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The Case of The Best Laid Plans
Sideler’s is a third-generation family-run business in a Southeastern resort town. Currently, the business is being run by three Sideler siblings – Aaron (who handles operations), Amy (who handles finance) and Joel, the sales manager.
The Sideler family has always taken great pride in their ability to spot emerging trends in merchandising. In addition, they employ only the best people and train them diligently. Each year, Aaron and Joel spend nearly two weeks combing the shows in Las Vegas, meeting with their top suppliers, attending seminars, and searching out the best in new product lines. The weeks following their return are always filled with lively discussions and focused staff meetings, as they share all they’ve learned and all they’ve found with their group.
Last fall, the Sidelers decided that they would run a contest for their team, rewarding the top two salespeople for the combined November-January period with the opportunity to join them for four days of the annual trip. Everyone on the team was excited and motivated to win, as none of them had ever been to a trade show before.
In early March, the audited numbers were in and the winners identified. The top two sales associates for the contest period were Jill, a million-dollar writer who has been with Sideler’s for 7 years, and Donna, a recently married $850,000 producer with 3 years experience in the store. By mid-April, airline tickets were purchased and hotel accommodations secured. Jill and Donna would share a room. Both would have all travel expenses covered and each would receive a $250 in spending money as part of their prize.
Just a week before the trip, Jill was faced with a family emergency that would keep her from attending the show. The Sidelers decided to postpone her reward, agreeing to take her to the spring shows in Tucson instead. Three days before their scheduled departure, Donna told Amy that her husband felt it inappropriate that she go on a four-day business trip alone with two male coworkers. Donna was clear about the fact that she had no substantive grounds for concern and that she felt very comfortable with both Aaron and Joel — but she was uneasy after her conversation with her husband. Donna asked if Amy would consider coming along or even sending another female associate in Jill’s place. She reiterated her appreciation for the opportunity, and said that if no one else could go, she would attend anyway — with or without her husband’s approval.
With only three days notice, Amy couldn’t possibly arrange to make the trip herself, and sending anyone else would be both expensive and ineffective. The company would still be spending the “prize money” on Jill in the spring, and even if they did choose to offer the opportunity to a third associate, the next person in line would be another of the guys. Inviting Donna’s husband to come along seemed like an offensive option, and since the family didn’t know him and he knew nothing about the business, Amy was not comfortable registering him as part of the Sideler team.
More than the expense, Amy found herself concerned about her brothers. Both are devout and committed husbands and fathers who take great pride in their reputations within their business, church and community. She was more than a little bothered by Donna’s commitment to go regardless of her husband’s opinion, despite the fact that she resented his interference and his unfounded suspicions. She had the nagging feeling that this guy could make all kinds of trouble for her family.
Though Donna has always been a loyal and productive employee who deserves to be rewarded for her efforts, Amy is worried about what might happen if she takes the trip. It seems that the decision is Donna’s to make, though Amy would like nothing better than to call the whole thing off. What should she do at this point?
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| |  |  Kate B. Peterson is the President and CEO of Performance Concepts, a leading sales and management consultancy for U.S. retail jewelers. Performance Concepts presents "Real Deal" sales and business scenarios each month for Instore readers and their staff to hone their business skills ... and even learn some new ones | |
| Dont force the issue and try to stay far away from the drama as possible. This is a personal matter between her and her husband. If she wants to go, she has to convince her husband that she wants to go. If she decides not to go, the 3rd winner in the contest should. Its that simple.
Name: bertlevi
| | | | I think we are all forgetting that it is 3 days before the show and that Amy is also a partner and a female. I say send Amy with the other 2 owners and Donna. This is the one option in this situation that can benifit the business and accomodate the husband with out any real loss other than last minute complications (face it everyone has had those). This way Donna is not going with just 2 male co-workers, another partner is at the show so the money is not wasted on a jealous husband just hanging around during the show (you should never bring an outsider to a jewelry trade show for obviouse reasons) or written off as a loss (what airline is going to give a full refund 3 days before the flight). This way everyone is accomodated and the biggest question is to close the store for the business days spent at the show or allow an employee to open.
Name: Chris
| | | | Not sure why so many answers are "bring the husband, but don't let him into the show." Seems like there might be some value in having an outsider's opinion, and it might help if the husband knew more about what the wife's work entailed. Part of the problem is just the general perception of Las Vegas. I have a hard time convincing people that I'm going there to work.
Name: Alan Johnson
| | | | Hi
My 2 cents worth as a male husband! I see 2 options:
1 -Call a meeting of the participants and invite the husband in to meet everyone and have a candid open discussion whereby the husband can see "who" is going and get a feel for the whole trip and voice his concerns and possibly calm his jealous fears a little. I think the effort might have a positive impact on him and resolve the situation. It is an understandable fear for some and if approached with tact and wisdom and professional openness, it may just do the job. He is not wrong for having a concern as we all know the kinds of stories that happen on trips to Vegas.
#2 - if this does not work then resort to a tough, but just decision, of not including her or the husband on the trip informing them both of the disunity their private matters are having on the company. If they can't resolve it at home then unfortunately she should for the sake of the team and maintaining unity, relinquish her spot on the team for now. Replace her with the next highest sales associate. I would do this all with a positive reassuring spirit that at the end of the day the ship staying afloat is what pays the bills and salaries and the more productive the members and the ship are, the more financially stable everyone will be. She can always be pulled aside and given a chance to go on the next trip if her private matters don't interfere.
Sincerely,
Carl A. Schütze
via e-mail
Name: admin
| | | | Two options:
1. Let the husband go with Donna and enjoy Vegas; pick up his room tab only(you were doing that anyway) but he doesn't get into the show. or
2. Put Donna's winnings (trip and $250.00) off until next year.
Ira Kramer
via e-mail
Name: admin
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