Director Managing a Needy Hospitality Consultant: Tips and Strategies for Success

[Nanisu]

so I have a hospitality consultant who is, shall we say, a little needy for attention..she does ok in the biz, and I think will be a director some day. Her director is not very active and she feels better coming to my meetings...ok no problem. She has been fairly direct at my meetings the past 6 or 7 months, and ALWAYS pitches in with her $.02 worth, once again, ok, it's always good to hear ideas and my team in general doesn't work their business as much as she does--although I think with a little bit of work they could...but I regress. She consistently is the high seller in the group and even though she is not my direct recruit she earns the top seller award almost every month because I don't know a dipolomatic way to NOT let her have it (not much, just cluster bucks and a top seller apron they get to wear). Last week she came with her batter bowl mix party invite, and shared it, once again, no problem....but made it a point to ask me before we even started if she "won the top seller award and got to wear the apron again"...once again, if she inspires other team members to work a little harder, I'm ok with this....she posts on our team fb page at least 3/4 times a day, mostly sharing how well she is doing, once again, she's hospitality so its ok....

so today I get a message on my phone that "_______ and ________ were added to "___________", (our team fb page) by _________ (fill in the hospitality consultant's name here). I had no idea who they were, and apparently didn't pay attention to setting up the page so that only I as the administrator could invite people (I've changed that now). so I texted her and asked her who they were. She replied "they are a couple of consultants on the other team and they are unhappy with ________ too (her actual director), so I added them to our page". Ok, well I don't know them, and this is supposed to be for OUR team, which I include her in because she is hospitality...

No big deal, it's just a team FB page, but does that seem a little bold to you that she would add people to our page that i don't even know and not even give me a heads up? Maybe I am just tired and it's hitting me wrong....

 

[Sheila]

What's the page description? If you have it worded that it's for the consultants in your downline, then she should have conferred with you first. If it just says that it's for PC Consultants in your city, then she may not realize she's overstepping her bounds.

 

[CoidgigBese]

I'd delete them from the group NOW before they get too used to it. Send them a message saying that there was miscommunication but it's a forum for people on your team. Suggest they ask their director to set up their own group or they can set up their own group. They don't need their director to do it.

Those hospitality people can be tricky. January is a new year. If you want to make changes with your recognition, that would be a good time to do it. My D has several hospitality from different lines at her meeting. She does recognition for her team and then asks the hospitality people to report in their stats and do any recognition for their team, if they have one. She's more than generous with including them in other rewards for things like booking challenges. None of their directors give her any support for these people, either monetary or even sending stats for their recognition.

 

[baychef]

She does recognition for her team and then asks the hospitality people to report in their stats and do any recognition for their team, if they have one.

I was hospitality originally as my upline is from a different state. We were not included in the team recognition. We were recognized at the meeting and our director sent our recognition, but we never expected to be part of her team.

Personally, I would only reward your top seller to your own team members but that may be just what I was used to.

 

[finley1991]

I agree with Becca. And another reason why I don't do hospitality at meetings... I have 3-4 hospitality consultants and I don't like having them feel left out.

 

[baychef]

I agree with Becca. And another reason why I don't do hospitality at meetings... I have 3-4 hospitality consultants and I don't like having them feel left out.

I am a bit fuzzy headed today...yes, if their director is not giving them recognition, I can see rewarding them but I still would keep them separate from my team recognition.

Hospitality can be a challenge for sure.

 

[Sheila]

You are between a rock & a hard place on the recognition. You've already set a precedence, so changing it now will probably cause some hurt feelings for your hospitality go-getter. It sounds like she really NEEDS to be the shining star. If you yank that carpet out from under her she's likely to throw up her hands & quit Pampered Chef. Not that it would affect your paycheck, but I'm betting it would affect your heart to do that to someone who apparently only has you to support her with her accomplishments.Maybe just announce a new plan with the new year & don't hand out rewards? Just do verbal recognition? When I attended Yolanda's meeting in Misawa in January, she didn't have stats for all of the hospitality girls, so she just said "stand up if your Commissionable Sales were more than $_____ ... stay standing if you sold more than $____ ... stay standing if your sales were more than $_____ ..." She'd keep going until she only had 1 person standing & that person left standing. She did give out a candy bar (Payday?) but that's cheap! LOL

