Navigating Team Building Woes: Advice from Directors & Above

[otisbg]

I have a close friend who lives in another state who is now hooked up with her 3rd team due to her previous directors’ inconsistencies. I would be interested in knowing for all of you out there who are directors and above...how you build your team deep and wide (I love that phrasing). My friend’s first director pushed recruiting - recruit all the time and she recruited all the time, but never then worked with her recruits a far as show skills etc...She only pushed for them to recruit. Well you know as well as I that it often reaches a point when you just don’t want to hear it anymore and just dig-in your heels and go belly up with your business. The feeling of incompetency is rampant. I am only a team leader but I am working with my 2 gals to share as much about booking and check-out as I can. I feel that once they are confident in themselves, their confidence will link them to other prospects who are interested in the business. My friend is now in hospitality with another director and this person is doing the same thing….recruit, recruit, recruit….I need some opinions on this…Is my thinking warped? My friend is trying her darndest to build a team so she can work on her own with her own team. I am waiting for replies from all you as to which is better….I am very confused and so is my friend. Should the focus of the business be mainly on recruiting? I dont think so
Thanks

 

[pchockeymom]

I think you are right on target with your remarks. I too am a team leader and although I want very much to be a director, have lots of consultants on my team, and understand the benefits of having a team deep and wide, that is NOT what PC is all about. If you look at the Plan for Success, 3-2-1, customer care is 1st, then shows, then recruits. If your goal is simply to recruit, the other two will not get the attention they need and your business will fail. When someone is so insistant upon recruiting over customer care or cooking shows, in my opinion, they are demonstrating a selfish motivation. I would never and could never pressure someone to sign if that person isn't ready or doesn't feel convinced it's a good fit for them. If I'm pressuring then I'm not looking out for the potential recruit, I'm looking out for me. I am so fortunate to be on a team that promotes, and infact insists upon, integrity, honesty, and hard work. This is a tough business, albeit fun and rewarding.

I think your friend should continue to work as her heart leads and as Pampered Chef instructs: 3-2-1. The recruits will come but the business of cooking shows and customer care are what bring them about. As she grows with her business, she will be more keenly aware of the types of consultants and the type of team she wants to direct and she will then have a long and prosperous business.

Keep up the right thinking!

 

[lt1jane]

Wow! that is so different from my director. She focuses on building YOUR business. You need to be consistent with your business. She doesn't discourage recruiting as she earned excellence last year in recruiting, but her focus is a consistent business.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

I believe the team needs to be trained in all aspects of the biz...3-2-1 is customers, bookings and recruiting. Training sessions should include all 3. You then should do one on one coaching to provide support and training with each one individually based on their needs and goals. If one teammate wants to build her team and be a leader, then recruiting is a focus. Allowing her to "see" you in action will help. If their goal is bookings, then that's the focus.

It may be that the hospitality director is covering all subjects, but your friend is only hearing the recruiting because she's feeling pressured or is uncomfortable about the subject. If she's trying to build her team as you mention and is not yet meeting her expectations, hearing about recruiting may be an annoying sensitive subject. If she does want to grow her team, then I would think she'd want to hear about recruiting. Remind her that SHE sets her biz plan and just because she hears others pushing a certain area does NOT mean she has to go along with it.

I hear about these excellent sales and so forth...not my personal interest at the moment. I still love hearing about the hows so that when I focus on that, I'll have an arsenal of tips and ideas.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

There are 3 parts to your business - sales, bookings and recruiting. The sales and recruits will be there if you have the bookings. It could be that those 2 directors do focus on recruiting and not sales or bookings. Or, it could be that the teams are doing fine with sales and bookings but not recruiting so the directors focus on recruiting during team meetings because that's where the teams need work. Think of how many consultants who say they're too afraid or uncomfortable to do any talk about the business, don't pursue recruits, etc.

 

[otisbg]

You all have given me such wonderful feedback and thoughts. I will continue to support her in what she is doing and stress the 3-2-1 which is how I am being trained and motivated.
Thanks so very much!:sing: