Director Directors: How to Balance Family, Team & Business Commitments

[pamperedlinda]

For those of you who are seasoned directors - How do you do it? How do you stay on top of things? How do you keep a good balance of your time with:

• Family balance? (I have a huge commitment with - my immediate family/grandmother/school/son's sports)
• Leading your team?
• Preparing for meetings?
• Training?
• Working your own business (customers/hosts/leads)?
• Learning the reports? (I have no idea what to do with them or which ones I actually 'need')
• Updating myself and my team with the season change-over? (theme shows/products)

That's just a start! I feel very overwhelmed right now. I feel like I'm not as good as I can or should be.

 

[Mel5497]

I am right there with you Linda. I make it worse by being a piler and a "last-minute-doer".

I am really hoping NDA helps me get an arm around things.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Like we tell our new consultants, put all your family commitments on your calendar. Then mark the blocks of time you can do business. Schedule business hours. Use any time that is reserved for a show that didn't happen as bonus business hours.

Schedule time to speak with your team members, plan your meeting, make up host packets, make your calls. I use email a lot in between to "touch" everyone regularly.

Don't worry about the reports. During your office hours when you can't be on the phone go over the reports to see what they each contain and decide if you want to use them or not. The most important report to me is the IPT. I use others occasionally but I get most of my info from that IPT.

I do not spend time making or revising flyers anymore. PC provides all the flyers we need - and more professional than I can do - so I use that. The cost is probably less than all the ink I was using and it helps make my job look easier to potentials.

 

[chefruthie]

I agree with Beth. I resigned as an Advanced Director back in '99 because I was letting my business run me instead of me running my business. I re-signed as a Consultant in '01 and had no intention of becoming a Director again. I just, as you know, promoted. Things are being handled differently now. My family priorities come first. That does not mean that I don't miss some things to do shows. Family dinners are very important to me but I can't be here for all the family dinners because I have shows I have to do. I make sure that when the whole family is here for dinner, I let the phone ring and let voice mail answer it. Nothing can be that much of an emergency with Pampered Chef that I can't call them back when dinner is over.
I let my family know in advance what my show and meeting schedule is for the month. I did 18 shows last October but the beginning of September I sat down with them and explained that I had the potential to do all these shows and what it would mean for my business, my paycheck, points, TPC, etc., and asked if they would want me to do this or not. It was only because they totally supported me 100% that I was able to do it. That was a one time thing and I would not ask that of them and they know it. Everything ran very smoothly that month because everyone knew what to expect.
My normal schedule is 6-8 shows a month and my sales goal is $4000. That's my 2nd priority. I know I have to have a consistent show schedule to keep myself in a groove and to continue to meet new people to keep my business growing.
My third priority is my downline. I want them to succeed of course, but they have to want it first. Like Debbie has said many times, she expects them to find things for themselves or at least try to. I always ask my downline when they call me with a questions where they have looked so far for the answer. They are adults and this is their business. If you start off by providing everything for them, they will never learn to do things themselves. I want to start them off this way. That's not to say that I will never help them. I will be there if they come across something that is not easy or may have more than one answer. I offer training at my monthly meetings and have had great atendance so far. I have the more seasoned consultants answer questions at the meeting that the new consultants have. That makes them feel like Leaders.
I always take new recruits to shows with me and ask my seasoned consultants if the new recruits can attend their shows too. That is such great training for everyone involved.
Use the Meeting Planner that HO give us in the Directors newsletter to start off with. As Beth said, don't reinvent the wheel. HO does alot of research into what makes this business successful. Use the resources they have for us.
The only report I use is the IPT also. That's all I need right now. When I advance, then I will take advantage of the other reports. I will not overwhelm myself this time.

Sorry this has been so long. I have learned from past mistakes and have no desire to repeat them. I have the desire to succeed and I know I can with The Pampered Chef. It's a wonderful company and I'm proud to be a Director once again with them!

Excuse spelling mistakes. I just wanted to get this posted.

 

[pamela]

Like we tell our new consultants, put all your family commitments on your calendar. Then mark the blocks of time you can do business. Schedule business hours. Use any time that is reserved for a show that didn't happen as bonus business hours.

Schedule time to speak with your team members, plan your meeting, make up host packets, make your calls. I use email a lot in between to "touch" everyone regularly.

Don't worry about the reports. During your office hours when you can't be on the phone go over the reports to see what they each contain and decide if you want to use them or not. The most important report to me is the IPT. I use others occasionally but I get most of my info from that IPT.

I do not spend time making or revising flyers anymore. PC provides all the flyers we need - and more professional than I can do - so I use that. The cost is probably less than all the ink I was using and it helps make my job look easier to potentials.

AMEN sistah! These are the things that save my life! If you don't have business hours, you will drown in all of the PC stuff!!!

 

[BethCooks4U]

<snip> I want them to succeed of course, but they have to want it first. Like Debbie has said many times, she expects them to find things for themselves or at least try to. I always ask my downline when they call me with a questions where they have looked so far for the answer. They are adults and this is their business. If you start off by providing everything for them, they will never learn to do things themselves. I want to start them off this way. That's not to say that I will never help them. I will be there if they come across something that is not easy or may have more than one answer. I offer training at my monthly meetings and have had great atendance so far. I have the more seasoned consultants answer questions at the meeting that the new consultants have. That makes them feel like Leaders.
I always take new recruits to shows with me and ask my seasoned consultants if the new recruits can attend their shows too. That is such great training for everyone involved.
Use the Meeting Planner that HO give us in the Directors newsletter to start off with. As Beth said, don't reinvent the wheel. HO does alot of research into what makes this business successful. Use the resources they have for us.
The only report I use is the IPT also. That's all I need right now. When I advance, then I will take advantage of the other reports. I will not overwhelm myself this time.

