Policies & IssuesMay 14, 2025
Here’s What Happened to Pope Francis’ RingBefore Pope Leo XIV was elected, a centuries-old procedure regarding the late pontiff’s ring was followed.
ColumnistsSep 08, 2020
Squirrel Spotting: 10 Things Not To Do To Your Salespeople
From not micro-managing to not making them managers, Peter Smith lists 10 things retailers should avoid if they want to hold onto their top salespeople.
Peter Smith is president of Memoire and Hearts On Fire. He is author of two books, “Hiring Squirrels,” and “Sell Something.” Connect with Smith on LinkedIn or at dublinsmith@yahoo.com.
I’ve written plenty about how to hire and manage salespeople.
So I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of what not to do when it comes to them.
Here’s a list of 10. Let me know if you have any suggestions to add; you can email them to me or leave them in the comments below.
1) Don’t Subject Them to an Up System
Your most talented salespeople should spend as much time as possible in front of customers.
Forcing them to take a number while less capable salespeople engage customers is frustrating for them and bad for business.
They give your company the best opportunity to make sales, and they give your customers the best opportunity to have a great experience.
2) Don’t Deny Them a Meritocracy
No matter what plan you use for compensation—base, commission, bonuses, etc.—make sure your best salespeople make the most money.
Compensation plans designed to create a level playing field (i.e., we don’t pay commission but we all share the rewards equally), however well intentioned, miss the point entirely. It’s a great way to lose top salespeople.
3) Don’t Load Them Up With Non-Selling Duties
Great salespeople should be in front of customers at every opportunity. Activities and tasks that remove them from your customers will cost you money.
It’s called lost business. Hire non-salespeople to do non-selling tasks and let salespeople sell, as that’s what drives business forward.
4) Don’t Inflict a Bad Manager on Them
Clichés are clichés for a reason. Good people don’t leave companies, they leave bad managers.
If you inflict a bad manager on a good sales team, you’re telling them you don’t really care about their welfare, their productivity or their job satisfaction.
5) Don’t Try To Change Them
Nobody is perfect and top salespeople are no different. They are, however, perfectly suited to sales and that’s what they should be celebrated for. Don’t waste time trying to fix their non-selling imperfections.
6) Don’t Paint Your Whole Team With the Same Brush
There is nothing more demotivating to top salespeople than a well-intentioned but misguided manager criticizing the entire team for under-performance.
You are, in effect, telling the best performers they are responsible not just for their own results, but for those of less capable coworkers that you hired.
7) Don’t Burn Them Out
Even top performers need to switch off every now
So I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of what not to do when it comes to them.
Here’s a list of 10. Let me know if you have any suggestions to add; you can email them to me or leave them in the comments below.
1) Don’t Subject Them to an Up System
Your most talented salespeople should spend as much time as possible in front of customers.
Forcing them to take a number while less capable salespeople engage customers is frustrating for them and bad for business.
They give your company the best opportunity to make sales, and they give your customers the best opportunity to have a great experience.
2) Don’t Deny Them a Meritocracy
No matter what plan you use for compensation—base, commission, bonuses, etc.—make sure your best salespeople make the most money.
Compensation plans designed to create a level playing field (i.e., we don’t pay commission but we all share the rewards equally), however well intentioned, miss the point entirely. It’s a great way to lose top salespeople.
3) Don’t Load Them Up With Non-Selling Duties
Great salespeople should be in front of customers at every opportunity. Activities and tasks that remove them from your customers will cost you money.
It’s called lost business. Hire non-salespeople to do non-selling tasks and let salespeople sell, as that’s what drives business forward.
4) Don’t Inflict a Bad Manager on Them
Clichés are clichés for a reason. Good people don’t leave companies, they leave bad managers.
If you inflict a bad manager on a good sales team, you’re telling them you don’t really care about their welfare, their productivity or their job satisfaction.
5) Don’t Try To Change Them
Nobody is perfect and top salespeople are no different. They are, however, perfectly suited to sales and that’s what they should be celebrated for. Don’t waste time trying to fix their non-selling imperfections.
6) Don’t Paint Your Whole Team With the Same Brush
There is nothing more demotivating to top salespeople than a well-intentioned but misguided manager criticizing the entire team for under-performance.
You are, in effect, telling the best performers they are responsible not just for their own results, but for those of less capable coworkers that you hired.
7) Don’t Burn Them Out
Even top performers need to switch off every now
and again. They put tremendous pressure on themselves to perform, but they need a break every so often to avoid burnout.
That could be, for example, an occasional late-morning start, or a paid half day when they least expect it.
8) Don’t Micro-Manage Them
Good salespeople wake up motivated. They spend most of their time engaged in behaviors designed to make sales, and they spend most of their waking hours thinking about your customers.
Let them do what they do best and don’t try to micro-manage them.
9) Don’t Make Them a Manager
It is a rare case where salespeople step easily into a manager’s position.
The very ego that is necessary for their sales success often drives them in that direction, but they are fundamentally different roles. When making this change, you’ll more than likely be losing a top salesperson and gaining a poor manager.
10) Don’t Offer False Praise
One of the greatest traits of top salespeople is their empathy—their ability to read people and situations. They see through false praise and inauthenticity as quickly as anyone on your team.
Keep it real.
Great salespeople are precious cargo and they should treated as such.
They make up about 17 percent of all salespeople and the really good ones, what I describe as hybrids, account for about 4 percent of all salespeople.
If you’ve got any, handle them with care.
That could be, for example, an occasional late-morning start, or a paid half day when they least expect it.
