A column dedicated to thought-provoking conversation for Asset Protection professionals.
In this weekly column, I, along with other AP/LP professionals, will write about provocative thoughts and ideas for all of you to ponder. Readers will also have an opportunity to submit comments to be posted throughout the week. We at TalkLPnews hope this content will help enrich your experience within our profession.
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard an Asset Protection (AP) or Loss Prevention (LP) professional say, “We deserve a seat at the table,” I could probably fund a full-blown ORC task force.
But here’s a question we rarely ask ourselves: Have we actually earned it?
That phrase — “a seat at the table” — has become the rallying cry of our profession. We want to be included in strategy discussions, budget meetings, and brand initiatives. We want to be viewed as business partners, not just the department of “no.”
But before we demand a seat, maybe we should take a hard look at what we’re bringing to that table.
Let’s be honest: too many AP/LP professionals still speak a language the business doesn’t understand — or care about. We’re fluent in apprehensions, EBR hits, and shrink variance, but not in sales, gross margin, or EBIT. We push for new camera installations but struggle to explain the ROI in a way that matters to the CFO. We talk about “protecting assets,” but often fail to connect that mission to improving customer experience or supporting sales growth.
If you’ve ever been frustrated because your presentation got bumped from the leadership agenda, ask yourself: Do I typically walk in there talking business, or do I typically walk in there talking loss prevention?
Here’s a harsh truth: No one owes us a seat at the table.
Executives don’t hand out influence as a participation trophy. They give it to people who make their lives easier — people who understand the business, translate risk into dollars, and offer solutions that align with company goals.
I’ve sat in those meetings. I’ve seen the difference between the AP/LP leader who gets invited back and the one who quietly disappears from the invite list. The ones who stay don’t talk about catching shoplifters — they talk about protecting employees, protecting customers, protecting profit, enabling sales, and supporting brand growth. They make AP/LP sound like an investment, not an expense.
Here’s a quick test:
- When was the last time you read your company’s 10-K or listened to an earnings call?
- Do you know your company’s sales comp, margin rate, or inventory turn?
- Can you clearly explain how your team’s work impacts those metrics?
If you can’t, maybe you haven’t earned that seat yet — and that’s okay. It just means there’s work to do.
The best AP/LP leaders I know are fluent in the language of business. They spend time with operators, merchants, and finance leaders. They ask questions. They listen. They learn what keeps those executives up at night and then show how AP/LP can help them sleep better.
That’s how you earn your chair — by adding value that others can’t.
We’ve got to evolve from being “enforcers” to being “enablers.” From being the department that slows things down to the one that helps make things safer, faster, and more profitable. We need to become students of the business — not just guardians of the goods.
Because at the end of the day, the table isn’t the problem.
The conversation is.
If you disagree, or believe the AP/LP profession already has earned its seat at the table, feel free to Change My Mind.
Send all comments to: Comments@TalkLPnews.com
If your comment gets listed in the TalkLPnews Retail Rundown for the remainder of the week, it will be listed as “anonymous.”
David E. George, CFE, CFI, is the Managing Partner of Calibration Group, Inc., and of its subsidiary, TalkLPnews. Previously, David served as Vice President of Asset Protection for Dollar General Stores, a company with more than 20,000 stores in 48 states. While serving Dollar General, David was responsible for the Asset Protection field team, the Asset Protection corporate team, the Shrink Improvement team, and the Shrink Analytics team.
Prior to Dollar General, David held the Vice President of Asset Protection position with Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc., a regional chain based in Charlotte, NC. He served Harris Teeter for more than 14 years and has had previous loss prevention leadership roles with Kmart Supercenters.
For more information about Calibration Group, visit www.calibrationgroup.com.
