I had an incredible time cheering on
Haley Winn and Team USA as they skated their way to the Gold Medal in Women’s
Hockey. Haley and Team USA had their own – now world-famous – cheering section
(Check out @RyanWinn44’s posts on Instagram… it’s worth it).
There’s a family connection here: my
nephews grew up playing hockey with the Winn brothers. My sister Betsy and her
husband John were in Milano, screaming from the stands, while I was glued to the TV
trying to spot them in the crowd. Amazingly, I did!
And just three days after the women
brought home Gold, the USA Men’s Hockey Team did the same. Both games went into
overtime. Both were against Canada. And the men’s win happened on February 22,
2026, exactly 46 years to the day of the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid.
USA! USA! USA! and goosebumps.
You remember the Miracle on Ice, don’t you?
There’s no way to watch Team USA’s
Olympic victories without thinking about 1980. The game where a scrappy group
of American college kids stunned the heavily favored Soviet machine. Today’s
Olympic teams are stacked with pros we know and follow. But the 1980 squad?
They were college players who had barely met before they hit Olympic ice.
And they beat the best team in the
world.
Rich and I first wrote about this back
in 2010, but today it bears repeating. The legendary Herb Brooks didn’t just
coach a hockey team; he built a culture. And everything he did applies to
retail leadership just as much as it does to sports.
Let’s revisit a few of those lessons.
Forget
About MVPs
We love a superstar. In sports. In
business. In retail. But great teams don’t revolve around one person.
At the 1980 medal ceremony, team
captain Mike Eruzione stood alone on the gold medal pedestal during “The
Star-Spangled Banner.” The moment the anthem ended he called for his entire
team to climb up and joined him. Twenty guys on a platform built for one.
That’s culture.
Brooks understood something critical:
individual recognition matters, but team identity matters more. When Team USA
beat the Soviets, Brooks didn’t grab the spotlight. He waved to his players and
headed straight to the locker room.
“This is their night,” he said. “Not
mine.” Retail leaders, take note.
Reward individual performance, yes, but
reward team performance, too. Celebrate shared wins. Build pride in “we,” not
just “me.”
Set
Team Goals Together
If goals are handed down from on high,
they feel like marching orders. If goals are created together, they feel like
ownership.
And ownership changes everything.
If your goals aren’t written down,
they’re not goals — they’re wishes. Put them on paper. Then gather your team
and walk through them. Better yet, brainstorm together. Ask:
– What should we be aiming for this
quarter?
– Where are we leaving money on the
table?
– What can we improve immediately?
When associates help shape the
direction, they understand their role in getting there. And people fight harder
for goals they helped create.
Constantly
Reinforce Effort
Team building isn’t a quarterly
meeting. It’s daily behavior. One retailer we know created “in-store outlaws,” small
teams tasked with asking big questions:
–
How can we do this better?
– What do you need to do your job better?
– What are customers asking for?
– What are your victory stories?
– What are your disaster stories?
– And our favorite: What would you do if
you owned this joint?
Then – and this is key – have them report
back with solutions. Not complaints. Solutions.
Imagine what would happen if your team
were trained to look for opportunity instead of just pointing out problems.
Give
It a Chance (And Mean It)
Trust is not a poster on the break room wall. It’s action.
Consider Bill Wygal of Bill’s Ace
Hardware. He empowered his associates to resolve customer issues without
running to a manager for approval.
At first, some didn’t believe him. So,
he formalized it: a Customer Satisfaction Program that put decision-making in
employees’ hands.
Were there mistakes? Sure. One
associate discounted a broken ladder (not ideal). They talked about it. Lesson
learned. Another sold a $200 faucet set for $25. Turns out it had missing parts
and couldn’t be repaired. Smart call.
Over five years? Two issues. That’s
it. Most employees won’t “give away the
store.” They’ll rise to the level of trust you give them.
Motivate
Like It Matters, Because It Does
Front-line retail is hard. It’s
emotional labor. It’s problem-solving on your feet. It’s smiling when you’d
rather scream. So, celebrate.
Instead of management choosing
Associate of the Month, let peers nominate and vote. At year’s end, let the
team select Associate of the Year. If you have departments, create Team of the
Month. And make rewards experiential, something they can enjoy together because
recognition builds energy and energy builds your in-store culture.
A
Few More Power Moves
–
Ditch the once-a-year performance review. Try monthly check-ins. Small course
corrections beat annual surprises.
–
Ask associates to update their résumés yearly. You might discover hidden talent
already on your payroll.
–
Conduct a 360-degree assessment, and yes, let them evaluate you. Leadership
growth requires thick skin.
–
Give everyone business cards. If someone isn’t worth $20 in printed cards, they
shouldn’t be representing your store.
Sadly, Herb Brooks died in 2003, but
his leadership legacy lives on. In remembering him, Mike Eruzione said Brooks
taught his players to believe in themselves, use their gifts, pursue their
passions, and live without regret.
Statue of Olympic
hockey coach Herb Brooks, St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo: Adobe Stock Photos
That’s not just hockey wisdom. That’s leadership wisdom.
Your retail world isn’t static. People will move on. Some will retire. Some will chase greener grass. The question isn’t whether your team will change because it will. The question is this: As your team grows and changes over the years, how will they remember you?
KIZER & BENDER 2026 | Retail Adventures Blog
