By Dana Phillips.
We have seen this many times: you join a direct selling company, and your enthusiasm for the product or the income is contagious. It makes sense that your family and close friends may be the first to catch the excitement. Other times, you ask them to join because you need “one more” to achieve a leadership level, reach a goal, or earn an incentive.
The question is: How do you work with team members who are family or close friends?
Here are three guidelines that have served other leaders well.
Examine your intentions. If the only reason you are recruiting a close friend or relative to join you is for you, think again. Be careful not to “use” people. If they are sincerely interested in joining you, be diligent and find out what the person wants from the business. Be committed to their success, but not emotionally tied to their success. Make sure you set clear expectations and boundaries about how you will work with them.
Value your relationship more than your business. If you sincerely believe the person has the ability to succeed, don’t assume that they know how to do your business because they have been around you. If the time comes when you are not in agreement, work to keep the relationship intact. Make sure you are not talking “business” on every social occasion unless they bring it up. When you are advising, training, or working with the person, refer to yourself as their business mentor with phrases like “I am putting on my mentor hat,” or “As your friend, ___________,” or “As your mentor, ____________.”
Don’t play favorites. Nothing will subvert your ability to lead like playing favorites. Whether you are giving “breaks” to the person or asking more from them, you are treading on thin ice. Instead, work to create an environment that you can honestly say, “I do x, y, and z for all my team.” Please don’t be too hard on them, and don’t cut them slack because of your relationship.
Would You Like More Ideas on Recruiting? Facebook? Leadership?
Every Friday, we offer a quick five minute Facebook live in our group, the Direct Selling Leaders Network. You and your future leaders are welcome to join the group. We have no cross recruiting and no daily sales pitches. PS: Our Friday topics for the next few weeks are about recruiting and Facebook. Interested? Join today!
