Creating a positive and inclusive culture at the workplace is crucial for the success and happiness of both employees and the organization. A positive workplace culture boosts employee morale and motivation and increases productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction. Fostering a culture of respect, communication, and collaboration is important to ensure everyone feels valued and important in the workplace. This can be accomplished by encouraging open communication, promoting diversity and inclusion, recognizing and rewarding employees’ achievements, and giving them opportunities to grow and learn.
Jose Cruz, the Senior Vice President of Learning Development and Diversity at Forrest Solutions, speaks with Nolan Hout, Senior Vice President at Infopro Learning. In the conversation, Cruz shares his experience of creating a supportive workplace culture and the significance of having a strong mentor and recounts his diverse career experiences in various positions.
Listen to the podcast to learn more.
Expert profile:
Jose Cruz is a seasoned learning and development employee working as an SVP Learning | Development | Diversity at Forrest Solutions. He has 20+ years of experience at companies like Saks Fifth Ave and Barnes & Noble, leading learning and development initiatives. His perspective of learning and development as the ultimate competitive advantage makes him a vibrant and inventive-thinking leader. He holds a BA degree in industrial-organizational psychology and is certified in MBTI, SLII, 360, and HOGAN assessment.
Nolan Hout is the Senior Vice President at Infopro Learning. He has over a decade of experience in the L&D industry, helping global organizations unlock the potential of their workforce. Nolan is results-driven, investing most of his time in finding ways to identify and improve the performance of learning programs through the lens of return on investment. He is passionate about networking with people in the learning and training community. He is also an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, spending most of his free time on rivers across the Pacific Northwest.
An excerpt of the discussion follows:
Nolan:
Hello and welcome to the Learning and Development Podcast sponsored by Infopro Learning.
I’m the host, Nolan Hout, and today we’ll be joined by a special guest, Jose Cruz.
Jose Cruz is a dynamic and innovative thought leader passionate about learning and envisions learning and development as the ultimate competitive advantage. In our podcast today, we’ll hear Joseph’s journey from a retail sales position at Saks Fifth Avenue to eventually becoming the head of L&D at Barnes & Noble. Inc. and most recently as Senior Vice President of Learning Development and Diversity at Forrest Solutions.
Anyone currently in a learning leadership position or interested in joining that role will love Jose’s story. I’m certain you’ll be able to take away several learning lessons throughout the way you could apply immediately in your job.
Without further ado, let’s meet our guest, Jose Cruz.
Jose, welcome to the podcast. Thanks for joining us.
Jose:
I’m excited to be here. Thank you for having me, Nolan. I appreciate it.
Nolan:
One of the things that we like to do on this podcast is talk about how people got to the role that they’re in today, especially you being an SVP of learning, which consumed a significant portion of your working years. It will be intriguing to our audience to hear about your career journey, as you have held various positions over time and have progressed from your starting point to your current position.
Can you share your experiences from your early career, including any opportunities for growth and development that you encountered, whether by chance or through deliberate effort?
Jose:
It’s funny to think about what’s traditional versus non-traditional. Mine might be more traditional than not when you think about it. I was very lucky and started working for Saks Fifth Avenue at 22 and was on the sales side. I met a fabulous person there who was my mentor and is still a good friend; they said, ‘I need someone like you in this store.’
I walked in with my best $99 suit, and my hair was down past my chest, and it was a look. Lee is her name; she took a chance on me. I came with sales experience, and I wanted to be a manager. She said no, you have to start on the floor. So, start on the floor. I started with a bruised ego. It was the best thing that ever happened to me because I learned the most important word in my career: Culture.
I got to understand the culture of Saks Fifth Avenue. Why do things run? What customer service and hospitality are all about? Why someone spends $800.00 on a sweater or $4000 on a suit? From there, I went ahead and got promoted, worked my way up into the store, worked in different areas, and was originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and that’s where I started my journey with Saks.
I was on the sales side for about 6 years and wanted to become a General Manager of Saks Fifth Avenue. That was my ultimate dream. It’s a place I call home. But six years into my career, I had an amazing opportunity to move to Naples, Florida, and the only available position was the manager of service, selling, and training. It was a great, great position. As a manager, my experience working in various departments within the store taught me that I have a strong interest in working with individuals and demonstrating good work habits. It was fulfilling to observe people’s improvement, from learning to executing tasks effectively and eventually becoming experts.
I moved down to Naples, and I was almost there for a couple of years, and it was great. It was everything from introductory new hire class to management and leadership training, running reports, and figuring out the store’s analytics. For a few years, I was engaged in the task until my mentor, Jay Redmond, approached me and expressed his interest in promoting me to either New York or San Francisco as one of the most senior Directors.
We transitioned from having standalone stores to having regional ones. I expressed my desire to move to New York City and take on the Director role for the prestigious Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store, a billion-dollar enterprise. This is where my career took off. The company, along with Jay, emphasized professional development and ensured all L&D employees understood the importance of professionalism. As a result, I underwent certification in situational leadership.
