Q&A With Top Woman in Retail Honoree Andrea Albright, EVP, Sourcing, Walmart; Operating Partner, Massmart

Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) recently released its 15th annual Top Women in Retail report. The valuable resource highlights female executives who impressed our Editorial team as well as colleagues from the industry. Andrea Albright, executive vice president of sourcing at Walmart and an operating partner at Massmart, is one such example. Here’s a sampling of Albright’s interview featured in the report.

Women in Retail Leadership Circle: You lead a team dedicated to delivering products to Walmart customers from around the world. What strategies have you implemented to ensure Walmart does this while maintaining operational efficiency?
Andrea Albright: We focus on three key measures: trust, value and resiliency. 

• Trust involves maintaining high-quality standards, being a great partner to our suppliers, and sourcing products in a regenerative and responsible way. It also means doing what we promise and being a trusted partner for our suppliers, stakeholders and customers. 
• Value is central to Walmart’s mission of helping customers save money and live better. This includes streamlining our operating processes and lowering costs for our customers. 
• Resiliency is about minimizing risk and maximizing opportunities to ensure we have products available for our customers, however they choose to shop. 

All of this is powered by our people and technology.

WIRLC: You’ve emphasized building environments of trust and psychological safety using techniques such as radical candor. Can you describe what that is and the impact it has had on collaboration and innovation at Walmart?
AA: I wholeheartedly believe that the environment we create for our team directly impacts how we serve our customers. We prioritize psychological safety, encouraging respectful disagreements and robust debates to achieve the best outcomes. Within our team, we openly share our biggest failures, proudest moments and personal experiences. This fosters collaboration that is crucial for innovation. Effective communication builds trust, and when team members are willing to engage in constructive discussions it paves the way for success.

Being wildly transparent and unbelievably candid must be done in a way that is well-received. Giving feedback, even when difficult, should be done with empathy and in a way that demonstrates we care about the person. When practiced well, radical candor fosters growth and makes tough conversations constructive instead of confrontational. It’s all about respect; have empathy, communicate effectively, debate respectfully, and ensure alignment at the end of the conversation.

As a final point, psychological safety allows us to embrace failure with learning as a team. This opens the door to new opportunities and better ways to solve problems. Innovation and continuous improvement happen when we learn to thrive by experimenting with different approaches, learning from what doesn’t work, and using curiosity to uncover new paths.

WIRLC: How does mentoring shape your leadership style, and what strategies do you use to create an open and approachable environment for those seeking your guidance?
AA: One of the things I enjoy most about my job is leading people and positively impacting how they view their experience at Walmart, their capacity, what they’re capable of and helping them move along their career journey. There’s nothing better than seeing an associate on the cusp of something great and giving them the feedback or development they need to do more than they thought they could. The kindest thing you can do is tell someone what they can do better. You’re robbing them of the opportunity for greatness if you aren’t honest with them.

Having an open-door policy is a priority so I can mentor as many associates as possible. Actively listening and understanding unique perspectives, encouraging open communication to build trust, and offering constructive feedback for development are key practices. Actions and behaviors should be aligned — say, do, recognize. Leading by example and demonstrating the desired behaviors and attitudes are essential. Ultimately, the goal is to foster a collaborative, supportive space where everyone feels valued and inspired to reach their full potential.

WIRLC: What’s a lesson you learned that changed you as a leader?
AA: One of the most important leadership lessons I learned was from Greg Foran, former CEO of Walmart U.S. He treated everyone the same — whether it was an Uber driver, a cart pusher, or other leaders. His behavior taught me that the best leadership is rooted in respect for all, regardless of title or socioeconomic status. You learn a lot about a leader by how they treat people when there’s nothing to gain.

WIRLC: What are some trends in product sourcing you’re currently tracking?
AA: What makes sourcing such an exciting segment are the challenges and opportunities that arise from constant change. Three examples come to mind:   

• First, disruption is never ending. These include weather, geo-political challenges, and even accidents. On any given day, we can see something happen that requires us to flex and adapt — e.g., a ship stuck in the Suez Canal. When you operate a global supply chain at scale, resiliency is critical, and it certainly seems that the trends are leading to a more challenging operating environment. That keeps us on our toes in sourcing. 
• Second, consumers increasingly are looking for value, and the growth of private brands has accelerated across retail. At Walmart, we have great house brands, so this trend allows us to showcase our experience and leadership in private label offerings (e.g., Great Value and Better Goods in groceries; Equate in healthcare; Members Mark at Sam’s Club). 
• Third, customers are seeking unique and innovative solutions that surprise and delight them. They crave exciting products that address their problems, ranging from simple pleasures like unique snacking flavors to complex gadgets that save time in the kitchen.