Let Love Lead The Way – WWD

The Neiman Marcus Group is doing something remarkable. The renowned luxury retailer has prioritized how it inspires a sense of Belonging (made up of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in a unique way that is transforming the entire company: by leading with love.

In the span of a year, and during a global pandemic, the Neiman Marcus Group has refocused its attention on itself, knowing that to succeed in todays market, brands need purpose and intention. Its an initiative where empathy, compassion, unconditional love, mindfulness and personalized service supersedes outdated corporate thinking and it is an effort being led by women.

Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of NMG, said the company is assembling an incredible team. Were promoting from within and recruiting the best minds in and out of retail. NMG is becoming an incubator for not only the worlds most iconic brands but the most game-changing ideas. Were creating a culture where diversity of thought is welcomed, people of all gender identities can thrive, and everyone feels like they belong.

And it is that sense of belonging that lies at the heart of why this approach works. For women leaders at NMG such as Katherine Greenberg, Vice President and GMM of Womens Apparel at Neiman Marcus, and Tasha Grinnell, Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at the Neiman Marcus Group, leading with love is especially essential for the store teams and the customers they serve. When asked to explain what leading with love means and how it works, Greenberg described it as a multi-faceted approach.

Foremost it is inspiring my team and thinking through how I can motivate and support them, Greenberg said. As a leader, I believe its crucial to have confidence in your team and give them flexibility and autonomy. They might not always succeed, but it then creates opportunities for conversations for mentoring and maturing.

Greenberg said for her part, shes been afforded flexibility in her own career and that has helped me to become a leader and I want to share that with my team. The leadership approach is also about extending support to the store family. Our store teams are the backbone of NMGs success, and they connect with our clients daily via online and remote selling, so it must be a priority for us to be their biggest cheerleaders and advocates, Greenberg explained. Finally, leading with love is using all the available data to curate the best assortment for our clients and technology to provide a personalized integrated luxury experience wherever they are. We have to anticipate what they will want to wear and delight them with items they will love.

For Grinnell, leading with love means that we lead with empathy, and great care for our team and our customers and our community.

And leading with love is especially appropriate as I think about what we faced during the last year, and how it impacts our culture, Grinnell said. Ive been the legal point person for all things pandemic, and it is uncomfortable at times but when we have the philosophy as a company, overall, that we are leading with love, it makes it easier to make decisions that impact peoples well-being, and positively impacts peoples careers.

Grinnell and Greenberg also noted that the Neiman Marcus Group has a rich history of female leaders and today is no different. Indeed, women leaders are in the companys DNA. Past women leaders include co-founder Carrie Marcus Neiman and notable executives such as Karen Katz and Neva Hall.

Jerrie Marcus Smith, who is the eldest daughter of Stanley Marcus, and whose great aunt was Carrie Marcus Neiman, recently published a biography on Carrie titled: A Girl Named Carrie: The Visionary Who Created Neiman Marcus and Set the Standard for Fashion. In a story about the book, the Dallas Morning News said Smith offers up a rich history of a mysterious aunt who emerged as an icon on multiple levels: As a woman, forging a brave identity in the worlds of commerce and fashion in the early 20th century, and as a Jew, leaving a lasting imprint in a Southern city dominated by Christians and conservatives. And, of course, males.

Smith, quoted in the article, said her great aunt certainly did her part in shattering the glass ceiling.

So, it is no surprise that as a woman co-founded and majority-women-led company, women represent the majority of the Neiman Marcus Groups Board of Directors. And across the company, women garner 50 percent of leaders (Senior Vice President and above) and they represent 62 percent of Vice President and above positions while composing 70 percent of all corporate and store employees.

Its also noteworthy that 50 percent of Neiman Marcus Groups 9,000 store associates identify as minorities. And in fiscal year 2020, the company outpaced the U.S. population in terms of Asian associates at every level of the company, and its stores had more Native Hawaii or Other Pacific associates than the U.S. population as well.

But if women leadership and diversity are already embedded into the company, what makes this recent approach different?

