Le’Lani Johnson’s keys to success? Work hard, ask questions — and bring all the fun!
When you hear that an associate earned four promotions in three years, do you wonder, “How did they do that?”
Le’Lani Johnson is that associate. So we had to ask…How did you do that? “Old-school hard work!”
Le’Lani joined as a part-time cashier in April 2020 and is now people lead at Walmart Neighborhood Market, Store 5981 in Carmichael, California.
At first, Le’Lani didn’t plan to stay with the company for long. But after two months, her commitment earned her a promotion to academy trainer. She quickly moved to front-end team lead, stocking team lead and — before her third anniversary — people lead.
“Walmart is a really good company where there's always opportunities to advance your career,” Le’Lani explains. “When you work hard, the rewards come to you.”
Le’Lani also offers these tips for career success:
Stay curious: “I ask questions, take advantage of the resources Walmart provides.”
Le’Lani looks for successful associates in her same role and picks their brains for tips. She also learns from her store manager and mentor, Rachel Caskey.
“I soak up as much information as possible,” Le’Lani explains. “Once I'm comfortable with a role, if there's another opportunity to advance, I'm going for it!”
Take advantage of Live Better U: “I tell new hires that Live Better U is a great opportunity to further your education,” she says. “Since Walmart pays 100% of it, you don't accumulate the student loan debt that usually goes with it. It's a win-win.”
Le’Lani is earning her Business Management Leadership Certificate through LBU and plans to get her bachelor’s degree in business.
She tells friends and family, “You may think your company offers a lot, but I guarantee it doesn’t offer as much as Walmart does!”
Bring positive energy: In her first few months as people lead, the turnover in Store 5981 dropped significantly. Le’Lani believes the friendly atmosphere she helped create contributed to this improvement. “I bring my positive energy, knock out the negative, and make it a more warm and fun environment,” she says.
She celebrates associate birthdays monthly and hosts weekly quizzes. She has an open-door policy and tells associates to think of her office like Las Vegas: “What happens here, stays here.”
“It's a very wonderful place to work,” she says. “That should be our new slogan: Walmart — a wonderful place to work!”