8) Don’t Micro-Manage Them
Good salespeople wake up motivated. They spend most of their time engaged in behaviors designed to make sales, and they spend most of their waking hours thinking about your customers.
Let them do what they do best and don’t try to micro-manage them.
9) Don’t Make Them a Manager
It is a rare case where salespeople step easily into a manager’s position.
The very ego that is necessary for their sales success often drives them in that direction, but they are fundamentally different roles. When making this change, you’ll more than likely be losing a top salesperson and gaining a poor manager.
10) Don’t Offer False Praise
One of the greatest traits of top salespeople is their empathy—their ability to read people and situations. They see through false praise and inauthenticity as quickly as anyone on your team.
Keep it real.
Great salespeople are precious cargo and they should treated as such.
They make up about 17 percent of all salespeople and the really good ones, what I describe as hybrids, account for about 4 percent of all salespeople.
If you’ve got any, handle them with care.
More on Columnists
The Latest
AuctionsMay 14, 2025
Custom Rolex Pulled From Sotheby’s SaleThe one-of-a-kind platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was estimated to fetch up to $1.7 million.
Lab-GrownMay 14, 2025
State of Diamonds: What’s Next for Lab-Grown Diamonds?While the product has entrenched itself in the market, retailers and consultants are assessing the next phase of the category’s development.
Brought to you by
Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show: Showcasing the Most Collectible Merchandise from Across the GlobeGain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.
CrimeMay 14, 2025
Seattle Detectives Seek Public’s Help in Tiffany & Co. Robberies The police are trying to identify the man suspected of robbing two Tiffany & Co. locations in the area.
Weekly QuizMay 08, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsMay 14, 2025
Jeff Corey Elected Chair of JBT Board The well-known Maine jeweler takes over for Brian Fleming and will serve a one-year term.
Policies & IssuesMay 14, 2025
Foundrae Donates $11K to Ethical MetalsmithsThe donation was the result of the brand’s annual Earth Day Ingot event.
Brought to you by
Watch: The Winston Red: GIA Examines the Smithsonian’s Newest AdditionSupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
IndependentsMay 13, 2025
Eiseman Jewels’ Renovated Dallas Store Is Bigger and BetterLocated in NorthPark Center, the revamped store is nearly 2,000 square feet larger and includes the first Tudor boutique in Dallas.
MajorsMay 13, 2025
DCA Announces New Learning Platform, Course UpdatesThe nonprofit has made updates to the content in its beginner and advanced jewelry sales courses.
MajorsMay 13, 2025
BIJC Launches New Education FundBIJC President Malyia McNaughton will shift roles to lead the new foundation, and Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez will succeed her as president.
TrendsMay 13, 2025
State of Jewelry Design: The Top 10 Jewelry Trends of the Past DecadeAs a nod to the theme of JCK Las Vegas 2025, “Decades,” National Jeweler took a look back at the top 10 jewelry trends of the past 10 years.
Lab-GrownMay 12, 2025
Lightbox to Go Dark by Summer, De Beers Says The company plans to halt all consumer-facing activity this summer, while Lightbox factory operations will cease by the end of the year.
Policies & IssuesMay 12, 2025
Tariffs on Chinese Imports Temporarily Slashed as U.S.-China Reach Deal Following weekend negotiations, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will drop by 115 percent for the next 90 days.
Events & AwardsMay 12, 2025
Jewelry By Picasso, Dalí on Display at Florida Art Museum “Artists’ Jewelry: From Cubism to Pop, the Diane Venet Collection” is on view at the Norton Museum of Art through October.
Events & AwardsMay 12, 2025
CASE Awards Now Accepting Entries For 2025The deadline to submit is June 16.
IndependentsMay 09, 2025
Lugano Diamonds CEO Resigns Amid Internal InvestigationMoti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.
CollectionsMay 09, 2025
Pieces of the Week: Marie Lichtenberg’s Collaborations for Mother’s DayLichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.
SourcingMay 09, 2025
Gemfields Resumes Emerald Mining in ZambiaThe miner announced plans to recommence open-pit mining at Kagem.
CrimeMay 08, 2025
Former NYC Jewelry Store Employee Arrested in 2017 Choking Death of Boss Michel Desalles allegedly murdered Omid Gholian inside World of Gold N Diamond using zip ties and then fled the country.
EditorsMay 08, 2025
5 ‘Superfine’ Met Gala Jewelry MomentsAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore shares her favorite looks from a night of style inspired by Black dandyism.
Supplier BulletinMay 08, 2025
Instappraise Introduces Game-Changing Trifold Appraisal FormatSponsored by Instappraise
FinancialsMay 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth Notes an Uptick in Engagement Ring Sales in Q1CEO Beth Gerstein discussed the company’s bridal bestsellers, the potential impact of tariffs, and the rising price of gold.
IndependentsMay 08, 2025
Margot McKinney Lands in the U.S. With New BoutiqueThe brand’s first independent location outside of Australia has opened in Beverly Hills, California.
IndependentsMay 08, 2025
Verragio Announces New Regional Sales ManagerCathy Marsh will lead the jewelry company’s efforts in the upper Midwest and western United States.
FinancialsMay 07, 2025
Pandora Posts Strong Q1, Plans for TariffsThe company has multiple strategies for dealing with tariffs, though its CEO said moving manufacturing to the U.S. is not one of them.
SourcingMay 07, 2025
Gemfields Says Emerald Sales Improved in Latest AuctionIts commercial-quality emerald sale held last month totaled more than $16 million, up from about $11 million in September 2024.