For Greenberg, it is because women are leading across the organization in traditionally male-dominated fields from finance to supply chain to customer analytics to the boardroom. The cross-functional collaboration of women across the Neiman Marcus Group is a unique aspect of our organization.

Grinnell noted that NMGs leading change initiative transcends the corporate offices. Leading with love is put into practice every day, and it means were supporting each other, our teams, our suppliers, and our communities, Grinnell added. Were encompassing the respect that we show for our teammates, and in the team building, which were employing through flexibility and empathy.

Its important to note that NMGs women leading change initiatives is not a campaign or temporary effort. Its a long-term, groundbreaking transformation of the luxury retailer. Interviews with other NMG women executives revealed the Neiman Marcus Group as a company is breaking traditional business rules and doing so in a refreshingly authentic way.

Tatiana Ferreira, Senior Vice President of Customer Service Excellence and East Region Integrated Retail at Neiman Marcus, for example, said what makes the company different is the energy and how our leaders show openness and vulnerability.

Ferreira said the company culture now is not to sugar-coat anything and present anything as picture perfect, and that were on a flawless trajectory driven by perfect decisions. She said its the opposite, and noted that leading with love really gives us the space to be our true selves. And thats huge for me. It really builds a level of connection that I have never experienced before in any of my previous roles. Ferreira acknowledged that allowing colleagues and team members to be vulnerable requires a safe environment, and very strong support, she said, adding that as were driving the work, were doing it together. And with that togetherness comes empathy and tolerance.

Chris Demuth, Vice President of People Services at the Neiman Marcus Group, said the pandemic really forced the issue for us to get very real about whats acceptable. When there are babies crawling on you during a meeting, and when there are dogs barking in the background and theres somebody else on camera or the baby was hanging over the back of your colleagues neck, you have to accept and embrace it.

Theres so much more forgiveness now, and empathy, and it is across the women in the organization as well as the men so were very fortunate, While shes only been at the company for about six months, Demuth said she feels fortunate that she walked into a place that was already showing and demonstrating purpose and leading with love and empathy on a daily basis.

Grinnell, who was recently named an honoree for the Women in Business Awards by the Dallas Business Journal, and a 2021 finalist with D Magazines D CEOs Corporate Counsel Awards, said the Neiman Marcus Group is definitely a place where diversity is valued, and were truly encouraged to be authentic.

Women are leading change here, because we are in a position to really collaborate and achieve our goal, and to move the company forward together, Grinnell said. And they are leading change by listening and communicating and showing empathy. We really do listen to our teams and our customers, and especially after the isolation and separation from each other during this pandemic, its even more apparent that we needed to listen and communicate. And we, as women, tend to do that very well as a group. We understand our people and institution and why its important to be empathetic. And that is the key to leading change. We are showing our stores, our partners and our customers that we too have faced challenges. But we are forward looking and forward thinking and leading change together.

Demuth agreed, and noted that the company culture puts feeling and emotion at the forefront, whereas in business typically, thats not done. Amanda Martin, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at the Neiman Marcus Group, echoed that sentiment, and added that the energy and authenticity is remarkable, and unlike anywhere else. Regarding leading with love, Martin said it also has a service to others dimension that is essential to its success.

For me personally, its about leading for other people, said Martin. It is servant leadership and done in everything that you do. And it requires looking through a lens of how is this benefiting the whole? And not through the lens of the individual. It is not a self-serving strategy. So, it has been hugely beneficial for us as an organization.

Martin also said there is a cross-functional collaboration also occurring which includes a number of different and diverse perspectives that come to the table. I think weve hit a really pretty amazing stride in how we blend that, as a company, which has been a real recipe for success, quite honestly.

For Stefanie Tsen Ward, Senior Vice President of Customer Engagement and West Region Integrated Retail at the Neiman Marcus Group, the company makes plenty of room for everyone to be their most authentic self which empowers leaders. The common denominator is that we are all human, Tsen Ward said, adding that to authentically lead together, during the pandemic, created a positive energy that was a gift that kept giving. And on a personal level, this is something that I value. It also lit up a light inside that made me want to lead authentically, more.

