3 out of 9 retail priorities leading customer centricity

Woolworths have recently released their annual results for 2009/10. Within this set of outstanding results is the outlined strategy for 2010/11, which is readily available on the Woolworths Holdings website. I was delighted to see the top 3 out of 9 retail priorities as follows:-
1. Customer Insights
2. Loyalty Programme
3. Online strategy
4.......
Simon Susman's recent interview on World at 6 with Bruce Whitfield illustrates how a retailer can truly maximise its profits through customer centricity versus a retailer's traditional product led strategy.

There is no space in your certainty for me to be heard!

“There’s no space in your certainty for my voice to be heard!”
I recently attended a lunchtime workshop presentation on Neuroleadership at Graduate School of Business at University of Cape Town. I was left with an outstanding quote: “there’s no space in your certainty for me to be heard”. How true this is if someone is confident, has zest, energy & confidence?…..whilst all these factors are positive, it can leave others feeling inadequate. I hear Marianne Williamson’s ‘A return to love’ and Nelson Mandela’s reference to such a powerful poem ringing in my ears: “………Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you……” Nevertheless, we need to be conscious of others around us and make sure there is space for everyone to be heard, whilst not underplaying one’s own strengths.