20 Questions With Rebecca Becker, Senior Director, Digital Commerce, Lands' End
Rebecca Becker is the senior director of digital commerce at Lands’ End, where she’s responsible for driving the overall digital commerce strategy, overseeing the development and execution of online sales initiatives, and making the customer shopping experience easy. She’s also a Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) member! In this member spotlight, we asked Becker a series of questions about both her professional role and personal life, including the woman that inspires her, her leadership style, her advice for the next generation of female leaders, and much more.
- What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
“The Storyteller” by Jodi Picoult. It’s complex, powerful, and explores guilt and forgiveness. - What’s a tip you have for productively leading a remote or hybrid team?
Communication — with numerous/varying methods. I want to make sure people feel informed. While I regularly engage in one-on-one touch-bases with my team members and hold meetings with my leadership team, I also leverage Teams’ chat functionality for quick interactions. Whether it’s cascading quick information out or giving a brief heads up to the entire group, this approach allows me to gauge the team’s pulse efficiently. (And we can make it fun! Engaged, happy teams are more productive!) - What’s a mistake you made early on in your career?
Attempting to handle everything on my own was a lesson I learned in my first managerial role. It became evident quickly that I needed to leverage my team more. I knew they were the experts and could execute more proficiently than I ever could, but for some reason I got in my head that I needed to handle everything to comprehend everything. Insisting on doing it all myself not only proved unrealistic but also deprived my team of valuable opportunities. Once I embraced this and gave myself permission to not “know it all” I found that we not only accomplished more, but the team felt pride in owning their part in the goal/task. - What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
Sometimes, like everyone else, you have moments when your energy and motivation take a dip. It’s then I have to find ways to reignite my own enthusiasm so I can continue to lead and inspire the team (See No. 16 — it helps!). - What’s the best way you motivate team members?
I think it’s important to share the big picture and how their work directly contributes to that. It not only shows appreciation, but they also understand why their work matters. And I always try to give credit where it’s due. As leaders we represent many people’s talents and work, so I try to make sure I give proper shout-outs. We really are one team. - What woman inspires you right now and why?
Jamie Lee Curtis. She’s so authentic, kind and unapologetically celebrates the success of other women in her own passionate way. I just love her! She also reinvents herself and is always giving back. - What are you looking forward to the most for the industry over the next year?
I’m excited to see how companies adopt artificial intelligence into their everyday work but still be true to their brand’s voice and close connectivity with their customers. - What’s one thing you look for when interviewing a job candidate?
Passion and curiosity. It’s always changing in digital (and retail!) so you need to stay curious and continuously learn, but I also think it’s important to be passionate about the work you do (in any field). It brings energy and excitement which is contagious and makes everyone better. - What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
Last year threw a lot at me, both at work and personally. Looking back I see that I have more perseverance than I realized. It was tough at the time, but having the time to reflect I see it as a valuable learning experience about handling challenges and discovering new things about myself. - What’s your favorite podcast?
Science Vs. I’m a total science dork and love this one! It covers all sorts of topics and opinions from fads to blogs and news that needs debunking (or confirming), and it’s delivered in a way that’s funny and entertaining. - What values are most important to you as a leader?
Authenticity and empathy. I’m the first to tell my team I don’t know something but “we will figure it out together.” I also want to understand the daily challenges my team faces so I can best support them. - What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
I have an identical twin sister who lives within 15 minutes of me. We’re extremely close so family is always No. 1 with me, and I love how our children are growing up together as best friends. - What practices or boundaries have you implemented in your personal life to create more work/life balance?
Because I oversee the digital commerce business and the store is never closed, I’m almost always “on” in case an emergency arises, BUT I’ve worked really hard the last few years in making sure I’m present with my family during vacations and special moments, logging off and resisting the temptation to look at email during my planned time off. I also am notorious for burning myself out so I’ve practiced taking a couple short breaks during the day to recharge — physically removing myself from a laptop or cell phone. - How would you describe yourself in a single sentence?
I’m an energetic and empathetic leader, and I love to keep it fun. - What’s your favorite app?
IMDb — I am the WORST. Haha! Whether it’s TV or movies, I go down the trivia rabbit hole in there … it takes me probably two to three times longer to watch a show but I always want to know about the actors, what happened on set, fun facts, etc. - What do you do to recharge?
I take walks outside. It’s amazing how my head can clear and I feel energized even with just 15 minutes away from my computer. - What is your biggest accomplishment?
My family. I love that I can show my three daughters that they can dream big and explore new things. I have an incredible husband who supports me and together we show our children how partners can back one another to make things happen. - What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Build a network of diverse thinkers — it’s always great to get a different perspective. And lead by example by lifting up other women and being a sounding board for each other! - What gets you up in the morning?
Coffee! Actually, I’m a morning person and I LOVE the early morning before anyone has woken up. I cozy up on the couch with a cup of coffee and catch up on the news and mentally prep for my day. - What do you like most about being a member of Women in Retail Leadership Circle?
I love that this is a community for women to share, ask for advice, and just connect and gain perspective on what we each work through as female leaders. It’s comforting to know you’re not alone in dealing with ____.
Interested in connecting with women like Rebecca Becker? Apply today to become a Women in Retail Leadership Circle member!
