of individuals who genuinely care about each of our brands. However uncertain the times might be, our deep commitment to raising the bar both for our customers and as a team motivates us to work together to build on the legacy we have been entrusted to scale.”
