Finding balance in your close business relationships... talk about a tough thing to do! Just as with any other people, the relationships you will come to have with your team members will have ups and downs. Leadership Learning Curve As a leader, finding balance between feeling like you know someone well enough to be a good mentor and still staying private enough that you don't get lost in the drama of other people's lives can be a mighty fine line. Becoming a leader will also put you into a position that is deeply considered and heavily weighed in the minds of your team members. The trick to finding the balance you need may be in not allowing yourself to take lots of time in the self-development that all of those around you are. Getting that snowball going may just take putting off your own needs in the same way that any other kind of teacher does with their students. Is YOUR Self-Talk Secure? Here's the 'self talk' of one of my mentors ... his 'mission statement' if you will: "We are building the largest, most profitable, highest retention organization ever built in the history of Network Marketing easily and consistently through education and teamwork." Having words like this in place is a key part of any business building success ... Network Marketing especially. Amazing Mysteries of Mentoring There are all sorts of mentoring styles in the world. What I've always found most challenging is not getting caught up in the drama, chaos and baggage that others bring to the table. Again it's all about balance in my mind... You have to know each other well enough to trust that person's agenda and get a feel for where they're going to be when the weather turns bad (as it will from time to time). You have to know their strengths and their weaknesses, and yet, not feel so comfortable as to presume to know what's truly in their heart of hearts or how their past may cause them to self-destruct at the moments you least expect it. Challenge of a Chameleon Network marketing provides a unique chance to be this sort of chameleon. It's a chance to partner with people of like minds. Bare your souls to each other during what I see to be a sort of 'Honeymoon' phase. Then when reality sets in, as boundaries are determined, everyone can retreat safely into their own individual businesses yet still stay connected by re-focusing on the original mission statement. The Secret of Self-Talk and Bullet-Proof Whys If the mission statement is strong enough and people's 'why's' are firmly in place, there's very little that can be thrown at the team or the system that will throw it off track. The key phrase for me is 'Easily and Consistently through Education and Teamwork'. No one person can be at the top of their game day in and day out. Everyone will always be a little bit out of step with each other as far as where they are in their own personal development. With the a strong group 'self-talk' in place and with everyone having access to the same 'information flow' for use as their needs change and for plugging their group into ... very little can hinder the business growth that will follow. Approach Alert! If what you're doing right now doesn't reflect this concept, you really need to change your approach ... behave with the end in mind as if it's already so and there is no choice but to be lead there. Your hidden honeymoon hazards will be easily avoided. |
