Forget the Quick Fix, We Need a Better Solution

It's endemic. The need to take the quick route, to success, to achievement, to money. Fed by the endless TV programmes that suggest you can be the next big name after 6 weeks dance practice, 10 weeks singing or 8 weeks living somewhere unpleasant. Not to mention the books and DVDs that promise you maximum gain for minimum pain

But the universe doesn't work like that. We are all interconnected in ways that aren't visible to most. If you don't take the right path, karma will let you know about it sooner or later. That goes for our choice of path to greatness.

We grow by taking the thousand mile journey, whether it's the path to fitness, creativity, or business success. That journey, with its mountains, valleys, flash floods and sunny days, with its seasons of both mists and mellow fruitfulness, is what shapes us into the person who is capable of enjoying both the travelling and the destination.

All it takes is the discipline to avoid the shiny distractions; that's a pretty big "All" as I know very well. I'm an expert in disappearing down side paths as well as spending too much time thinking the mists and the valleys are all there is to life.

But occasionally, like today, I get to climb up above the mists and the darkness and I catch a glimpse of the sunrise behind the mountains ahead. And it's beautiful.

Does Your Team Deserve Success?

Yes?

Then become more successful yourself. Lead the way, so they can believe it's possible and follow you.

Craig White, Kleeneze's distributor of the year, was awarded the UK Direct Selling Association's Direct Seller of the Year award, by leading the way for his team.

Listening to him on the KleenezeHQ YouTube channel is a great experience. He advocates using simple weekly targets of £250+ sales orders and 1 new team member per week, plus coach and care for your customers and team.

Funnily enough, those are the targets I'd set myself a few weeks ago. I must be planning something right, at least.

I've got renewed motivation to follow my 90 plan - I'm following in the footsteps of successful Kleeneze distributors like Gavin Scott, Chris Mason-Paull and Craig White.

Who inspires you to do better?

The Secret of Successful Leadership

Consider this quote from St. Augustine*:

"Disturbers are to be rebuked, the low-spirited to be encouraged, the infirm to be supported, objectors confuted, the treacherous guarded against, the unskilled taught, the lazy aroused, the contentious restrained, the haughty repressed, litigants pacified, the poor relieved, the oppressed liberated, the good approved, the evil borne with, and all are to be loved."

He was describing the role of a pastor, or spiritual leader, in the 5th century.

It's also an extremely good description of a successful leader in Kleeneze in the 21st century.

A Kleeneze leader has to be able to teach the new team members, encourage those whose are depressed that their businesses aren't doing well, energise those who aren't doing enough to move their businesses forward, recognise those who are doing well and provide support to those who, through no fault of their own, have "poorly" businesses.

A leader also has to provide boundaries and guidelines for their team, so that disruptive members are controlled and brought back on track, whilst complaints are dealt with promptly and successfully.

Being a leader isn't about managing or micro-managing every last activity of the team. It's about being a mother - supporting, guiding, nurturing, defending and finally, standing back and allowing your team to fly the nest and set up their own teams. Even then, you still support, guide, nurture and defend when necessary. It's about caring more about your team than you do about yourself. It's about knowing that caring for others can mean "tough love" as well as praise. It's about doing what needs to be done, no matter how tired, miserable or stressed you might be, because you need to set a good example. It's about knowing that, when you do the job right, your main reward is the fact your team think they've done it all by themselves - and still doing that job.

I spent a fantastic afternoon in the company of established, new and proto-Leaders at the Kleeneze Live event at Warwick on Saturday. Everybody who was there, whether speaking, supporting, or attending, was a wonderful example of our entrepreneurial drive and humanity. I feel proud to be part of such an amazing family.



*Paraphrased, AFAIK by John T. McNeill

Personal Development Works - In Every Area of Your Life

Since I started with Kleeneze, I've read a lot of books, including Don Failla's 45 Second Presentation, Jeff Olson's Slight Edge, Dani Johnson's Script Book and Gavin Scott's Follow Up Your Way to Fortune.

I read these books to develop my skills and my self-confidence, so that I can be a more effective retailer and team leader.

It turns out that the improvement in self-confidence has had a remarkable effect - I've applied for a team leader's position in my day job!

So why on earth have I done that, when I want to quit the rat race, work from home and become a Kleeneze Premier distributor in 5 years time?

It's quite simple - if I get the job, I will be practising team leading skills all the time, which will help both my day job and my Kleeneze career. If I don't get the job, I've still done something outside my immediate comfort zone in applying, so I'm already benefiting from stretching myself psychologically. That, in turn, will have a good effect the next time I have to do something I'm wary of doing.

I'm currently reading three of Malcolm Gladwell's books, Outliers, Blink and The Tipping Point, as well as re-reading Go For No. I can't wait to see what other improvements I can make to my outlook and focus.