America could be hit with 'high-impact' cyberattack targeting energy grid, fmr WH tech chief says

A former White House tech chief warns that the U.S. faces an elevated risk of a high-impact cyberattack targeting critical infrastructure—especially the energy grid. As geopolitical tensions and digital threats escalate, vulnerabilities in the power sector could be exploited with devastating national consequences. The call to action is clear: harden defenses now, before threat actors strike.

FOX News

Report: retailers should launch “strategic reset” amid tariff turmoil

A new report urges retailers to take bold action in the face of ongoing tariff disruptions, recommending a full “strategic reset” to protect profitability and supply chain resilience. From re-evaluating sourcing strategies to rethinking pricing models, the report underscores that minor tweaks won’t cut it in this volatile trade environment. Retailers must pivot fast or risk being caught flat-footed as future economic shifts unfold.

SC Exchange

Phishing Emails Are Getting Smarter: Here's How to Outsmart Them

Phishing emails have evolved—now using AI, personalization, and psychological tricks to bypass traditional defenses and fool even savvy employees. This article highlights the latest tactics scammers deploy and offers practical tips for staying ahead of increasingly intelligent cyberthreats. In the fight against phishing, constant vigilance and training are your first line of defense.

CIOL

US retail sales dip in May, core categories resilient: Census Bureau

Retail sales in the U.S. declined in May, reflecting cooling consumer demand following early-year surges tied to tariff fears. Despite the overall dip, core categories such as apparel and online shopping showed resilience, signaling cautious but continued consumer engagement. Economists suggest this pullback may be temporary—but the retail sector remains highly sensitive to policy shifts and inflation pressure.

Fibre2Fashion

Technology firm flags potential role of loyalty and rewards platforms in tackling retail crime

JISP, a retail tech innovator, suggests that loyalty and rewards programs could double as a covert tool to reduce retail crime. By incentivizing positive behavior and embedding deterrence within customer engagement strategies, retailers may be able to turn data and rewards into crime-prevention assets. It’s a fresh take on leveraging behavioral economics for loss prevention.

RTIH

 Stop Trying to Change Your Personality—Change This Instead 

Amber Bradley
Editor-in-Chief
TalkLPnews
amber@talklpnews.com

If you've been passed over for promotions or have heard vague feedback from your boss about your lacking leadership style, you might cringe at the above title. However, I'm here to give you some specifics –even though I don't know you.

First, did you know that your leadership style is totally distinct from your personality? When reading an article in Harvard Business Review about developing your leadership style, I was floored by this. Wait, you can have a crappy personality but be a great leader? Apparently. Let's explore:

Authors Suzanne J. Peterson and Robin Abramson's research defines two types of leadership traits that people portray: power and attractiveness (no, not how hot you are). Neither set of traits (or signals as they call them) are inherently good or bad. Powerful signals: confidence, competence, charisma, and influence but also arrogance, abrasiveness and intimidation. Attractiveness signals: expressions of agreeableness, approachability, likeability, but also diffidence, lack of confidence and submissiveness.

I'm sure you can guess by the descriptors that people with powerful styles view more-attractive colleagues as weak and people with attractive styles view powerful colleagues as rude. Regardless of the current signals you use (that might be inherent to your personality) you can modify them based on the situation and change others' impression of you. Again, I was surprised. Not to say it would be easy.

Research shows that the best, most effective leaders have a blended style and this is often related to "presence." Those leaders that are able to adopt the right markers to suit the situation are praised more often for their gravitas and polish.

Ok, now what? Here are some tips the authors provide to help understand your signals and how to change them.

Take a Hard Look at your Style What do others say about you? Not sure? Ask them. Or here's a few things you can do after you take your informal survey.

