Doug Firebaugh asked:
Feel Like Giving UP?
As a Leader in your company, you are going to find there are times that you and your folks can get a little discouraged, or in some instances, a lot discouraged, and that requires what we at DFTI call “Discouragement Management”.
You MUST be able to get your people as well as yourself back on track and out of the slack.
How do you do that?
It starts with an understanding of what discouragement really is, and what creates it, and then what to do to get rid of it, and ALL Leaders need to know this.
First off, discouragement is simply an emotion that replaces courage, or the will to continue.
And just like the words displace, distrust, or dislike, this emotion creates the opposite of what once was..it is the Silent, Deadly Thief in a Distributors life, and you must know how to handle it.
There are basically 5 things that create discouragement in this business, and all else revolves around them:
1) Questioning yourself.
All discouragement starts with questioning yourself, conciously, or subconciously..those deadly words -“Can I really Do this?” and it echoes in their heart.
2) Lack of Results.
This is a biggie. You can eject yourself from this business with no results. And this starts with questioning you, which sabotages your actions, which cripples your results.
3) Expectations too high.
This is done almost daily in this industry. The new person does not yet have the skillset to build a million dollar business, but expects to, and when it does not happen quickly, they think they cannot do this business.
4) Listening to the Wrong People.
This can discourage quickly, as people that the new distributor knows becomes negative and the distributor is not
inoculated to fend off the arrows. (This is a Must!)
5) Loss of a Vision OnFire.
People do this business to Increase, Empower, or Improve something in their life. All Leaders know this. After you have been in a while, you can lose the Fire for your Vision, because slowly, silently, Doubt has crept in, created by distractions, or Lack of Focus, or lack of Empowering Relationships…growing into a Discouragement Tumor, then Cancer.
ok….What can we do to battle this?
1) First off, understand that most Discouragement is caused by Set Backs in the Distributors Heart.What can create these Set Backs? We have found that most are caused by one thing:
Communication Errors.
We get paid to do one thing -Communicate with people! And when Set Backs happen, most can be traced to the communication power (or lack of it) in the new person’s effort. Sit down with the new person, (or your upline if you are down and out), and walk through the Prospecting with them to see if they have enough folks to talk to.
Go through how they are contacting people and listen live as they do it to see where the breakdown is. Take notes. Listen to their Presentation, and see where the breakdown is, as well as the Getting the Decision, and handling objections.
Somewhere in there, you will find the problem, I promise. Whether it is too weak communication, non-conviction communication, lack of enough communication, too much communication, or too strong communication, you will find the glitch.
And do not forget the “inner communication” within ourselves as we speak to others…If that is negative, so goes the appointment.
2) Have Home Office call the Down Distributor (someone of notariety) and chat with the distributor to encourage them.
A little ‘Special Attention” has refired many down folks into SuccessInfernos! Also have a Top Earner call them as well and tell the Distributor about their own hard times and challenges..
3) Micro-Event a day.
What is that? Sit down with the new distributor, and make a list of easy, small actions you KNOW will be successful ( 5 phone calls, 5 letters out, 5 new prospects, etc) and celebrate their efforts and small successes. They MUST get back to
expecting Success, no matter how small, through micro-events.
4) Say the 4 Power Words.
Over and Over and Over, say the Most Powerful Words In Downline Building..
I BELIEVE IN YOU! (Do you know how long it has been for most people since they have heard those words? YEARS!)
This is what we call “Battered Heart FirstAid”.
WARNING: Some folks will become discouraged and when you try to help, will become almost co-dependent.
Always say ‘I cannot and will not do this Business For You, for that would cripple you. So I need to find out what is wrong, and correct it..so you can do this in a more Powerful Way..”
So In Summary – Special Attention, Focus on the Process, and Ignite their Hearts with the 4 Power Words.
Discouragement Management is Imperative in this Business, as all Entreprenurial Ventures. Take the time to ReEmpower the individual, and to ReFire them for Success with the above Suggestions.
And all you need to say to radically change their paradigm, is “I believe in you, and I see Great things in you, you dont even know they are there. LEAN ON MY BELIEF while we go through this valley, and I promise you, we WILL get through this, because as a Leader, I believe in the A.D.I.T. Principle..”All Dicouragement Is Temporary”…and you and I are in this For PERMANENT Results! Now this is what we are going to do First…”
blessings…doug