Cheryl Han, Vice President of Online & Customer Strategy at Bergdorf Goodman, said leading with love is all about connection and about connecting in two sort of different ways. The first is connecting with the customer, she said, adding that as a leader you strive to connect team members with a customer in a way that has impact. Were here because we love our customer and because we want to serve our customer. Being able to provide a personalized experience and connection is part of being a steward of our customer. And we also connect with each other, which results in bringing us together in unexpected ways that bonds us.

Han said the leading with love approach, and the connections and bonds created by it, works well because it is a company-wide practice. So, whether the leader is in the digital business or creative and marketing, or supply chain or at the store level, everyone is encouraged and empowered to be their best and most authentic selves.

And as a result, the contrast between the culture at the Neiman Marcus Group versus most other businesses is striking and stark. Just imagine going to work and not having to constantly maintain your guard or having to pretend to be happy. Leading with love frees you up and it is energizing, and allows everyone to focus on their goals, the teams goals and, perhaps most important of all, focusing on meeting the needs of the customer.

Leading Change

As Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of NMG, noted, the company has created a culture that generates game-changing ideas, where diversity of thought and fostering a sense of belonging is key.

But to make it work, the approach must be practiced daily and it starts at the top, right from the CEOs office, throughout the C-suite and then across the entire company. Here, senior leaders at the Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) discuss the companys transformation, the role of women in leading change, and how they describe their own leadership style.

Darcy Penick: President, Bergdorf Goodman

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

Bergdorf Goodman has a long history as a preeminent luxury retailer; and, consistent with the group vision, we are evolving and modernizing the business while staying true to leading in luxury fashion. We continue to do that through creating exceptional moments and experiences for our customers. While some brands are focused entirely on being all things to every type of consumer, our goal is to be the destination for luxury and serve everyone who wants to be a part of that.

What role did women play in leading this change?

As a whole, the group is co-founded by a woman and has many female leaders in critical executive roles. We represent most of the companys Board of Directors, and Bergdorf Goodman itself has a majority-female leadership, which is something I am very proud of. I have often observed how having female leaders motivates more women to aspire to these roles.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Empowerment through conscious leadership. As a steward of this exceptional brand and organization, I want to be intentional with how we support and guide it.

Women in leadership is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, and there is a need for women to help other women throughout their journey to the top. There isnt a playbook for women in C-level positions, so the more questions we ask and assistance we offer, the more we can help women thrive in leadership roles.

Mentorship has been an excellent foundation for my career, and I have had the privilege of working with some incredible men and women who have taught me how grace, empathy and wisdom are all powerful leadership qualities in todays ever-evolving industry.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

Because of our large female workforce, there are many women to emulate and learn from. The group is intentional in its development of female leaders. NMG has built a strong internal community that is hyper-focused on culture and belonging that acts as a pillar of support for everyone at the company, regardless of gender and background.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

In addition to our female Executive team, our Board of Directors is predominantly made up of women whose leadership styles are valued, encouraged, and we hope will ultimately inspire more women to join the group. I am very proud of that.

Lana Todorovich: President and Chief Merchandising Officer, Neiman Marcus

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

Neiman Marcus is in the process of an exciting transformation, working to revolutionize luxury experiences for our customers, while continuing to curate unique luxury lifestyle assortments. For over a century, weve been innovators in how customers engage with luxury. We create magic through connecting customers with products and experiences, and this fresh thinking continues to this day.

I am also proud of the work weve done over the past year to transform how we work with our brand partners, by creating collaborative partnerships and an eco-system designed to deepen the relationships and emotional connection with our extremely loyal and engaged customer base. We have the best customers, and we deliver on that promise through exciting products, bespoke service and engaging with our customers seamlessly in flexible ways: in stores, online or through remote selling.

What role did women play in leading this change?