 

[cookingwithlove]

First let me say Thank you for doing such a great job with hospitality and making this person feel so welcomed in your group. She obviously feels included and a part of your team. I was an "orphan" here in Oregon. My director and up-line dropped their businesses at the same time. They did not lose their directorships for awhile due to the Hardship Extension, but they stopped having meetings. I was welcomed into another group and I found a "home" there and I believed because of the hospitality extended to me I was confident in promoting to director. After I promoted I continued to hold my team meetings with my Hospitality Director until the beginning of this year. I believe that hospitality is at the heart and essence of what Pampered Chef offers. I believe that Doris Christopher envisioned us helping everyone in Pampered Chef not just our own personal teams. I know there is at least 1 NED that does not believe this and does not encourage hospitality or even sharing information with other team. I believe this to be wrong and against The Pampered Chef philosophy.

When at the hospitality director’s meetings, she had a special chair for the high sales achiever. Only her team got to sit in the high sales chair. I know it is silly, but it sort of hurt my feelings the few times I earned it, but didn’t get to sit in it. Anybody on my team with high sales did not get to sit on it either, and this really bothered me, as her downline's team was included in this recognistion.. I think for these types of “free” recognition you should include everyone, but when giving out products or $$ then just your team. This is what I do. On a side, I sometimes have additional drawings that I include everyone. When a hospitality consultant wins, I either have their director give the drawing prize, such as PC $, or I have their director reimburse me for the prize, such as products. January is a new year and change is easy at this time. So you can consider making any changes that make you more comfortable in your recognition.

I do not have a facebook page but I do have a Yahoogroup Loop for emailing. This loop includes my entire team and my hospitality consultants. Only I can add to the membership. I have had people on my team and other hospitality consultants invite people to join our group. I am happy to have them join. I can see how we get possessive our “group”. I can see where someone adding someone without my prior knowledge of them would also feel like a line is crossed. It appears that this consultant is developing her leadership skills and you need to address her straight on. I believe in frank conversations. “Mary, I see you added a few people to our Facebook page. As the director of this group, I would appreciate you asking me first before you add people I do not know to our page”.

I know we try not to feel jealous or envious, but it is hard to do. I also have some outstanding hospitality consultants and I get a little envious that they are not on my team. I sometimes feel that I am doing all of the work in mentoring them and helping them grow, but I don’t reap any rewards. It is selfless. You really are offering the ultimate in service to these consultants, because you do not have any obligation to do so. I hope that someday my hospitality consultants promote and pay it forward to another. I also hope that by me offering support that any long distance consultants I have will also be treated the same way.

 

[Sheila]

I've always gone above & beyond to include the hospitality too. I totally agree with the "pay it forward" mentality. That's especially true with the military community. We help incoming wives because someone else helped us when we were new. I carry that over to my PC business as well. I help others with the hope that others will help my team when the time comes. I was lucky enough to have support after I moved from Okinawa. Karen picked up & started doing the meetings & welcomed everyone ... not just her group. I recruited someone in Okinawa after moving to Tokyo & Katie stepped up & volunteered to go with the girl to her first show & teach her how to data entry in P3. It was a "sister" consultant to Katie. She got nothing for it.

It's sad when I hear that some of the team members who are moving from Japan back to the states are not getting local support.

The only time I gave preferential treatment was when I had a show to hand down or a booth opportunity. I did go to my team FIRST before I'd go outside the team. I'm sure most of you are not in a position where you are about to move & have shows to hand off ... but do any of you ever give the hospitality people the same chance to work a booth that you give your team? Or do you work your booths & leave your team to find their own? There were limited opportunities in Japan, so we'd rotate who got to work what event. They are still doing that.

 

[Nanisu]

I don't have as big an issue with including her as I do with her INSISTING that she gets it all the time. And the facebook page thing totally threw me for a loop--i would NEVER add someone to a private group without asking,

 

[cookingwithlove]

I don't have as big an issue with including her as I do with her INSISTING that she gets it all the time. And the facebook page thing totally threw me for a loop--i would NEVER add someone to a private group without asking,

If she earns it all the time how can you not give it to her? Maybe she worked really hard in October and is proud of herself. How far ahead is she compared to your team consultants? I too would be upset if she just added names to my page. That is why I think you need to tell her straight out it is not acceptable.

