Events & AwardsDec 20, 2024
Two Participants Complete Inaugural Ella Klein InternshipJamie Dunton and Gabriella Botelho are the first graduates of the program, created by the WJA Foundation and Julius Klein Diamonds.
IndependentsJun 05, 2019
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.
Peter Smith is president of Memoire and author of two books, “Hiring Squirrels,” and “Sell Something.” Connect with Smith at dublinsmith@yahoo.com.
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?
Ask yourself where the sales would come from if it weren’t for your top generators, and be honest about it.
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 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.
More on Independents
The Latest
CollectionsDec 20, 2024
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s Ring for CharityIn the spirit of giving, Retrouvaí will donate $4,000 from the sale of this ring to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
CollectionsDec 19, 2024
State Property Transforms Spain’s Generalife Gardens into JewelryAlong with the latest “Gardens” collection, the brand has released limited-edition designs offering more indulgent pieces.
Brought to you by
De Beers Group Launches Holiday Campaign for Natural Diamonds‘Forever Present’ campaign revives the iconic A Diamond is Forever tagline and celebrates the diamond dream.
CrimeDec 19, 2024
Alleged Jewelry Thieves Attempt Rowboat EscapeThe man and woman are accused of stealing jewelry from a shipping container then trying to flee by paddling a small boat out into a bay.
Weekly QuizDec 19, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingDec 19, 2024
The Second-Largest Diamond Ever Found Now Has a Name The 2,488-carat diamond recovered from a mine in Botswana has been dubbed “Motswedi” while its 1,094-carat sibling is “Seriti.”
SourcingDec 19, 2024
Gemfields Reports Record Ruby Auction Results Despite Challenges at SourceThe average price per carat hit a record high for the miner, which said it remains unaffected by the conflict in Mozambique.
Brought to you by
Advocacy and Excellence: How Jewelers of America Is Committed to Elevating Our Industry For over a century, Jewelers of America has been the voice of the industry and valuable resource to jewelers across the country.
AuctionsDec 18, 2024
Alexandrite Ring Sells for Record-Setting $1.9M at Sotheby’sThe nearly 17-carat stone made history for the color-change gem that, according to the auction house, is experiencing a “notable surge” in the market.
WatchesDec 18, 2024
Historic Titanic Pocket Watch Winds Its Way Back to Tiffany & Co. More than a century after survivors gifted a Tiffany timepiece to the captain of the ship that rescued them, the jeweler has reclaimed it.
TechnologyDec 18, 2024
Picchiotti Utilizes AI in ‘Spotlight’ Video CampaignThe videos highlight how pieces from the “Xpandable” and “Reversible Xpandable” collections put the wearer in the spotlight.
Events & AwardsDec 17, 2024
Chanel to Receive Gem Award for High Jewelry ExcellenceThe luxury brand is being honored for excellence in high jewelry design in its “Haute Joaillerie Sport” collection.
SourcingDec 17, 2024
Frank Circelli, Founder of Gem Shopping Network, Dies at 75Circelli was a pioneer in the world of TV shopping who is remembered for his passion for gemstones and his big personality.
AuctionsDec 17, 2024
Blue Diamond Fetches $8.8M at Christie’sThe nearly 6-carat stone headlined the recent jewelry auction, which also featured Mica Ertegun’s jewelry.
CrimeDec 17, 2024
‘Black Bin Crew’ Robbers Get 14-16 Years in Prison The three men, who got their nickname because they’d toss the jewelry they stole into black plastic bins, were arrested back in August.
TrendsDec 16, 2024
Marion Fasel’s New Book Delves Into the History of Engagement Rings“The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance” is a 128-page small-format book containing more than 165 images.
WatchesDec 16, 2024
Take a Look Inside the New Rolex Boutique on Rodeo DriveGearys opened a 6,200-square-foot Rolex store with a design that pays homage to the brand’s connection to the ocean.
GradingDec 16, 2024
GCAL By Sarine Expands 8X to 2 More Fancy Shapes The diamond cut grade is now available for marquise- and pear-shaped diamonds.
SourcingDec 16, 2024
Diamonds Do Good Announces 2025 Award RecipientsDDG said the honorees’ business practices embody a commitment to positive social impact, industry innovation, and community empowerment.
TrendsDec 13, 2024
Selena Gomez Said ‘Forever Begins Now’ to Marquise Diamond Engagement RingEstimates on the size and value of the solitaire diamond, which is mounted on a diamond pavé-set yellow gold band, vary.
TrendsDec 13, 2024
Piece of the Week: Martin Katz’s Tanzanite Drops These half-moon tanzanite earrings totaling 25 carats are part of a special trunk show taking place this weekend in Dallas.
Recorded WebinarsDec 13, 2024
Watch: The Highs and Lows of 2024The National Jeweler editors recap the top news, the best jewels, and their favorite stories of the year.
AuctionsDec 12, 2024
Tom Brady’s Watches Top $4M at Sotheby’s AuctionThe highest-grossing lot of the sale was the retired QB’s Rolex Paul Newman Daytona “John Player Special.”
SourcingDec 12, 2024
Grizzly Emerald Auction Garners $22.4MRecent expansion initiatives at the Zambian emerald mine have shown strong production numbers, said Grizzly founder Abdoulaye Ndiaye.
MajorsDec 12, 2024
Mark Henry Appoints New Director of SalesCarrie Forman joins the brand to guide it into the next phase of growth with major and independent retailers in the U.S. and abroad.
SourcingDec 12, 2024
De Beers Announces 2024 ‘Shining Light’ Award WinnersThe competition awarded 12 designers, each from a country where De Beers recovers diamonds, with business support and tuition assistance.
CollectionsDec 12, 2024
The Jared Atelier x Vera Wang Collection Emphasizes EleganceThe high jewelry collection features 14 one-of-a-kind pieces, with serpent and ribbon motifs winding their way through the collection.
