Late last year, I realized that a trusty pair of boots were nearing their end of life. I don’t often become attached to footwear, but these boots had served me supremely well for at least seven winters.

I was worried there would be no salvaging them as the rubber souls were beginning to disintegrate.

Back in the UK for a few weeks in winter, I took them to a cobbler, hoping for the best.

It was a Timpson shoe pod in a supermarket car park in Tenterden, a smallish town in Kent. I remember the interaction well. Not exactly what was said, but how I felt. The ‘cobbler’ was a young man. He welcomed me into his small shop with a warm smile. After I’d shown him the boots, he shared that repairing them was possibly not the wisest choice. He said this kindly – sensing how fond I was of them. And that was it. I left. But I remember how friendly and understanding he was.

Back in my home town of Chorley, I visited another Timpson shoe shop.

It’s not that I didn’t trust the first Timpson person, I was just so sad at the thought of letting my boots go. I felt I owed them a second chance.

I’ve been a customer of this Timpson’s since I was a teenager. The same person runs the shop now as did then. And I felt the same level of understanding from him as I’d experienced in Kent. There was a bit more banter in this interaction, especially as my dad was with me and he had taught this person at school.

I should point out that I visit many shops when back in the UK. And it’s these two interactions that stand out.

And now I know why.

I was listening to The Economist’s Boss Class podcast, on the topic of incentivizing. The leader being interviewed was the Chairperson of Timpson, Sir John Timpson (though I don’t recall the title of ‘Sir’ being used).

He shared how in the 1980’s he’d had a scary encounter with a potential corporate raider, who was indicating he could take over Timpson and generate more value.

Sir John realized he had to change how Timpson operated.

He decided that he would focus management effort on supporting the people in the shops.

He expressed this in very clear terms to his management team – along the lines of:

‘’You don’t run the business, the people in the shops do.’’

He explained that management’s job was to create the conditions for success: and the fewer policies, the better.

In fact, the three main policies Timpson defined were: to look presentable, keep the shop clean and ensure the money was in the till.

Beyond that, the cobblers were free to run their shop as they saw fit. Of course they need to be making a decent profit.

Hearing from one of their employees in Manchester, and judging by Timpson’s longevity, it seems this freedom is highly valued. As is the guidance people get from the business leaders.

But what really intrigued me was their interview process.

Interviewers have a paper with small icons of different Mr (and Mrs/Miss/Ms) Men figures.

I’m sharing an image below of the Mr (now also Little Miss) Men characters to give you a feel for the interview process.

The interviewer ticks the behaviours and attributes they experience and feel in the presence of the interviewee e.g. Mr. Rude, Ms. Cheerful, Mrs Grumpy, Mr. Couldn’t-care-less. (I’ve made these up – I don’t know what the actual attributes or traits are).

If there are enough positive impressions of the person, they are invited to work in a nearby store for a day. And then they know whether to hire the person or not.

Though you’re unlikely to experience this type of interview for any other job, it makes complete sense.

Because emotional energy is contagious.

It drives the person who’s generating that energy, and it ‘infects’ others around them.

And that’s the energy I experienced in two different Timpson shops.

Clearly, they are doing something right.

Timpson says it interviews for personality. If you bring the attitude, emotional energy and behaviours that uplift yourself and others, you will fit right in.

For me, the outcome of the process seems to be the feeling Timpson people evoke in others.

I’ll leave the last words to Sir John (who doesn’t use the ‘Sir’ – at least not on the Timpson website).

”Our simple approach to business involves picking colleagues with personality and trusting them with the freedom to do their job, their way. We call it ‘Upside Down Management”.

And Mr Upside Down just happens to be an actual Mr Men.