WAVE 1 peeps---I am dying to know...

mmajmi

I have to agree. I normally recommend CS to my new consultants as an important assest of their business. But lately after reading some people's comments on recent threads...I am definitely having second thoughts on that recommendation. I wouldn't want them to have those attitudes directed their way.

rennea

It really started that I noticed about 6 months ago a bunch of new people came here excited about the biz and had a ton of questions and were told to "read the manual". I couldn't believe it and then the comments were something like "we are getting tired of the same questions". So many people left after that, kind of sad really

kam

Yes, or they were told "ask your director". Not everyone has a director that can/is willing to explain everything. With this whole recruiting push, it is also possible that many recruiters/directors are pretty new themselves - and may not have all the answers.

I have a good director - but I tend to go overboard with details. I certainly couldn't call her with every little detail question I had - so this board was a TREMENDOUS help when I started.

janetupnorth

This is response to the above comments, not the OP's question for information...

I got really busy with life right around that time so I ducked out for awhile. I look at it on the flip-side too. I think there has been an incredible amount of patience and information for new people.

However, when the same group of people invest a large majority of their time to give correct answers for a long period of time, then get bombarded with people asking the same thing that someone asked a few threads down, I can see where the impatience or "read the policies" comes in.

We are support and friends for each other but not to do the work for each other. It gets apparent who is new and needs some guidance and who is just "using" the board to get their answers and work done without an effort.

If someone asks a legitimate question, gets a whole variety of good answers then comes back two days later (this is just an example by the way) and says, "Woe is me, my business is failing, whatever do I do." At that point, if you haven't tried advice, haven't read CC, what are we to do? This is your business with a responsibility to work it.

Also, when there are great outlines people like KG wrote for the site and you direct someone to them to read to get great information and they come back and ask a question answered in there, what do you do? If you make all your "good members" with lots of information constantly give, give, give then they will just go away and work their own businesses. Most people love to share and mentor but only when it is fulfilling. When newer people know better or won't take advice and try something then older ones won't stick around forever to mentor them. My Director/ED is excellent, but she's also been around for 20 years...this is a business, she is a mentor, not a mom. She is sympathetic to life but she is not a counselor. We can't be all to all people.

Also, as we've discussed numerous times, online is a funny thing. You can't read a person's heart and mind in their typing most of the time.

"Read the manual" is snarky to one reader, but to another it may be taken as "Wow, thanks for that link, I wish I knew it was there and wow, it contains answers to TONS of my questions."

I was taught in college the best thing to learn is where to get your information. I'd rather have someone give me a link to CC policies that I can reference 24/7 and know it is policies of the company than have to rely on the same old person being online to answer a question. Knowledge is power...find it and use it.


Ok, stepping off soapbox now...

mmajmi

Janet

I totally agree with your points and I believe they are valid. People do need to be accountable for own their businesses.

To clairfy my statement, the attitude I was referring to was not in regards to answering questions, but the recent attitudes in regards to conference and those that are not able to attend for various reason. People have many different reasons for not attending (including new consultants that may have signed 2 weeks or less before) that may read comments that imply that if you are not going to conference then you are not working your business (this is of course the summation of many different comments on many different threads).

I guess I just feel that if you don't want to share the information that someone is asking for then just ignore it and let someone who is comfortable with it share it if they want to. But the comments towards the requestors recently has been unlike anything I have seen before.

rennea

I do agree with you Janet whole heartily that some people are lazy and don't want to find information on there own. Lots of people come here first and do not even bother to search. Most of us have been so lucky to have the support of other "cheffers" here. Especially those who have "absent" directors! And of course we can't always tell the tone of a post, but I am referring to just plain nasty that I have seen on here.
I won't go into detail because I think most on here know what and who I am referring to. I can stand my own ground (and I choose to ignore most of it) but don't like seeing other people get "stepped" on.

janetupnorth

I don't like nasty either - it sucks!

I've made it to conference every year so far even though business isn't a priority for me, it isn't my main income it just gets my daughter piano lessons. Next year though might be a different story for me, we'll see. I won't work my business more or less because of it...life just brings its season's and it's priorities.

I wouldn't judge someone who can't attend.

I also hope they respect the fact that they might not get information until after Wave 3. (So far I think people have been more than patient and respectful in their requests for information).

babywings76

And there's a difference in how tone comes across the way it's worded. As far as getting tired of people not knowing the policies or whatever, it's so nice when people say (first of all) some kind of welcome, a kind way of pointing out where they can find the answers and then a note of encouragement. Many times, there were very curt answers and an overall feeling of "we aren't going to help you...good luck finding it elsewhere..." No that's not exactly how things get worded, but that's the impression that I get reading some of the responses.

When I was new my director was super busy w/ a lot of recruits, plus she JUST delivered a new baby. I felt bad calling her for so many little questions. I found this site and was just so excited. I had questions that now I look back on and realize people probably rolled their eyes at them. But the responses were always warm, friendly, helpful, and they pointed me in the direction of where to turn to for answers (KG's thread and the P&P on CC). I am so glad I was greeted that way and I then learned a lot. Now, I feel that some people have lost patience and it's coming across in the posts.

This site can be amazing when people treat others w/ respect. Differences of opinion are normal and the differences are how people learn--especially learning pros and cons of how things can be done in the biz. I feel like Thumper's mom sometimes "if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all." If you come across a post that annoys you, why not ignore it. Or if you don't agree w/ the person's idea, explain why, but don't act condescending. KWIM?

Sorry for babbling so much. I guess I wish we could all get along better and have this site be an uplifting site of encouragement.

janetupnorth

One interesting note...