I received certification in various 360 assessments, such as Hogan assessments, Myers-Briggs, and StrengthFinders. I was overwhelmed with all the information, but I embraced it and learned so much. I am proud to have worked for Saks Fifth Avenue and still have close relationships with my colleagues there. I held various positions and eventually transferred to the corporate side, where I became the Director of Training for merchants, buyers, and planners. Despite not having a formal education, I have gained a wealth of experience and knowledge through my work.
I had a limited education from high school, but I was fortunate enough to secure positions at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. I also had a brief stint in Istanbul, Turkey, where I served as the Director of real estate for a reputable company and managed a $2 billion project. My main responsibility was to manage four offices, hire and train sales associates, and run the project.
This was during the financial crisis of 2007-2008, a challenging time for the world. After a few years at Saks, I moved to Bergdorf and Neiman. During my time in Istanbul, I decided to further my education and earn my degree, which I achieved by studying online and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. I was about 35-36 years old when I received my diploma.
Nolan:
Did your understanding of the importance of culture stem from your experiences at Saks Fifth Avenue, or was it due to over-managing people? Can you provide insights from one of your mentors that may have influenced this realization? How did you come to this understanding?
Jose:
I realized that my degree plays a role in understanding human behavior and why people engage in certain actions. This includes analyzing the patterns of external shoppers, such as why they buy certain things to make themselves happy or if they have always been privileged and are used to luxury.
Internally, I was interested in how associates interact with each other and customers. I have a curious nature, and I observe and listen to understand why people do what they do and then reflect on what could have been done differently. I believe in training through conversation and not dictation. I want to understand why people do what they do rather than just telling them what to do. This approach has proven to be more effective.
I noticed that many individuals in luxury retail do a great job, and I like to learn why they do what they do. There is no one right way to achieve a goal, and I am open to learning from others as we work toward the same outcome.
Nolan:
What inspired you to link your success today with your previous job, and what steps did you take to teach others how to do it?
Jose:
For me, engagement is something that comes naturally. It’s a crucial aspect of personal development that I still need to learn how to cultivate. You either possess it, or you don’t. I began my retail career with a company called Oak Tree in Detroit and grew up with that company. It was a young men’s clothing store. When I returned to Cleveland in 1996, I was determined to continue my career in retail. I asked myself, where can I go to build a career in this field? And I decided that Saks was the best option for me.
Growing up in Cleveland, in a middle-class Puerto Rican neighborhood, I was unfamiliar with the world of Saks Fifth Avenue. However, I was drawn to it, fascinated by the culture and motivations behind people’s actions. I took pleasure in learning on the sales floor, which equipped me with the skills to become a teacher. My background allowed me to effectively communicate and understand my students, as I could truly “walk the talk.”
Nolan:
As you transitioned into the role of head of L&D at Barnes & Noble after previously working at Neiman Marcus, how was the experience? Was this your initial experience as head of a department where you had to make important decisions, or did you have some prior responsibilities in this regard?
Jose:
At Bergdorf Goodman, I faced a multitude of choices. Bergdorf Goodman is the flagship store of the Neiman Marcus group and can be considered the most expensive retail store globally, located at the sole location of 58th and 5th in New York City. In comparison, the Neiman Marcus company comprises 40 stores. We Bergdorf Goodman stands at the forefront; it differs from Barnes and Noble as it has a connection to Neiman Marcus, which is headquartered in Dallas.
I spent much time working with them, which was wonderful. However, at Barnes and Noble, it was all about what you wanted to do. Now, when I walk into a bookseller, I appreciate the culture of selling books and understand what it entails. Coming from a luxury retail background, it was a significant change, but I fell in love with the company’s focus on literacy.
This company revolves around books, and I was fortunate to join at a crucial moment when the company was sold to a group led by James Dunn, the current CEO. It’s a good thing they came along, as Barnes and Noble faced challenges and might have yet to make it. It could have been a disaster, just like when Toys” R” Us closed down, had the same fate befallen Barnes and Noble, being America’s bookstore. But, I appreciated the transition despite its difficulties and change in perspective. I had a good experience and learned a lot in the three and a half to four years I worked there.
The discussion delved further into promoting a culture where individuals feel secure.
Jose shared his personal experience with Forrest Solutions and their work environment, which includes working with clients such as hedge funds, law firms, and hospitals. He introduced the concept of Workplace Experience 1.0, which includes educational videos and a practical application session.
The company emphasizes a service-oriented mentality, and Jose discussed ways to make every employee feel valued. He touched upon the importance of goals, diversity and inclusion, performance reviews, mentorship, and the need to understand learning and development principles.
Other questions that were discussed during the podcast are:
- Can you explain how you helped Barnes and Noble achieve success, specifically about your belief in the importance of culture? Was your objective to make Barnes and Noble a top destination for selling books as opposed to other products like hamburgers, computers, etc.?
- When you first entered Barnes and Noble, what was one of the initial things you became aware of? You entered with great enthusiasm about the position. What was the initial item on your to-do list?
- How do you ensure that individuals understand the purpose of their actions and feel connected to the larger system they are a part of?
- Where do you anticipate the significant shifts in the learning industry, not just at Forrest Solutions but in general? What will be the next stage in learning & development, whether it be a progression or a return to a more effective method?
- What suggestions would you offer to those who aspire to become leaders in the L&D domain? What have you learned, and what wisdom would you impart to them?