PMG editor's letter: Don't wait until you're ready

Editor's note: This column is from the September-October issue of PMG magazine. Check out this issue and others on the Digital Editions page.

I heard something at a conference recently that has stuck with me: Don’t wait for confidence to try out that new idea at work or take that career risk.

Courage is going for what you truly want, even if you’re not sure you can do it. And you know what builds confidence? Gaining skills and experience. And the only way you get those two building blocks is by going for the unknown. Learn as you go.

This advice came from Wendy McManus, a leadership coach and former retail program manager at the National Mango Board. She was talking to a select group of retail produce and floral managers at a private session at the New England Produce Council’s annual event.

What does that mean for produce retailers? Well, it could mean accepting a promotion to a role you’re not sure you can do. It could mean trying out a new idea for a sales promotion or merchandising something differently.

Joseph Bunting, PMG’s 2023 Produce Retailer of the Year on page 30, gained new skills with each role he held at United Supermarkets, inching his way up to produce business director.

What’s also getting out of your comfort zone? Retailers getting into agriculture, on page 14. And hosting a podcast, like these most popular episodes of the “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast, detailed on page 10.
Social media is a great way to try new things, such as all the fun pumpkin promotions retailers are doing, spotlighted on page 6.

Don’t wait until you’re ready. You may never be. Just go for it. And if it doesn’t work out, that’s OK. Most successful people say they learned the most from their failures. We’re all learning as we go, gathering skills and experience along the way.

More mind-over-matter mullings? Columnist Armand Lobato offers his advice and five steps to reduce worry and stress as a produce manager.