• Keep a list of signals in front of you during various interactions and check off the ones you use
• Record a zoom meeting and then watch it back, assessing your own behavior

Experiment with Different Signals Think you portray powerful markers? Try attractiveness markers. For instance, if people (or you) think you are intimidating, domineering, or coercive, try to not interrupt, ask more questions or use more inclusive language. If people think you seem weak or "too nice," start using more declarative statements, dress more formally, or use more-intense words.

Read the Room One question the researchers often answered is how do leaders know what styles to use, when? It's important to read the room and assess what others are doing before deciding on your approach – more powerful or attractive. Some common mistakes executives make is using powerful markers with subordinates and attractive markers with higher-ups when the opposite approach is often more effective.

For Minorities and Women Due to the unfortunate reality of unconscious biases, researchers suggest women and minorities should always lean more toward blended style. But don't alter your style to conform in a way that hides your diverse traits or overplaying your differences in a way that distracts from your leadership style.

The researchers warn, "Women must walk a narrow tightrope: They must have the courage to interrupt, use fewer non-fluencies, and use more-intense words while blending in more relational and empathetic responses, statements as questions and happy expressions." Which quite honestly reminded me of this classic scene in the Barbie movie that describes being a woman to a tee – watch it here.

In the end, obviously creating and constantly assessing your leadership style for effectiveness is complicated. Remember, achieving your own truly blended style enables leaders to become powerful enough to be heard and attractive enough to be followed.

Do you have a different take? Or more to add?  Email me here!

 Reflections on the First 100 Days 

Craig Greenberg 

Chief Commercial Officer for Gatekeeper Systems 

It’s been just over 100 days since Gatekeeper Systems and FaceFirst came together in a merger that brings together two companies with a shared mission: making retail environments safer, smarter, and more secure. As with any meaningful transition, much has happened in a short time—and I’d like to take a moment to reflect on our progress and what lies ahead.

First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Dara Riordan and the many dedicated current and former members of the FaceFirst team. Their passion and perseverance built FaceFirst into the trusted, industry-leading face-matching platform it is today. That legacy endures. 

The vision and leadership that shaped FaceFirst’s foundation lives on through the many talented team members who continue to drive innovation, support our customers, and guide our evolution forward.

In these first 100 days, we’ve prioritized listening—to our customers, our teams, and our partners. We’ve sought to understand how we can enhance the FaceFirst experience by streamlining deployment, strengthening support, and accelerating time to value. These conversations have already led to action. We’re rolling out pilot programs that bring together FaceFirst and Gatekeeper’s Purchek® technology and investigative services in a coordinated effort to deliver even greater value—helping retailers quickly identify repeat offenders, build cases, and protect their people and profits more proactively than ever before.

This merger is more than an integration of technologies—it is a fusion of cultures.  At Gatekeeper Systems’ core, we’ve always been an innovative technology company creating and improving solutions for cart-based retailers. Now, the engineering energy and agile innovation that defined FaceFirst is infusing Gatekeeper Systems with a powerful new tempo and expanded marketplace. At the same time, Gatekeeper’s scale, resources, and operational maturity are extending FaceFirst’s reach and impact. Together, we’re stronger—and faster.

Looking forward, our commitment is clear. We will continue to invest in product development, customer success, and compliance leadership. We will stay attuned to the evolving needs of the retail industry and the communities we serve. And above all, we will stay grounded in our purpose: delivering solutions that enhance safety without compromise.

We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built—and even more excited about what’s to come. Thank you for your continued partnership. I look forward to speaking with many of you soon.

Shoplifting suspect fatally stabs self

CBS 4

Over $207,000 in stolen goods recovered in statewide retail crime blitz

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is celebrating the results of a crime blitz that targeted organized crime rings that prey on retailers.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says the blitz recovered more than $207,000 in stolen assets and netted 44 arrests.

Their charges include shoplifting, petit theft, fraudulent returns, drug possession and trespassing.

The recovered merchandise included a wide range of goods, like personal grooming products, clothing, sporting goods, home repair tools and supplies.

