Lucille DeHart is a principal at MKT Marketing Services and founder of Yogassists. She’s the former North America director of marketing strategy and business development at Bed Bath & Beyond and Christmas Tree Shops. She is also a Women in Retail Leadership Circle member! We asked Lucille a series of questions about her career and other subjects so you can get to know her better.

1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
I normally have three books going at a time, but I recently finished “Eternal” by Lisa Scottoline, a historical fiction about a love triangle set in Rome during the Nazi occupation. I’m now juggling “The Only Woman in the Room” by Marie Benedict and “The Chanel Sisters” by Judith Little.

2. What’s a tip you have for productively leading a remote or hybrid team?
WFH leadership requires both empathy and flexibility — the risk to employees is that their workday never ends, and the risk to leadership is that they relinquish control of and visibility into work output. Micro-management doesn’t work for remote teams; my best advice is to pivot to managing the deliverables and not the tasks to provide short-term autonomy but stay on course.

3. What’s a mistake you made early on in your career?
One? Having a lack of awareness. My perspective totally changed after my first 360 interview/assessment. In order to truly know yourself — strengths and weaknesses — you need to see yourself from other people’s vantage points.

4. What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
Balancing discipline and accountability with empathy and flexibility (see above).

5. What’s the best way you motivate team members?
Nothing motivates people more than sharing successes and awarding/validating performance. I’ve found that people want to be part of a winning team and want to know that their contributions matter and are impacting the business. So tell them and tell others regularly, not just during performance reviews.

6. What woman inspires you right now and why?
My mother. Seeing her age with grace and purpose regardless of pains and ailments drives me to focus on the now and enjoy the moment.

7. What are you looking forward to the most for the industry in 2022?
A new era for brick-and-mortar retail — finally redefining the role of the store and how it feeds omnichannel acceleration.

8. What’s one thing you look for when interviewing a job candidate?
Passion and preparation. OK, two things.

9. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
The ability to have resilience and to embrace reinvention.

10. What’s your favorite podcast?
Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown

11. What values are most important to you as a leader?
Humbleness, decisiveness and awareness

12. What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
My sarcasm is a curse and a gift.

13. What’s one habit you adopted while working from home that you’d like to keep with you as you return to the office?
Making time for yoga and taking walks

14. How would you describe yourself in a single sentence?
I’m a curious professional with a passion for marketing and an appreciation for my personal blessings.

15. What’s your favorite app?
Boxed

16. What do you do to recharge?
For a night: Have a glass (or two) of wine and binge watch my latest addiction. For a week: escape to Nantucket with a stack of books and a few bottles of wine (hey, it’s a week).

17. What’s your biggest accomplishment?
The most recent professional accomplishment was inventing, creating and selling a new product and brand called The Original Stretch Strap by Yogassists. I did the prototype, built the website, found a fulfillment center, did my own photoshoot, wrote my own copy, managed the LLC, insurance, legal and payment systems. I just secured a provisional patent and built and ran my own social campaigns as well. Check me out at www.yogassists.com (free plug).

18. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
If you marry, marry right.

19. What gets you up in the morning?
Yoga. OK, actually, my hungry rescue cats … they’re quite persistent.

20. How would you describe your leadership style?
Mentor

Interested in connecting with women like Lucille DeHart? Apply today to become a Woman in Retail Leadership Circle member!