Becoming a Leader – it might go against the grain of what you’re being taught.

Have you tried everything your upline told you to do without getting results?

Do you find yourself questioning those methods but finding resistance from the upline for doing so?

In this post we are going to talk about a subject that tends to toe the line of volatility…..are you ready to hear this?

Recently a subject came up in our community group that really created a lot of heated and emotional feedback. One of the members was struggling with her decision to stray away from the status quo in her company in search of a better way and for better results. The sponsor and upline were less than encouraging to say the least, and she was asking for thoughts and opinions on the matter. Their methods of attending meetings and going after friends and family and lists of everyone they’ve known all their lives just wasn’t working for this person. She was making a go at internet marketing and self branding and being her own CEO and owning her business and her list. Quite unlike the methods being taught by her uplines and by the company.

It’s no secret that when you start entering the area of people’s beliefs, and questioning them, you are going to hit an emotional chord. Several things come to mind here…religion, politics, education, culture. These are just examples but we all know how fast communications and conversations can go south when we enter into these areas. They are volatile and emotional topics…and may be extreme in comparison to a distributor bucking the ways of a company and upline’s teachings, but at the end of the day the results can carry some similarities. The relationship between uplines and downlines can be akin to a parent child relationship. Some uplines take it to extreme… it’s their way or the highway.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been made aware of this scenario… in fact I know of it on a somewhat personal level and some of you may as well. We tried everything the upline told us but it just wasn’t working. And yet we had the audacity to go out and look for different solutions? Some uplines take this personally and let it be known. It shouldn’t be that way though. It’s a self preservation move on our parts…we are not trying to buck someone’s authority or overstep boundaries…we are simply looking for a better way for us. Something that works.

I look at it this way…It’s each to their own. Not all methods work for everyone and what some will look at as old school methods just will not allow others to reach their full potential. In addition to this there are issues of companies changing or going away, and what then. But taking ownership and control of our own businesses changes all that. We become the leader and the ceo and the upline.We manage and control our list and our assets.We brand ourselves and not the company, and we use the internet to do it. We drive traffic and we generate leads. We advertise and we monetize…and we become the person that others want to work with. Becoming a leader means we don’t chase people around in desperation, we attract people with our knowledge and skills.

Here’s a few points that those in transition of self branding and leadership status are going to experience.

1. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions that may ultimately end relationships…on personal and business basis. But it can also open the door for very many more relationships. It can be tough and not fun when this happens, but hey this is our business, our livelihoods and our lives. We cannot be ruled in business by the opinions of others – this will not serve us well. We have an agenda that we know is better for us.

2. You must be willing to stand alone. Going against the grain can be lonely at first. You might begin to question if you are doing the right thing, but if your will is there…if you know it’s your calling, then you tough it out and things get better. Becoming a leader is not easy. It requires determination and guts. You must decide if you have what it takes and then go head strong. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re convinced it’s for you then go make it happen. You will shine in the end.

3. You change as a person. Being more than a sales rep is a completely different mindset.Your view of who you are and what you represent will change. You might start asking yourself what you stand for and what your true beliefs are. How are you going to measure up and how will others accept the new you. Not everyone is ready for this.

4. It’s okay to question the way of things. We’re given a mind to make rational decisions so let’s use it. Not everything is as it appears to be. When you first made the decision of becoming a leader and going your own way, you created a fear in your uplines. They were looking at you as an income generator for them, and they were taught exactly how that had to be done. Questioning their ways may also have created a fear in them that maybe their way is not the best way. But yet they stuck with what they knew..what they were taught and ingrained to believe. You on the other hand took the initiative to go your own way and blaze your own trail. Now you can teach others.

5. Finally and most importantly – decide what kind of a leader you are going to be, and go be it.

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