Do most of you realize, for the most part of course, that the people who cause trouble and stir things up don't last long here anyway? They eventually get bored and move on...

etteluap70PC

Janet your post # 24 was right on!

Please do not get defensive as you read my responses, They are made with no malice toward anyone. Just read and try to be in my shoes as I have been in the shoes of many of this years non attendees.

For the reccord to anyone who took a comment I made a week or 2 ago to say that if you were not going to conference you were not working their business that was not what "I" meant at all. I (for the last time) am sorry if anyone took it that way and wish you could have been in my head and knew what I was referring to.

Quoted from Janet's post... "If someone asks a legitimate question, gets a whole variety of good answers then comes back two days later (this is just an example by the way) and says, "Woe is me, my business is failing, whatever do I do." At that point, if you haven't tried advice, haven't read CC, what are we to do? This is your business with a responsibility to work it." These are the type of people who I am referring to.

Again (and I think most people feel this way) if you are working your biz to your satisfaction that That is awesome for you & I salute you. If you are unable to attend conference I sympathize as I have been in your shoes many times. I personally do not "look down" on anyone who Cannot attend. I am just frustrated that people who are not attending cannot practice some patience and wait till the info has been made public by PC. I have paid (more than$) to attend. Yet people who have not allready know everything.

Here is another analogy I just thought of... It feels "To ME" like the people who steal cable.

etteluap70PC

YUP!!! Kinda funny how that works isn't it?

Oh and for anyone who thinks things here have been nasty lately... This is nothing... This board has been thru wayyyyy rougher times than these. There have been many controversies over the 5 years I have been a member here. Many online communities are MUCH worse. Not every online community is for everyone. It is just the way life is.

legacypc46

My thoughts (for what they are worth...which may not be much):

Some people are helpful, some are not. Some are lazy, others are just a little lost. Sometimes, its hard to know who is what.

If you ask for help and you get a response you feel is snarky, ignore it. You aren't going to change the person who posted it...and you may be mis-interpreting their intent. We've all been in a time jam or simply stressed to high-heaven, so someone will probably empathize and help you out.

To be fair, there is a bucket-load of valuable info in the policies on CC. Saying you don't have time to read them is a cop-out...a good hour is more than enough. After that, a little exploring on CC every day (or even just a few times a week) will pay off in spades. If later you can't remember where you read something, then say that in your request for help...we can all relate to that.

As for NC, this adversarial relationship is unfortunate and hurts all of us. Some folks simply can't go every year (or understandably won't based on family priorities), but others intentionally blow it off and then bitterly complain later about their business failing....and that is what causes a lot of the friction and resentment over sharing information. Those who care enough to put out the time, money, and effort to attend are asked to help out those who don't.

That said, I think not sharing NC announcements with non-attendees is short-sighted. While it justifiably irks to "help" those who blow off NC, the truth is those consultants probably aren't going to do anything productive with the information anyway. So whether you share with them or not doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

What matters are the consultants who ARE interested in maintaining/building their businesses. New product and incentive announcements are a huge motivator. If a non-attendee is leaning forward wanting to grab the info and run with it to plan out a successful new season, more power to her (or him). Yes, we can make them wait, but I just don't see how squashing enthusiasm is a positive thing. Honestly, I've tried to think of a business benefit to making them wait and I don't see it.

That's my opinion (and we all have one). I'm not trying to pass judgement on anyone else; just sharing my thought process. I want everyone who wants to be successful to be so. It's good for them, it's good for their uplines, and its good for this amazing company overall.

It'll be fun to watch this board light up at the end of Wave 3. I love season change-over! (And yes, I Chef Success)

vwpamperedchef

Leggy, I wish there was a LIKE button, like on facebook, bc I really LIKE Your post!

rennea

Rennea LIKES Leggy's post

BettieC

Bettie too.....hehehehe

BTW.....I still haven't gotten any info mailed to me

heat123

Well stated Leggy!

Saturday Gourmet

Leggy's post was very well-stated.

Also, I have found this site to be so beneficial to my business. I truly appreciate each and every piece of advice, link to other post, and even all the "see the files". I'm lovin' CS! Ya'll are a great bunch of ladies...oh yeah, and gentlemen.

janetupnorth

I agree too Leggy! (Hi by the way - haven't "seen" you in a bit!)

Curlyone

I really enjoy the bounty of info that is on this site and I appreciate the willingness of anyone, newbie or not, sharing. I have seen a lot of uncalled for comments and have felt the burn of it myself. I did attend the first wave and yes, we were asked by Jean and Marla to keep it a secret for the others that were attending. And I do see both sides of this. However, I have agreed to not say anything, so I won't. But I will say this, I have never seen so many Pampered Chef attendees with such bad attitudes than what I had at this year's conference. Rude and very unprofessional behavior toward others. It was uncalled for. And so, I guess that we wonder why it shows up on sites like this?!?!These are some of the same that attended conference.

This too shall pass, and once again we will go on forgetting the bad manners of some and appreciating the graciousness and willingness of the mass majority to share their ideas. And to this group, I thank you for helping me!

janetupnorth

A few sayings I use to myself but not in public too often...they help me keep perspective...

"The only thing wrong with the gene pool is there isn't a lifeguard."

At work:

"Change the people or change the people."

Basically, humans are humans. Sin is sin. In life we will encounter people that will just have negative attitudes or be self-centered. Who knows the why... Sometimes they have very legitimate trials in their lives, other times, they are just focused on themselves and selfish. Hard to tell who is who without really getting to know them. Sometimes you have to brush it off and take joy that apparently your life is much rosier than theirs and celebrate that you don't have to be so crabby.