 

[Nanisu]

She's pretty far ahead of everyone,,,like I said, not an issue with that because I think in some ways it can spur my team on a bit....but when she walks in the door announcing that she won again this month, and is kinda pushy....then tries to butt in at the meetings with "a different way I do it....", and THEN added those people to our page without asking me (I've never even met them, and it clearly says 'Cookin with the Collins Cluster'), just kind of over done with her.

 

[cookingwithlove]

She's pretty far ahead of everyone,,,like I said, not an issue with that because I think in some ways it can spur my team on a bit....but when she walks in the door announcing that she won again this month, and is kinda pushy....then tries to butt in at the meetings with "a different way I do it....", and THEN added those people to our page without asking me (I've never even met them, and it clearly says 'Cookin with the Collins Cluster'), just kind of over done with her.

Okay so here is the root of your problem and this is what you need to talk to her about. Some people just need to be educated about how to behave. You can prop her up by telling her she is an example to the rest of the team because she is working her business and it is growing. Then you can tell her that being an example comes with responsibilites on how to behave and act. Give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she does not realize what she is doing, but if her behavior is truely the way you stated then she could be turning people off and not really inspiring your team as you hope. It is ultimately your team and your meetings. It is up to you to lay the expectations.

 

[Sheila]

Yes, she needs to know that walking in the door & announcing that she's the top achiever again is a little too much & will cause animosity in the group if she doesn't tone it down a bit.And yes, your FB group name says it all. It's your cluster. You have every right to tell her that you were nice enough to invite her to be a member of the group, but it's not an open forum for people you don't know.

 

[Sheila]

Maybe if you explain that there's no ONE way to do something and that in the meetings you are on a schedule to get all the info in during the short amount of time that you have to present it. And that you'd appreciate it if she would refrain from commenting unless it's during a section of the meeting where you are asking everyone for feedback.It's okay to think something & not say it, but unfortunately we do have to deal with the ones who think they should say every thought that comes to mind. If she's a co-organizer for the meetings & the two of you are doing the meetings as a team, then YES ... both people should feed off one another & share info that can help the group. But when you are a guest, you should sit down & shush until you've been asked for your opinion.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Just a thought...but in our cluster, the Star Performer Apron is given for things besides top sales. Sometimes it's given to the person with the highest sales, but sometimes it's given to someone else for other reasons too. For example, if someone has a personal goal to always turn in 2 shows a month, and one month they double that and do four shows. Or if someone has stepped out of their comfort zone and made 3 contacts a day for the previous month, or if someone just beat their best for the month....if we only gave it to the person who has the highest sales, then the same person would get it all the time (ummm, before I promoted to director, that would have been me. :blushing and that isn't much fun or motivation for anyone. If they know that there are a variety of reason to earn the apron, and they never know who will earn it for the month, then it keeps them more motivated and seeking ways to earn the apron.
I would just explain that starting NOW you will be implementing a change in how it's done, and giving everyone a level playing field for earning the apron.

 

[cookingwithlove]

Becky that is a great idea. I love it.

 

[Malinda Klein]

I have the same situation with my group. I have a steady 7 consultants that come to my meetings and 3 hospitalty members. My hospitality members are usually my high sellers, and when I first started, I put a challenge out to my group and my hospitalty was the only one who did it and wanted the free product i offered - which i gave out.

I have aprons that i give to high sales (in my group), and a rockstar that I generally give to my team, but has included to hospitaltiy.

I do recognition for the top few seller and let them pick off my paperwork table (which includes catalogs, discover us brochures, join us brochures, and receipts), I include my hospitaltiy in this.

I do a product giveaway, but it's limited to my team. I give out tickets for those who recruit in the previous month, have high show, high sales, do a craft show/fair in the previous month, or something new I may throw in the mix. Basically whatever i want repeated.

This seems to work well, and January starts a new year, so change things up, it's the perfect time to do it.