Yahoo! News

Gap pours $58M into robotics and automation at its largest global distribution facility in Tennessee

FOX Business

 Join OpenEye at NRF Protect 2025 

OpenEye will be at NRF Protect, the retail industry’s most comprehensive, cross-functional event, in Grapevine, TX from June 23-25, 2025, showcasing the versatility and power of OpenEye’s cloud-managed surveillance platform.

Be sure to stop by booth #803

Join us to learn more about OpenEye’s cloud video solutions, including OpenEye Web Services, retail analytics, POS Connect, and cloud cameras. Also, don’t miss out on your chance to win a new pair of Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses during OpenEye’s giveaway at the upcoming event!

Use the promo code EXHTST10 and get 20% off an all-access or free expo pass for this year’s NRF Protect!

Out of County Deputies Being Called In as Looting Starts in Ohio County Flood Areas

Last weekend’s flooding in Ohio County has left tired deputies and recovering communities now being targeted by looters, according to Sheriff Nelson Croft.

Deputies will now be coming from other West Virginia counties to assist the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department in the coming days.

Croft expects to have about 12 more deputies available to schedule on patrol.

The Intelligencer

Fight between employees ends in gunfire at Bartlett Walmart

An argument between two Walmart employees ended in gunfire Thursday afternoon, according to the Bartlett Police Department (BPD). 

BPD said two employees got into a fight at the store at 8400 Highway 64.

A FOX13 employee who was inside the store with her family at the time of the shooting said she heard four or five gunshots come from the back of the store. 

Police said those bullets struck a Walmart employee.

FOX 13

Trump OSHA budget would cut 10,000 job safety inspections

Trump’s budget for OSHA in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 would cut inspections nationally by almost 10,000, or one-third, Sen. Tammy Baldwin says.

Baldwin unveiled the figure at a Senate Labor Committee confirmation hearing for David Keeling to be Trump’s OSHA administrator.

Keeling is a current top safety and health officer for FedEx, which is non-union, and a prior health and safety specialist, working his way from the bottom up, at UPS.

Labor Tribune

Serve Customers Better

Improve customer service with AI-powered video analytics that track in-store customer behavior in real time.

March Networks’ X-Series Network Video Recorders (NVRs) leverage advanced analytics and NVIDIA system-on-chip technology to help you quickly identify service issues and improve operational efficiency. 

With precise behavioral data, you can detect long queues, analyze foot traffic patterns, and optimize where you place marketing materials like signage and promotional displays—based on where customers spend the most time.

These AI-driven insights allow your team to pinpoint service bottlenecks and take action to enhance the customer experience across all your locations.

This job contributes to REI’s success by advancing REI’s business objectives while protecting the co-op’s assets. The Director of Asset Protection Field Operations is responsible for the leadership and oversight of the comprehensive asset protection function(s) and team(s), primarily focusing on store and distribution center operations.

The Director’s duties include total enterprise loss prevention strategies as well as theft prevention and security programs across the enterprise. In addition, this role may take on additional opportunities such as supporting Internal Audit functions, or other areas where similar skill sets are needed. The Director works in close collaboration with leaders in Stores, Merchandising, Sales & Customer Support, Supply Chain, HR, Legal and HQ.

California city calls for more staffing at self-checkouts

For months, self-checkout lanes have gradually disappeared from some stores, while others have implemented item limits or reconfigured the kiosks—all in an effort to curb one issue: theft.

In February 2024, KTLA reported on just how widespread the problem had become. The convenience and cost-effectiveness of self-checkouts were being overshadowed by the volume of stolen merchandise.

Yahoo! News

Amazon gives employees 30 days to relocate closer to their teams or face consequences

Amazon is mandating that thousands of its corporate staff move to key urban hubs such as Seattle, Arlington, and Washington, D.C.

This directive comes at a time when widespread layoffs are making headlines across various industries, potentially intensifying concerns and stress among employees affected by the relocation plans, reports Bloomberg.

Financial Express