How the Pygmalion Principle Shapes Expectations

When my office chair needed replacing, I knew exactly where to go—Cecil Nurse. My previous experience with them had been exceptional, and once again, they didn’t disappoint. From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed by a friendly receptionist and introduced to a sales consultant who was a breath of fresh air. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and her product knowledge outstanding.

Who knew there was so much to learn about a chair? She made a great point—just as we invest in a quality bed for a good night’s sleep, we should do the same for the chair we sit in for eight hours a day. This level of service should be the norm, not the exception.

Too often, retail experiences, especially in jewellery stores, feel cold and unwelcoming. Sales staff act as if customers are an inconvenience, or worse, they lack even the most basic product knowledge. I’ve overheard some shocking misinformation given to customers about diamonds and tanzanite—things that make you wonder, where is the training?

A well-trained, confident salesperson can make all the difference. And that starts with leadership. A store’s atmosphere—positive or negative—flows from management down. Reminds me of something Theodore Roosevelt said: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

I recently listened to a YouTube video on the law of expectations by Brian Tracy. He referenced Dr. Robert Rosenthal of Harvard University, who conducted over 300 experiments on Expectation Theory. In one experiment, researchers took 90 students and told them they had the highest IQ in the school. Three teachers were selected and told by the principal that, due to their teaching excellence, they would each be given 30 of the brightest children, identified by IQ tests, to teach for the year. The teachers were told to keep this information confidential and to carry on teaching as usual.

Thrilled with the opportunity, the teachers became deeply invested in their students—spending extra time with them, offering guidance after school, and encouraging them. By the end of the year, these three classes had not only outperformed the rest of the school but had led the entire school district in academic achievement.

At the end of the year, the teachers were called in and complimented on their exceptional results. They agreed, saying what a pleasure it had been to teach such bright, eager students. And then came the twist!

The researchers revealed that the students had been selected at random, not based on IQ.  The teachers, surprised but still convinced of their own excellence, were then told that they, too, had been chosen purely by drawing names out of a hat! This was a double-blind experiment—a perfect demonstration of the Pygmalion Effect, which shows that high expectations lead to higher performance. The teachers believed their students were exceptional, so they treated them accordingly. And in response, the students became exceptional.

The opposite is also true—low expectations often lead to mediocrity or failure. Think about it in a business setting: A boss who sees potential in an employee, encourages their growth, and fosters a positive environment is far more likely to create high achievers than one who is constantly critical and uninspiring. Our beliefs about others subtly influence how we treat them and in turn, shape their performance.

This ripple effect applies to leadership, customer service, and even self-improvement. When we expect great things from ourselves and those around us, we create an environment where excellence flourishes.

With that in mind, we’re developing an introductory course for new jewellery salespeople, covering essential skills like gem identification and diamond grading.

As we’ve seen, a confident, well-trained salesperson can transform a customer’s experience. And when expectations are set high, people rise to meet them.