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Editor’s Note: Don’t Make Working For You a Tollbooth Job

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You want people to work in your store because they love jewelry, says David Squires.

 

[dropcap cap=A]s an employee and manager, I’ve always been a B.F. Skinner-style behaviorist — believing that it is the food pellet (bonus or salary increase) that convinces the mouse (employee) to push the desired lever (work) at the desired rate (output).[/dropcap]

But now I’m wondering if I’ve overrated the power of the pellet. Reading the book Drive by Daniel H. Pink has gotten me thinking that money is probably pretty far down on the list of things we work for.

(My staff is saying “Uh-oh!” right now.) So let me rephrase that: Once we get to a fair living wage that’s competitive to other salaries in the industry, we don’t work for money. At that point, financial rewards not only lose their power, but when applied incorrectly, they can actually become demotivating.

Malcolm Gladwell asks a good question in Outliers: “If I offered you a choice between being an architect for $75,000 and working in a tollbooth every day for the rest of your life for $100,000, which would you take?”

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Think about how you would answer. And think about how your staff might answer.

For the owner of a jewelry store (or even the editorial director of a magazine), the question is how can you make working for you less of a tollbooth job and more of an architect’s job?

The answers are purpose, autonomy, fun. You want people to work in your store because they love jewelry. Or because they’re romantic. Or love helping people surprise their loved ones.

We will add more tips and ideas from Drive at instoremag.com/blogs.

Wishing you the very best in business!

dsquires@instoremag.com

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[span class=note]This story is from the May 2010 edition of INSTORE[/span]

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After 139 Years, A Family Legacy Finds Its Perfect Exit With Wilkerson.

When third-generation jeweler Sam Sipe and his wife Laura decided to close Indianapolis’ historic J.C. Sipe Jewelers, they turned to Wilkerson to handle their retirement sale. “The conditions were right,” Sam explains of their decision to close the 139-year-old business. Wilkerson managed the entire going-out-of-business sale process, from marketing strategy to sales floor operations. “Our goal was to convert our paid inventory into retirement funds,” notes Sam. “The results exceeded expectations.” The Sipes’ advice for jewelers considering retirement? “Contact Wilkerson,” Laura says. “They’ll help you transition into retirement with confidence and financial security.”

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David Squires

Editor’s Note: Don’t Make Working For You a Tollbooth Job

Published

on

You want people to work in your store because they love jewelry, says David Squires.

 

[dropcap cap=A]s an employee and manager, I’ve always been a B.F. Skinner-style behaviorist — believing that it is the food pellet (bonus or salary increase) that convinces the mouse (employee) to push the desired lever (work) at the desired rate (output).[/dropcap]

But now I’m wondering if I’ve overrated the power of the pellet. Reading the book Drive by Daniel H. Pink has gotten me thinking that money is probably pretty far down on the list of things we work for.

(My staff is saying “Uh-oh!” right now.) So let me rephrase that: Once we get to a fair living wage that’s competitive to other salaries in the industry, we don’t work for money. At that point, financial rewards not only lose their power, but when applied incorrectly, they can actually become demotivating.

Malcolm Gladwell asks a good question in Outliers: “If I offered you a choice between being an architect for $75,000 and working in a tollbooth every day for the rest of your life for $100,000, which would you take?”

Advertisement

Think about how you would answer. And think about how your staff might answer.

For the owner of a jewelry store (or even the editorial director of a magazine), the question is how can you make working for you less of a tollbooth job and more of an architect’s job?

The answers are purpose, autonomy, fun. You want people to work in your store because they love jewelry. Or because they’re romantic. Or love helping people surprise their loved ones.

We will add more tips and ideas from Drive at instoremag.com/blogs.

Wishing you the very best in business!

dsquires@instoremag.com

Advertisement

[span class=note]This story is from the May 2010 edition of INSTORE[/span]

Advertisement

SPONSORED VIDEO

Retiring? Let Wilkerson Do the Heavy Lifting

Retirement can be a great part of life. As Nanji Singadia puts it, “I want to retire and enjoy my life. I’m 78 now and I just want to take a break.” That said, Nanji decided that the best way to move ahead was to contact the experts at Wilkerson. He chose them because he knew that closing a store is a heavy lift. To maximize sales and move on to the next, best chapter of his life, he called Wilkerson—but not before asking his industry friends for their opinion. He found that Wilkerson was the company most recommended and says their professionalism, experience and the homework they did before the launch all helped to make his going out of business sale a success. “Wilkerson were working on the sale a month it took place,” he says. “They did a great job.”

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