Leadership Tips From Top Retail Execs

Ahrendts: Burberry wasn't a democratic organization when Ahrendts took over as CEO — less than 10 percent of the company's employees were eligible for bonuses and less than 5 percent owned shares of the company's stock. Ahrendts set a goal to create a democratic compensation program where within five years 100 percent of the brand's employees were enrolled in the bonus program and owned shares of Burberry's stock. The goal was reached within four years. Burberry's employee turnover rate has decreased 80 percent as a result.