What should you look for in a mentor?
The most important thing is that you and your mentor click on a personal level. Such a relationship should be undertaken with a long-term view, and you need to want to spend time together. As for more specific things to look for, Daniel Coyle’s excellent book, The Little Book Of Talent: 52 Tips For Improving Your Skills, suggests the following:
1. Avoid someone who reminds you of a courteous waiter.
2. Seek someone who scares you a little.
3. Seek someone who gives short, clear directions.
4. Seek someone who loves teaching fundamentals.
5. All things being equal, pick the older person.
And when it comes to asking for help, don’t be too backward. Advice-seeking is a powerful way to make a connection with someone. Most people love to help and to know they’ve made a difference in someone else’s life.
Are we liable if we’re storing a salesperson’s line and it gets robbed?
“Laws vary from state to state, but a jeweler may be liable in many cases,” warns Elie Ribacoff of the Worldwide Security Network, a firm offering assistance to jewelers on insurance and security matters. “A salesman’s line may be considered under the custody, care and control of the jeweler who accepts it for storage, making the jeweler responsible. If a salesman ‘consigns’ or has the jeweler sign a memorandum for the line, the line may be covered by the salesman’s insurance policy. If there is no documentation generated by either party, the jeweler may claim he was assuming no liability, and the salesman may claim the jeweler was showing the line to a potential client.” To avoid a legal battle, Ribacoff suggests jewelers sign a memorandum, “clearly stating that he accepts the line for storage only, and that it is the salesman’s responsibility to provide insurance coverage for his line at all times.”
It seems every time we try to introduce a new project or way of doing things, there are certain staff members who will find a reason to reject it. How do I deal with such people?
There’s typically some underlying reason for the pessimism, such as insecurity, a need for attention, or resistance to change. Regardless, your strategy should be much the same: appear to turn the problem over to staff. Agree with their position and objections and ask: “Now, what do you plan to do about it?”, although perhaps in not such a direct way.
Be positive rather than confrontational, let them know how much you appreciate their opinion, but always end with a pivot to how the problem will be addressed.
Amy Gallo, author of The Hbr Guide To Dealing With Conflict, suggests these phrases to help you deal with such situations:
- “You’ve made a good point, but if we x, then y.”
- “When you keep pointing out the negative, we lose the enthusiasm we need to be really creative and productive. But you’ve shown me x, and I believe that you can y.”
- ”May I explain why I disagree with you?”
- ”Can you rephrase that in a positive way?”
- ”Perhaps so, but here’s the good/alternative I see.”
- ”You’ve identified a valid problem. Let’s brainstorm on how to fix it.”
- ”I’d appreciate it if you could give me some alternatives.”
- ”Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Now let’s … ”
- “Can we get a second opinion on that from … ?”
- “What would you do instead?”
- “What do you need to fix it/move forward?”
- “I can see why you’d think/feel that way. What’s your next step?”
- “You sound upset/pessimistic. Is that what you were trying to convey?”
- “Can we approach this from a different angle?”
Gallo says it’s important to remember that a pessimist usually isn’t out to hurt you on purpose. “They might not even realize how much they come across as a downer,” she says. “Aim to truly listen and empathize rather than passing judgment, and over time, they’ll trust you and learn not to stay in the pits.”
I’m closed on Sundays and Mondays. Am I leaving sales on the table by not being open seven days a week?
Not necessarily. In fact, you may actually be improving business by giving your team some regular time off. Roger Beahm, professor of marketing at Wake Forest University School of Business, told radio station WFDD that you should first consider the “personal values” of your business. “We know that there are a lot of businesses, for personal reasons, that like to keep their doors closed on Sunday, give their employees a day off for family, to go to church, and those kinds of things.”
Beahm also points out that while national businesses may be accountable to stockholders, independent retailers are usually accountable to a few owners at most. Thus, the pressure to generate massive amounts of revenue usually isn’t there, and the focus can move to employee happiness, which can translate into “efficiency, a high-quality product, and a loyal customer who keeps coming back.”
Beahm says that work/life balance should lead to profit. “While they may be leaving money on the table in the short run, it’s probably assured that in the long run, they’re continuing to generate revenue because of the satisfaction level of both their employees and their customers.”