NDC filed a complaint against Skydiamond for use of phrases like “diamonds made entirely from the sky.”
Squirrel Spotting: Top Salespeople Need Love Too
Peter Smith makes a case for giving your top salespeople space, but not so much space that they feel entirely alone and unappreciated.
One of the great paradoxes with superstar salespeople is like the rest of us (or even more so), they want to be left to their own devices to hunt and prospect, unencumbered by anything they view as an obstacle.
But they also want to be loved, and they need to be loved.
Superstar salespeople want to feel like they are part of the group, respected, perhaps even the most respected members of the team.
They need to know that what they see as their unique talents—the ability to engage customers and influence buying behaviors—is valued, without the irritant of petty rules and regulations.
It is that latter aspect, the rules and regulations part, that infuriates managers of top salespeople.
Managers want to be fair and equitable. They want to give everyone the same opportunity to be successful and they can’t understand why there’d be one set of standards for the team and an entirely different set for one person.
It is hard to argue with that sentiment. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone, to paraphrase the Ritz-Carlton, behaved like proper ladies and gentlemen? Wouldn’t our lives be that much easier if all our people were equally motivated, emotionally mature, and sensible in all their choices and decision-making? What a lovely, utopian planet we would have (well, at least within the confines of our own businesses).
Lost in the well-intentioned sentiment of wanting to treat everyone the same is the irony of top performers not acting the same as everyone else.
They don’t ask you to call them in the morning to deliver a pep talk. They don’t wait for managers to point them in the direction of customers.
They don’t need convincing that what pays the bills are sales, profitable sales. They don’t waste time with activities and projects that don’t move the bar, and they almost always prioritize selling activities over everything else.
There’s no doubt star salespeople can be difficult to manage. Their maverick-like behavior can drive their colleagues crazy, and they do push the envelope in their efforts to make sales and to minimize distractions.
“Great salespeople need space to make their magic happen … Leave them, but don’t forget to love them.”But, before you get too caught up in your well-intentioned efforts at fairness and equity, ask yourself: Does the rest of my team bring to the table what my top salespeople do?
The idea that sales from top sellers would have happened anyway, even if they didn’t work at your store, is optimistic and self-serving.
The best salespeople have an inherent wiring that is not shared by their colleagues and their talent is reflected in their ability to self-prospect, to close more sales at a higher average ticket, to add-on and up-sell, and to develop repeat business through assertive and self-driven clienteling.
Great salespeople need space to make their magic happen and that magic is oxygen for our businesses. They should be given every opportunity to do what comes naturally to them. Their drive is not a function of training or outside motivation; it is inherent.
Let them do their thing and pull them back only every now and then to ensure they don’t go completely off the rails. Don’t try to manage out of them what you never managed into them in the first place.
Leave them, but don’t forget to love them.
Don’t misinterpret their desire to go it alone with not wanting to feel like they are a part of the team.
Make sure to tell them—privately, publicly and authentically—that you value what they bring to the table and what they mean to your business.
In “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t,” Simon Sinek wrote: “As much as we want to stand out and consider ourselves individuals, at our core we are herd animals that are biologically designed to find comfort when we feel like we belong to a group.
“Our brains are wired to release oxytocin when in the presence of our tribe and cortisol, the chemical that produces the feeling of anxiety, when we feel vulnerable and alone.”
Top salespeople will seek newer pastures when they feel ostracized or apart from the group.
They want the freedom to make things happen and to blaze a trail. What they don’t want is to feel like they are on the trail alone.
Peter Smith is president of Memoire and author of two books, “Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent” and “Sell Something: Principles and Perspectives for Engaged Retail Salespeople.” Both books are available in print or Kindle at Amazon.com. Connect with Smith on LinkedIn or at dublinsmith@yahoo.com.
The Latest
John Carter received the AGS’s highest honor Tuesday afternoon at Conclave in Austin, Texas.
LVMH said the company performed well despite an uncertain geopolitical and economic environment.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
B&D Sales and Service held a ribbon-cutting event for its new location in Cranston, Rhode Island.
It’s ultra-feminine and filled with gold, pearls, and soft pastels.
Emily Highet Morgan and Emily Bennett have joined the agency’s team.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
Its updated book for mountings is also now available.
She has been with the organization since 2010, most recently serving as its chief officer of PR and industry relations.
Joyce’s Jewelry sued the bank after cybercriminals drained its accounts of nearly $1.6 million through a series of wire transfers.
Hosted by Freeman’s | Hindman, the sale will take place May 7-8.
The auction house said all 24 timepieces offered in its underground sale of rare and avant-garde watches quickly found buyers.
From lab-grown diamonds and AI to the inevitable Taylor Swift mention, here are some of Conclave’s most intriguing educational offerings.
From cybersecurity liability to trade show coverage, insurance experts share tips on how to build the right policy.
The charm is a modern rendition of the evil eye amulet that has been worn for thousands of years.
Ahead of its trade show next month, TJS awarded free registration and accommodations to one jewelry professional and three students.
By the end of this year, SRK’s diamond manufacturing complexes will achieve net zero emissions, one of an impressive array of achievements.
Members can still sell lab-grown stones, it said, but only natural gems are allowed on the show floor.
The retailer also appointed two new board members, avoiding a proxy fight from a potential buyer.
The bridal collection consists of 35 engagement rings and seven wedding bands.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
The family-owned jeweler has a new education section on its website dedicated to the history of diamond cutting.
The limited-edition men’s rings can be customized with one of 12 team logos.
There is a willingness to comply with new government-mandated regulations, with an insistence that they should be practical and realistic.
The program, now live in Europe, will roll out to the U.S. this summer.
Colored gemstones and signed jewels are the focus of its upcoming Geneva sale.