In the Cut Leadership Conversation with Tsitsi Hampton
Tsitsi built her career in retail as a buyer and merchandiser charged with creating collections for companies including Lane Bryant, the May Merchandising Company and J.C. Penney. Leading product development initiatives from concept to commercialization, she collaborates with domestic and global cross-functional teams to ensure brand integrity and achieve financial goals.
Tsitsi, it’s nice having you In the Cut with me talking about leadership. How we identify has become so important in how we show up authentically in our leadership. So, I’m curious about how you identify in its smallest or largest container?
I come from a rich environment of strong Black women and that has always been how I identify, even as a little munchkin. I have always had a strong connection to who I am, who I look like, who my ancestors are. And I’m a mother, sister, wife and daughter. Yea, I’m a Black woman, always.
Sheila: I can attest to that village of strong Black women who I am grateful to be a part of. I can say that your family was a marker for me for just that because by the time I met you, I had lost my mother and grandmother. The markers of strong Black women from a touchstone perspective were gone. I’ve never said this to you, but being invited into your family was a real thing for me. These are the things you find out In the Cut.
What’s the work that you do?
I’m a merchant. I develop product and create collections. I now do that for a catalog company in Wisconsin. At my core, I am a merchant and love product and creating things that women want to have in their closets for a long time. I want them to be ecstatic when they touch and feel the new garment they’ve ordered because it’s unique for them. That’s what I do.
You started your career in the brick-and-mortar space and transitioned into catalogue. What’s different about that experience have you always been in women’s apparel?
Yes, I’ve always been in women’s apparel, across many categories, and usually in the better segment of merchandise. When I started, there was no such thing as dot.com or e-commerce and the impact of the evolution on brick and mortar has been astounding to see.
Transitioning into the catalogue world was quite novel for me. The customer doesn’t get to touch and feel the product which is such a big and important thing when developing clothing products. Instead, the customer must rely on a picture to do that. One of the things that I always say to my teams is, “I want our customer to be wowed when she receives her merchandise! I want her to say that it’s better than what she even imagined when she saw the picture online or in a catalogue. I want her to be pleasantly surprised.”
“I’m comfortable saying what needs to be said, when it needs to be said and how it needs to be said.”
What do you remember as being your first “known to you” leadership moment?
A more memorable moment was attending a Homeowner’s Association meeting in my neighborhood that was contentious. Some wanted things one way and others wanted something else and the board members was getting hammered. I thought to myself that these people were volunteers, doing this on their own time and were not getting paid. They were doing this work as a service to our community and they deserved to be treated better than that.
I got up and said to the room, “we certainly can have different opinions, and it is imperative that we treat these people respectfully.” After the meeting, a couple of the board members came up and invited me to join the board. In that moment did I not realize that this is what leadership is. Over time, I’ve learned that leadership is just like this, sometimes thrust upon you. You are chosen.
What I did realize in that moment is that I’m comfortable saying what needs to be said, when it needs to be said and how it needs to be said.
How old were you when you did that and did you join the board?
I was about 22 or 23 and I did join the board. I made lifelong friends from that who were much older than me. They became symbiotic relationships with learning exchanged between generations.
Does your identity inform your leadership style?
Culturally, the concept of respect, whether your elders, which is huge, or someone simply because they are a human being, was ingrained in me when as a young age. It’s how I live and what I taught my children. The manners of “please and thank you” are two of the simplest phrases to say that mean so much, yet we often don’t take the time to say.
Respect, while is something that is earned, should be given to those who deserve it and sometimes when it isn’t, can be used as a teachable moment. And another basic tenet of treating people the way you want to be treated is what I consciously try to do daily.
Describe a leadership learning moment, whether it was something that was affirming or was something that I’ll never do again.
Learning the importance of taking on an issue head on. Early in my career I did something that I should not have done. I had a problem with someone and instead of having a conversation with them directly, I went to their boss.
I was called on the carpet for it and I knew that I would never do that again. That goes back to treating others as you want to be treated. I would have expected someone to come to me if they had a problem with me and I didn’t offer that to this person.
This certainly informed my leadership style in that I’m very direct and honest about things that need to be said, whether it’s comfortable of not. And I’ve had people say that they even if they didn’t want to receive the message I shared, they appreciated and respected me for doing so.
You work in a creative function in how you curate and create new collections. Talk about the kind of leadership is necessary when you are not leading a team who reports directly to you.
