deborah.nu - the network marketing training resource for people
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Perspective on Perfection
The very nature of our business (that is- the freedom of owning ones own business and the idea of "getting what we want out of life by helping others get what they want") tends to attract people with high levels of idealism. While this high-mindedness and the optimism that come along with it make for a fun and supportive group of colleagues, if not handled properly, this altruism can become a business-killing trap.
Would any leader after investing months or even years building their business, set out to destroy their own business? Not intentionally, but some do.
How many hours a week do you think the average Deborah.nu leader spends doing the following?
- Listening to downline business or personal problems - Apologizing for errors made by upline leaders or the company staff - Playing referee between jealous distributors fighting over a single potential distributor - Harshly scolding staff who don't understand what it is like in the field - Worrying about greedy members of the organization - Moaning about unfair treatment and lack of recognition - Trying to recover business stolen by unfair competition. - Trying to enforce company policies on other distributors.
If you add up the hours, it's easy to see how these non-productive, non-revenue-generating pursuits can consume your entire workweek! Moreover, these activities consume significant physical and emotional energy; and leave you too exhausted to do productive work. We must all remain mindful that we are business professionals seeking financial success and freedom for our families and ourselves. Although participation in our business has changed many lives for the better, we are not social crusaders, and, while we do strive for excellence, we must not become obsessed by the idea of perfection.
It is not realistic to expect: - ALL of the companies employees to be perfect. - ALL distributors to be honorable, charitable, problem-free or without greed. - Never to have a distributor quit. - ALL of the home office staff to be instantly available when you call. - ALL of upline leaders to be perfect role models who never make mistakes. - ALL decisions to be perfect. - The perfect product at the perfect price that satisfies all people all of the time.
People are human. Your company, your upline, and even your downline are human. And as humans, they make mistakes. Humans are often selfish. Humans are natural quitters. They quit school, quit jobs, quit marriages, quit diets, quit New Year's resolutions, and yes, sometimes they quit our business too. Humans are often rude. They often fail to return telephone calls, they take people for granted, and they don't show appreciation to their upline or downline when appropriate. Humans love to criticize. It makes them feel superior and helps them to forget their own personal problems. Humans think they are always right. This litany of woe can go on and on.
So how should we let this effect our businesses? Successful leaders accept people as they are. They don't waste time trying to change people or fix their perceived problems. Successful leaders accept that there will always be challenges to face and move on to something productive.
"But don't I have to fix some of the problems?" No! Let your competitors try to fix the problems, fix human nature, and jump from one company to another. Encourage your competitors to do it. This will keep them busy while you build a large and successful business. Our businesses will be successful only if we concentrate on productive work. This concept of developing a few real leaders is a principle Deborah.nu leaders have used for more than a decade. Focus on developing three or four leaders you can help develop into power lines. Once we have three or four power lines led by people who think like we do, we become almost invincible! Developing leaders is everything in our business. Distributors may come and go, problems may come and go, problems may come and stay, but if we develop long-term, loyal leaders, we'll be here forever with regular bonus checks.
Most problems are nothing more than distractions that you must ignore. What would happen if your downline adopted this point of view? You would see massive growth and massive volumes. Can you imagine how powerful your opportunity meetings would be if everyone were positive and focused on their goal of locating and developing three or four good leaders? The atmosphere would be magic! Prospects want to be involved with positive people who know where they are going.
Let's take a look at a typical crisis. There is an opportunity presentation to about 50 people in a small hotel room. In the back row there is a brand new distributor with her husband, baby daughter and her first prospect. Also in the back of the room is another prospect with a $1,000 pin stripe suit, manicured nails, the perfect suntan, a very expensive watch, and an attitude. As the presentation proceeds, the baby cries, not loudly, but it is a distraction. Does a baby crying have anything to do with locating and developing your three or four good leaders? No! So it's not a problem. It's a non-event, totally manageable by simply ignoring the crying and continuing with the presentation. When the meeting is over the well-dressed guest leaves with these parting remarks, "How could any professional business allow a crying baby to interfere or distract prospects during a business presentation? I couldn't possibly join a non-professional group like that!"
Now here is the million-dollar question you have to ask yourself, as a business builder and Deborah.nu leader: "If my prospect quits or doesn't join because a baby cries, would this prospect ever have been one of my three or four good leaders?" The obvious answer is "No." This prospect believes that circumstances must be perfect for him to become successful. In other words, he believes that success comes from outside of himself, when real leaders know that success comes from within.
Leadership has nothing to do with the clothes you wear. Who would you rather have in your organization? The mother who brought her family and a prospect to the opportunity meeting or the well dressed, weak-willed prospect that makes career decisions based on the actions of a baby?
Developing leaders is everything. They are your long-term security. They are your keys to solid growth and consistent volumes. Almost anything else you do in this business is trivial and a waste of time. So, don't waste valuable time and energy discussing company politics, arguing with know-it-all distributors, re-training uplines, re-writing the prospecting brochure for the thirty-first time, arranging product displays, memorizing sales pitches, holding hands with weak-willed prospects, correcting people when they are wrong, scolding distributors for missing meetings, wishing you got more money for your efforts, demanding immediate shipment of backorders, demanding that everyone in every circumstance be treated fairly, listening to petty grievances, giving pity to people with hurt egos, trying to save professional victims, forcing distributors to go to trainings they don't want to attend, trying to find somebody to blame, wishing people had the same vision you have, telling management how to do their job, etc.., etc.., etc..
We don't become successful leaders by solving these problems! And we don't become successful leaders by sponsoring and replacing "temporary" distributors. We become successful leaders by locating and developing three or four other good leaders. You will find it easier to answer questions and handle problems when you are focused on locating and developing three or four good leaders.
For instance, distributors will ask: "Why can't we have more flavors in Body Design?" "Or why can't we have more shades of lipstick?" You can answer, "What does that have to do with locating and developing your three or four good leaders?"
A distributor may comment: " George spoke too long at the business opportunity meeting." You can answer: " What does that have to do with locating and developing your three or four good leaders?"
See? Once we have the proper perspective, everything gets easy!
Your Deborah.nu Staff
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