The women of NMG have been at the forefront of this transformation, defining our mission and creating and leading critical strategies and execution. I am so proud of my female colleagues and team members for acting as agents of lasting change. Weve achieved this by harnessing our collective ambition and breaking stereotypes, including acknowledging the benefits of being vulnerable. This, in turn, has built trust, which is foundational to creating an overall culture of support and collaboration, behaviors that our female leaders excel at and exhibit daily.

How would you describe your leadership style?

My personal leadership style is rooted in connecting with people by building relationships that last and matter and working together to achieve ambitious goals. I find joy in achieving big things and the learning that it entails. Even during challenging times, I try to bring a sense of humor in my communication style. Most of all, I greatly value diversity of thought on my team. The best ideas and outcomes come from our collective wisdom vs. one individual viewpoint. This is the secret sauce of some pretty remarkable results weve achieved over the past two years. It has also allowed us to build trust, count on each other and continue to learn as a team.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

NMG truly values a culture of diversity and belonging. Women are a large part of this, but people from all backgrounds and all genders benefit from this mindset and approach. The fashion industry continues to lag in its representation of female leaders, particularly unjustified for an industry that serves mostly female consumers. At Neiman Marcus, womens voices are not only present, but are also heard and valued at senior and executive positions. This is a critical point of difference its not just the representation but true empowerment thats encouraged and expected as part of the NMG culture.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

Our Executive team is more than 50% female, and we have been intentional about female representation on our Board of Directors. Our NMG Way culture and its work-from-anywhere component, implemented recently, recognizes that the pandemic has been particularly hard on women. Although the pressures of working and raising families are not new challenges, the NMG Way of Working offers flexibility that empowers our associates of all genders to work wherever and whenever, as long as they get results. We are committed to helping women and others both have a full personal life while continuing to impact the transformation of NMG and grow their own careers.

Brandy Richardson: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, NMG

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

The last two years have clearly been a time of significant disruption for the retail industry. While it is tempting to look back on the world and luxury retail as it was pre-pandemic, we have been laser focused on building for the future. We have become a more agile company and have the financial strength to invest as opportunities materialize.

A significant portion of our transformation centers around integrated retail. We are constantly thinking about the interplay between physical and digital experiences as we know customers interact with the brand, not the channel. Additionally, the way the customer experiences the brand extends beyond just commerce. We know our continued focus on being a more sustainable, responsible and purpose driven company is an important part of our role as luxury leaders and transforming luxury retail.

What role did women play in leading this change?

Our workforce and our customer base are majority female. This extends into our top leadership levels and as a result, every decision we make includes the female point of view. I am the first female CFO in the 114-year history of this company, and I take that role very seriously. I spend a lot of time as the only female in the room and it is so refreshing to work in a culture where I am supported and encouraged to lead. Women have been leading this company since the beginning, and with every significant moment and transition, there are females at the forefront.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I believe in leading with energy, compassion, innovation, and mentorship. I care deeply for my team and focus on making meaningful connections. Finance can be a high stake, high intensity area to work, so I ensure we have time to laugh and appreciate each others wins. We are all motivated differently, and I make it a priority to understand what drives and motivates my team members. The more I know them, the more Im able to mentor and guide their careers and achieve team success.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

I have always felt supported and heard at NMG, working alongside female and male counterparts who invested themselves in me and my career, acting as a personal champion inside the organization. We push ourselves each day to create a culture of belonging, which includes providing people of all backgrounds, at all levels, access to mentoring, coaching and collaboration.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

As a working mom, I truly appreciate the efforts we are making to embrace flexibility in the workday. Similar to the flexible customer journey, in which she shops anytime, anyplace, anywhere, we have adopted an innovative work mindset that empowers and motivates the workforce and achieves working flexibility. Embracing flexibility has removed barriers and improved our overall productivity.

In my day to day, I also feel a deep level of trust and connection with the other female leaders. We act as a sounding board for each other, but we also push each other to speak up and be proud of our opinions. It is energizing to be surrounded by so many strong and powerful women.

Pauline Brown: Board Member, NMG

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

A trees strength lies in roots, not its branches, and Neimans roots run deep.

