Part 2 of a 4-part series
Four Lethal MLM MistakesNo. 2: “Ready… Aim… FIRE!”
by John Counsel
People who think that everything should be exactly right before attempting to launch their MLM businesses fall for the same trap that prevents most people ever achieving anything. It’s true that if you never take a risk you’ll never make a mistake. But it’s just as true that you’ll probably never make any kind of move forward toward your goal!
Despite a sequence that seems perfectly logical, “Ready… Aim… Fire!” is the perfectionist’s approach to business. It never works effectively for the simple reason that conditions are never perfect!
“Ready… FIRE!… Aim!” is the only approach that has succeeded in putting men on the moon (and bringing them safely back, many times). It’s the standard strategy in the computer and other high technology industries. Without it, most of the world’s business would never even get started, let alone successfully completed. (Did you ever buy software with no bugs?)
The hallmark of a true leader
True leaders are always characterised by their ability to make decisions. Ordinary people are drawn to leaders who are decisive, even when the decisions they make might be wrong.
The fact is, most people are followers. They’re scared witless by the prospect of having to assume responsibility for anything – especially for other people! They don’t want to be leaders!
They feel reassured and protected when in their “comfort zones”, doing what they feel confident doing.
Do you recall the reaction of Japan when called upon to act in an international leadership capacity in the lead-up to the Gulf War?
The whole nation panicked! Their response was, in effect, “But we don’t know anything about being international leaders! Can’t we just give money? That’s all we really know about”.
And it was true. The Japanese had become expert at taking other people’s ideas and applying superior efficiency to make them even better. They had built a formidable economy based on this principle. This was what they understood and were consummate at doing. They knew how to make money. They knew nothing at all about international leadership. To assume such a role would take them outside their “comfort zone”.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not criticising Japan or its people. The simple fact of the matter was that the international community had missed the point. And it’s a mistake often made by people everywhere when it comes to expecting leadership from “successful” people. They mistake effect for cause once again!
“Success” is not leadership
Just because someone is “successful” in business, or in politics, does not automatically mean that they’re a good leader.
It depends very much on what you consider true leadership to be.
For example, my personal belief is that a father’s most important leadership role is in his own home. I know many, many men who are just “average” in the workplace, but who are fine leaders in their families. (I don’t mean bullies or bosses. I mean leaders!)
On the other hand, I know many business and public “leaders” who are utter failures in their homes.
If I had the choice, I’d choose men to lead this country, and this economy, who were getting it right where it really counts… in the home.
Why?
Because most of the problems facing our society stem ultimately from a failure, of one kind or another, in family relationships.
Causes – not effects!
Think about it.
The media, and our everyday discussion, are pre-occupied with the escalating incidence of violent crime.
What’s the response of our “leaders”?
Pass harsher laws. Increase penalties. Hire more police. Appoint more magistrates and judges. Build bigger jails.
None of which address the cause of the problem – only the effects.
It’s been claimed that most abusers of drugs (of all kinds) have suffered some form of sexual abuse as children. One leading drug rehabilitation organisation has put the proportion amongst its clients at around 80%.
That’s just sexual abuse.
What about emotional and psychological abuse? These are just as damaging in their own insidious ways.
Police make no bones about the cause of most contemporary crime – drug abuse.
So, if most crime is linked to drug abuse, and most drug abuse is attributable to family relationships breaking down, it seems reasonable to me to conclude that the bulk of the money – and other support resources – should be going toward rectifying the real, ultimate, underlying cause of these problems: training parents to be genuine, capable, loving, diligent leaders within the walls of their own homes!
The reality?
Parents receive NO training or preparation (not even at school!) for their most critically-important role. Because when they fail in this role, our entire society suffers the consequences.
False foundations
We cannot build personal success on a foundation of failure. That’s just building a house on quicksand… it will ultimately collapse on us.
If we wish to become real leaders, we have to do the right things for the right reasons. Then we’re dependable.
The problem, always, is where to start.
