On Monday, the Leadership Kickstart challenged you to ask your team: "What's getting in the way of execution right now?" The answers are often revealing. Teams are usually trying to navigate competing priorities, staffing challenges, unclear expectations, or inconsistent follow-through.

Building consistency in the retail environment is a juggling act. Leaders must adapt to the misses they are seeing in the field and take steps to get the team on the same page. This week's Retail Leader Poll focuses on this theme.

Consistency is the pivot point that separates building a high powered team from a team that runs around constantly putting out fires. This week, reflect honestly on how you could improve your own leadership habits.

I want to hear from you and your lived experience in retail.

Every retailer faces similar challenges, but we often solve them in different ways. Retail Pulse of the Week is an opportunity to learn from leaders across the industry.

Retail Leadership Poll question of the week. Share your thoughts in the comment section below. What is the first sign that communication is breaking down on a team? Surprises during visits • Increased Turnover • Customer Complaints

Retail teams don’t delay raising issues because they don’t care. Sometimes they fear creating more work, being wrong, or retaliation. Leaders set the tone. If people don’t feel safe speaking up early, small problems stay hidden until they grow. How can leaders make it safer to raise issues sooner?

When a leader forgets the true intention of coaching, they have the same conversation over and over. The root cause is usually one of the 3 Coaching pitfalls.