One of the most important things is listening and making sure that people feel heard. Collaborating. Whether I agree or take what is said and/or integrate it into what I’m doing, I will listen. Coming from the place of being direct, and expecting the same, it’s important to be knowledgeable about the work I do and to not be condescending in any way as I communicate decisions along the way. Being respectful. Also admitting when they are right, and I am wrong builds trust. All of this garners respect and held me in good stead.
I often say that folx in middle management or senior middle management are like the dash on a tombstone – you live your life in the dash – constantly translating up and down reporting lines. You’ve found a comfortable spot and have excelled there where you can be creative and experience the tactile work that you love. With that in mind, talk about the dance you do in that space and what it takes of you to do that?
It's always being prepared when I’m dealing with a senior executive. Understanding that while the creative piece may be important, knowledge of the financial metric is super important. What I love about my role is that it’s both creative and quantitative. What is salient is to put folx at ease no matter where they sit in an organization. Make sure that they are confident in my ability to do what is required and communicate appropriately.
What surprises you most about leadership?
Leaders don’t always have all the answers. It is important that I voice my opinion and give a perspective that they have not thought of and may be of value.
Do you invite your team and cross-org partners to be direct and clear to you?
Yes, absolutely. I make it very clear that my expectation is that they are direct and open with me, and to do so respectfully.
“My superpower is my ability to be still and quiet when necessary and to kick into high gear when necessary.”
You work in a creative function in how you curate and create new collections. Talk about the kind of leadership is necessary when you are not leading a team who reports directly to you.
One of the most important things is listening and making sure that people feel heard. Collaborating. Whether I agree or take what is said and/or integrate it into what I’m doing, I will listen. Coming from the place of being direct, and expecting the same, it’s important to be knowledgeable about the work I do and to not be condescending in any way as I communicate decisions along the way. Being respectful. Also admitting when they are right, and I am wrong builds trust. All of this garners respect and held me in good stead.
I often say that folx in middle management or senior middle management are like the dash on a tombstone – you live your life in the dash – constantly translating up and down reporting lines. You’ve found a comfortable spot and have excelled there where you can be creative and experience the tactile work that you love. With that in mind, talk about the dance you do in that space and what it takes of you to do that?
It's always being prepared when I’m dealing with a senior executive. Understanding that while the creative piece may be important, knowledge of the financial metric is super important. What I love about my role is that it’s both creative and quantitative. What is salient is to put folx at ease no matter where they sit in an organization. Make sure that they are confident in my ability to do what is required and communicate appropriately.
What surprises you most about leadership?
Leaders don’t always have all the answers. It is important that I voice my opinion and give a perspective that they have not thought of and may be of value.
What’s your leadership superpower?
My ability to be still and quiet when necessary and to kick into high gear when necessary and understanding the situations that call for one or the other. I am not of the belief that talking to hear oneself talk is an art. The art is knowing when to be quiet, listen and observe.
Sheila: I’ve known you for a long while and I’m going to suggest that you were born with that instinct. I’m not sure you had to learn it! You’ve always exhibited strategic patience. I had to learn the need to sometimes go slow to go fast.
“Leadership must be fluid to meet the moment.”
What do know your life’s purpose to be?
To help people in any way that I can. Most important is to raise 2 children who will be great assets to society.
Do you have a song, quote or mantra that you line up when you’re about to do something really tough?
Music is always a thing for me. Depending on what that leadership moment is, it could be Mahalia Jackson or Black Eyed Peas. What’s always in the back of my mind is a paraphrase of an MLK quote, “the time is always right to do what is right.” Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s not. If I have something tough to do, I’m quiet. I may recite a Bible verse in my head and know that it will be fine. I’m confident in that.
If this 5 years is a chapter in your life, what’s it about?
Personally, I’m close to being an empty nester. My youngest will graduate from high school next year. However, we are not really empty nesters if we are still paying for everything! I’m thinking about things beyond my kids not being as nearby as they have been for their entire lives.
Professionally, I’m thinking about what more I can contribute in my work.
It’s a year from now, what are you celebrating?
My daughter getting into the college of her choice, that is the right fit for her.
Is there anything else that you’d like to share with me about leadership?
There are different types of leadership that are more important depending on the situation and time. Coaching and servant leadership styles combine to create how I most often show up. However, I can certainly be autocratic when necessary. Leadership must be fluid to meet the moment.
Sheila: You have spoken into the fluid leadership you described above that allows you to be successful in the middle.
Thank you, Tsitsi, for joining me In the Cut!
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