What will make the company succeed in 5, 10 or 100 years from now is not all that different from what made it successful 100 years ago; specifically, its knack for bringing the worlds best brands to the American luxury market; inspiring customers to dream through an artful and exciting presentation of products, stories and experiences; and making each individual feel special through personalized service and hospitality.

The competencies required to achieve that level of excellence today are quite different than in the past, but the overall objectives are very much the same.

What role did women play in leading this change?

At the core of the Neiman Marcus customer is the modern American woman, and she is fully reflected in the companys leadership and organization. That makes our work a lot easier!

In my own personal case, I have a devotion to Neiman Marcus that goes well beyond my role on the board. Ive been a Neiman Marcus customer for my entire adult life. As such, whenever I visit a Neimans store, I dont experience it simply through the lens of a stakeholder, but that of a mom, working woman, gift-giver, partygoer and more.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I grew up in a transitional era. The generation before me had very few women at the top, and competition among them was fierce. Ive spent a good portion of my own career trying to break that mold, seeking opportunities to support more senior women, collaborating freely with my peers, and offering mentorship to more junior women down the line. As they say, all of us are better than any one of us, and I take great pride in the wide web of women whom I now call my friends. That web has become the foundation of my leadership, and my deep-seated connection to other women continues to inform my leadership style.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

I have served on many boards in my career; this is the first one thats comprised of more women than men. Even so, the women on the NMG board are very diverse. Each brings a unique set of skills, perspectives, and experiences to the group. I hope and trust that our presence, commitment, and comradery sets an example for other women at Neiman Marcus and beyond.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

Throughout my career, Ive worked in many industries that cater primarily to women such as beauty, fashion, and luxury retail. Time and again, Ive been dismayed by the fact that men still run most of the companies, divisions and functions within these women-centric sectors.

Neiman Marcus feels different. The company not only strives for diversity in leadership; it demonstrates it.

Looking ahead, I would love to see NMG continue to break barriers, set an example for others in fashion retail, and build a culture in which all women feel heard, supported, and prepared to thrive.

Hannah Kim: Chief Legal Officer, NMG

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

NMG is creating an integrated luxury retail experience that reimagines how we are looking at omnichannel. Leveraging our digital transformation in connection with our core strength of developing relationships with our customers will result in being able to deepen our ability to connect with how our customers want to engage with NMG. We are at the forefront of luxury retail.

What role did women play in leading this change?

Strong women leadership and female points of views are synonymous with NMG and its strategy. Across all strategic initiatives of NMG, women are fully integrated and are leading our approach, execution and growth as an organization. Each day when decisions at NMG are being made, we have women leaders bringing their authentic voice to the discussion. That voice represents their perspective and community which ultimately resonates with our majority female-based customers.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I grew up as a child of Korean immigrants in Memphis, Tennessee and was routinely exposed to extremes in a variety of contexts, including wealth and race relations. With that background, I have found that to be effective you have to be situationally aware and adaptable, and embrace different leadership styles depending on the setting. At my core, the traits that drive my overall approach are transparency and honesty.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

If you can answer the question of Do you feel like you can go to work and be your authentic self? with yes, then you have found the right organization that will foster your professional development and nurture your soul. We all have many aspects to our lives that shape how we behave and react. To know that I can go to work every day and represent all viewpoints and have those perspectives appreciated is empowering.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

For organizations to make a meaningful impact in creating an environment conducive for women and minorities to advance professionally, you must have a flexible and caring culture. One that allows employees to have schedules that permit balancing personal lives without sacrificing their careers, and one that celebrates different backgrounds and perspectives. To really establish that type of culture, this mindset has to be developed, believed and executed from the top, and reinforced throughout the organization.

Cultivating an environment where employees feel like the traditional barriers for career progression do not exist requires far more than institutionalizing a new program or a benefit, its a mindset that has to be embraced by all employees, particularly leadership of an organization. NMG has the culture that is foundational for all associates to advance professionally.

Natalie Lockhart: SVP, Strategy & Execution, NMG

See original here:

Let Love Lead The Way - WWD