Macy's CEO Tony Spring shared these 4 career tips from his 4 decades in retail

Macy's CEO Tony Spring.

Business Wire/AP Macy's CEO Tony Spring shared a raft of career advice during a recent podcast interview.

The retail-industry veteran championed listening, connecting, and making first impressions count.

Spring learned one lesson at age 16 after he was tasked with cleaning a Burger King parking lot.

Shut up and listen, connect with your coworkers, and make a stellar first impression.

Macy's CEO Tony Spring shared those three pieces of career advice, drawn from around four decades of working in department stores, during the latest episode of the "How Leaders Lead with David Novak" podcast.

Before taking the top job at Macy's in February 2024, Spring spent around 35 years at Bloomingdale's, climbing the corporate ladder from a store trainee in 1987 to CEO between 2014 and 2023.

Here are four key lessons he learned along the way: Listen and learn Don't hit the ground running, Spring said on the podcast.

"I'll cut your legs off," he joked.

" Hit the ground listening ." "Honeymoons come once," Spring continued.

"You want to learn.

This is your time.

No one's expecting anything.

You actually have the clearest view when you come into the company." New employees don't know enough about their employer to have the right answers, but they bring a fresh perspective as they "see things that we've stopped seeing," he added.