Meet our Special Guest
October Special Guest
Tom “Big Al” Schreiter
Publisher
Fortune Now
The Network Trainer
The “Big Al” Sponsoring books
Tom Schreiter is one of our all-time favourite MLM authors and trainers. He’s an “idea machine” that someone forgot how to turn off! (Thank goodness!) We don’t know how he keeps on coming up with so many terrific ideas, with no sign of stopping.
So we invited Tom to share some of his insights and ideas with our visitors, and this is what he came up with. As always, they’re unusual and they’ve got Tom’s unmistakable imprint all over them — and they’re well worth reading and applying in your own network marketing business.
If you don’t yet subscribe to Tom’s FREE Recruiting Newsletter on-line, we recommend you do so now at http://www.fortunenow.com.
Weird thoughts that just won’t go away
1. Every great leader was sponsored by somebody who wasn’t.
This really disturbs me. Every superstar was sponsored by somebody who wasn’t. So you don’t have to be super talented to sponsor great people . . . but I still think it helps.
2. All humans think they are right.
All humans believe that what they believe is the absolute truth, and everybody else in the world, all five billion other people, just happen to be wrong. It’s hard living around so many right people.
The truth is (hey, I’m the one that’s right) that humans make correct decisions based upon all the experiences and data they have. It seems that we all have different data.
For example, if you have experienced 25 years of wonderful, blissful marriage, the truth for you is that marriage is a wonderful institution. However, your next door neighbor might just be getting his seventh divorce. The truth for your neighbor might be different.
Or sometimes the truth changes. Today you say that you are sick with the flu. But what about next week? The truth changes because you are now experiencing good health.
Can the truth change in network marketing? Can what was true five years ago not work today? Yes.
I find that being extremely flexible enhances my networking career. Distributors aren’t afraid to try new ideas, they openly challenge old ideas and methods, and I get along a lot better with distributors.
Instead of insisting that only one way or one method works, I try to foster the idea that several methods can work . . . and you should choose the method that is most comfortable to you.
Of course this alienates me from all the "system" people who have found the ultimate method that works with 100% of the prospects, 100% of the time, in every possible circumstance, etc., etc., etc. If you are not doing it now, why not try helping your distributors find a way of doing their business that is comfortable for them. No matter how much money your distributor earns, he’ll quit if the activity is unpleasant for him.
3. Learn to appreciate different points of view, but you don’t have to personally accept these views.
Want to avoid arguments with prospects? Arguments with distributors?
It’s easy. Simply allow them to keep their point of view. You’re not obligated to educate them, or even change their point of view. No matter how "far out" or unfathomable their point of view is, simply appreciate it and go on with your life.
The reward?
People will like you. And don’t prospects join people they like?
If you have an uncontrollable urge to correct and educate people, try redirecting your personal point of view. Here is how you can do it.
Imagine a cat sees a mouse running across the floor. The cat thinks, "Yum, yum! Food! Mouse guts and fur make my mouth drool with pleasure."
Is that point of view correct for the cat?
Certainly! In fact, this is truth to the cat. There is no way you can take that cat to regional training and de-program the cat’s thinking about mice! Don’t even try!
Now, what is your point of view towards that mouse running across the floor? Maybe it’s: "Yikes! Jump on a chair! Bring on the Marines! Killer man-eating rodent on the loose!"
Yes, your point of view is completely different! But isn’t your point of view the truth to you? Can the cat take you to a regional training school and de-program your thinking so that now you truly want to eat mouse guts and fur?
I don’t think so.
As you see, both viewpoints are correct and true. There is no need to argue or change another person’s viewpoint. Simply accept that the other person’s point of view might be okay for him, but you are under no obligation to accept that point of view personally. By removing combative conversation, your leadership skills will shine. Your distributors will grow. And, you’ll make more money. (At least that’s my point of view, and it is the truth for me.)
4. Why distributors fail to grow and develop into leaders.
My daughter, Ann, e-mailed me this story last week. I don’t know its source, but the author was pretty smart. Here’s the edited version.
Start with a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with cold water.
After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result — all the apes are sprayed with cold water.
Turn off the cold water.
Later, if another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it, even though no water sprays them.
Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace it with a new ape.
The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new ape.
The new ape goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous new ape takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.
Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well.
Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the original apes that were sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs. Why not?
"Because that's the way it's always been around here."
Sound familiar? Like I said earlier, these are weird thoughts that just won’t go away.
Final comment from Tom:
If you could put on the end that they can go to http://www.fortunenow.com to get free newsletters, I think your visitors would appreciate it.
See you next year in Australia!
Tom
About the Author
Tom Schreiter lives in Houston, Texas (when he’s not travelling the world presenting his “Super Sponsoring” and other power-packed workshops. Tom is a successful network marketing leader and has built massive personal downline groups over the years. He rose to fame with the publication (through his company, Kaas Publishing) of the legendary series of “Big Al” books on sponsoring and prospecting techniques.
1998 Copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or distributed without the express written permission of the author. Reprinted by The Profit Clinic with permission of the author.Our Special Guests’ articles are archived in our Library for permanent reference.
©1998 The Profit Clinic. All rights reserved. This page updated 9 October 1999.