There’s an old saying that applies to this situation: “Begin – the rest is easy!”
Set yourself a goal, write down a simple plan of action, marshal some basic resources, then ACT.
Let me relate two true stories that taught me this principle very well.
Story No. 1
A young business reporter found himself seated on a plane next to one of America’s most successful businessmen. He recognised the man immediately and was very excited at the prospect of scoring an interview with him. Alas, the businessman made it clear he was much more interested in catching up on some much-needed sleep.
But our young friend was persistent, so he leaned over and said “excuse me, Mr ———, but I’d really appreciate knowing the secret of your success. Can you give it to me in a nutshell, please?”
Without opening his eyes, the business man replied “Two words… make decisions!”.
The young reporter mulled these words over and over in his mind. Finally, unable to decipher the mystery, he disturbed the businessman again.
“Sorry to bother you, but something troubles me. How on earth do you know how to make the right decisions?”
The reply was immediate.
“One word… experience!”
Once again, the youngster turned the idea over in his mind until he could no longer resist one final question.
“I’m sorry, sir, but you have me intrigued. How do you gain the experience needed to make those right decisions?”
The reply?
“Two words… wrong decisions!”
Story No. 2
Some years ago I worked for a very astute businessman who taught me more lessons than any other boss I ever worked for.
One day he called me to his office and said “Counsel, get the lead out! I want decisions from you on these three matters by the end of today, without fail.”
I was appalled. These were complex matters that required a lot of thought. I told him so. He was unimpressed.
“Get those decisions made by the end of the day or I’ll make them for you, and the first will be that I don’t need you!”
This was downright ludicrous. He knew even less about these issues than I did! I made the mistake of telling him. He was gracious in explaining:
“If we don’t make those decisions today, we’ll lose the opportunity to make them at all. Someone else will make them for us, and we’ll have to put up with the consequences of their decisions – and I’m not willing to hand control of my business over to someone else.”
“B-b-b-but (I stammered)… what if the decisions I make are wrong?”
“It doesn’t matter!” he replied.
I was dumbfounded.
“The fact is, with your qualifications and experience you’ve got a better-than-even chance that the decisions will be right. If so, there’s no problem, and we can begin moving. If any of the decisions are wrong, we’ll know pretty quickly – and then we can fix them. The point is, we have to make the decisions NOW.”
Ready… FIRE!… Aim.
Be a Rocketeer!
Get the rocket off the ground! You can then check and correct your course as you head toward your target.
Returning to the Gulf War, do you recall the world’s amazement at how devastatingly accurate the American missiles were? They would leave their launchers on ships in the Persian Gulf or the Mediterranean Sea, and make their way to Baghdad – then cruise along the streets (and around corners!) until they found their targets.
How?
Because they were guided once they were launched, and their paths were corrected as required to overcome obstacles along the way.
We have to learn to do the same as MLM leaders. As leaders of any kind!
By the way… the Apollo moon rockets were OFF course an average 97% of the time. And commercial jetliners are OFF course around 95% of the time they’re in the air. Yet they almost always land on the right runway, at the right airport, in the right city, on time.
Same principle at work!
Learn to make decisions
Get as much information as you reasonably need, then go for it, fixing any unforeseen problems as you go. In many cases, the sheer momentum you create will roll right over them!
Observe the words of two great World War II leaders, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and General George Patton, the US commander of the invasion of Europe.
“A good plan, vigorously executed this week, will always be better than a perfect plan executed next week.” (George Patton)
“Paralysis is spelt a-n-a-l-y-s-i-s!” (Winston Churchill)
Amen!
Ready… FIRE!… Aim.
(PS… Don’t overlook the fact that "Ready" is the ONLY word of the three that hasn't changed position.)© 1995 John Counsel. All rights reserved. No reproduction by any means permitted without prior written consent of the copyright owner. This article appeared originally in Australian Business & Money-Making Opportunities magazine.
©1998 The Profit Clinic. All rights reserved. This page updated 1 October 2005.