One thing I learned early on is that if you do it all for them and help them too much it scares them away from advancing. I heard from several that they could never do what I do and finally the lightbulb went on that I was doing too much for them. Now I steer them in the direction to get their answers. New consultants must do the first online classes before their kit arrives and we base our time together on the questions that are generated from that. I often say that we almost don't need directors any more with the great training that is provided by our company.

Since I started doing my training of new consultants that way I feel that it's so much easier!

 

[BethCooks4U]

AMEN sistah! These are the things that save my life! If you don't have business hours, you will drown in all of the PC stuff!!!

Speaking of drowning in all of the PC stuff ...if I could just get into my office... I need to PURGE!!

 

[Koolotus]

Ruthie... THANK YOU!!!

Linda, I am right there with you and I feel your pain. I feel like I have regressed and I am so unorganized!!!

I just came off the county fair (awesome!) But I feel...ugh.
Missed the call last night.
I really needed Ruthie to tell me that I can do less!!

 

[chefheidi2003]

Have you used the Leadership Handbook yet? I use the "Tracking your business" section to help with all the reports. On a montly basis you can get almost everything you need from the IPT. I follow the suggestings that TPC suggested, I did not reinvent the wheel on this either.

The "traingin and Coaching" section has excellent ideas on how to coach and whom to coach. It has a flier that I use that is called "new consultant record." I find that when I am very deliberate with my time I am much more productive. I make a copy for each of my new consultants and I make notes about our conversation so I can remember what I am talking about!

I am not good at using the "cluster communication log." I talk to my team but I don't remember to write it all down.

Michelle

 

[chefruthie]

Ruthie... THANK YOU!!!

Linda, I am right there with you and I feel your pain. I feel like I have regressed and I am so unorganized!!!

I just came off the county fair (awesome!) But I feel...ugh.
Missed the call last night.
I really needed Ruthie to tell me that I can do less!!

You can do less! Sometimes we think that by doing more, it will be better for us and everyone else. Not the case all the time. Look at how many people have discovered that paring down their kit meant higher sales, more bookings, more recruits. Less is more! That doesn't mean that you do nothing, just less, and then you will be less stressed!! Pick the things that you are really good at and focus on those for awhile. You can add things that are more challenging to you but a little at a time. It's when we overwhelm ourselves that we tend to throw our hands up and say "I quit" or "I can't do this". Balance truly is crucial in this business!

 

[baychef]

Please note that I have thanked each and everyone of you on this thread! Why? Because I want to thank Linda for starting the thread. Everyone's advise is excellent and chefruthie has PROVEN that this is a very common and reoccurring issue can destroy the very business we have worked hard to build.

First, Linda, do you remember when you first became a consultant? I know I remember a feeling of being overwhelmed. You are experiencing the same thing as a new director.

Being a director is more challenging and challenges will arise when you least expect them. That is why I LOVE Deb for starting the DS board. I am hundreds of miles from my ED and I am the only director for several miles. This is site is a very important part of my support system.

Remember the saying...when something is too big to tackle it is just like eating an elephant? You have to eat it one bite at a time. And directorship is cyclical just as selling is.

Four years ago I became a director, two years ago, I earned my TPC ring. I think I subconsciously thought that I would have diamonds on that ring now. Well, my parents' health demanded that I be with them more. They needed help with property that they rent (and still do). Their health was better, but last fall my father required radiation (it's cured and gone). In the fall my job demands I be there 9 to 10 hours per day. Then, my secretary's husband had a heart attack and the demands were higher at my work. (overseeing 50 employees, 8 kitchens and 3500 meals a day wears me down...and yes, damn it...I am feeling every bit of my age!)

My son quit school in April and oh yeah...my team needs me, my show numbers went from 2 per week to 4 per month. It has been a struggle to regain my confidence and my build my business back up.

As I look ahead...I realize that my parents are better now, but they are not getting younger. Neither am I!!! Conference this year helped me gain my enthusiasm back. My sales are gaining and I am working my business. It's not where it was, but I am there for my family first...just where I want to be.

Just keep working your business the best you can and follow these excellent ideas...one at a time....and you will be fine. Life sometimes demands that we focus somewhere else, but keep building how your organize your business and you will be able to pick it up when our priorities in life demand our attention.

And best of all, we are all here for each other (unless Colleen uses her wine glasses a bit too much!!!)arty:

 

[chefruthie]

Thanks for being so open and honest Ann. It's good for new Directors and seasoned ones to realize that these things are not isolated to them. They happen to all of us. It's how we handle them that makes a difference. I choose to handle things differently this time around!

 

[Mel5497]

I manage to stay on top of things enough to keep my business moving forward...but I am also a bit of a bull in a china shop. I had a great rythym going with my business for a while, and then I lost it. I've reorganized my office recently and it is helping.

Sunday night I sat down and looked at my calendar and thought, 'man, I have got to get control of my time back!'. I'm making a concerted effort to go back to blocking 7:00-10:00 every morning for business. Except Wednesdays...I save that morning for either play time or running errands.

Of course, I just realized I am out of printer ink and have to go throw on jeans and quickly run to wally world. (I have to get flyers ready for something, but have to be back by 0730 for a phone appointment .) Can someone save me from myself?

 

[baychef]

Sorry, Leg....we can't save you from yourself...we are too busy trying to keep our heads above water!!

Today, I have auditors at work (and an impatient treasurer). I have a team meeting that I have done next to nothing to prepare for. Fell asleep at 2:30 am and now I can't not wake up.

Linda, this is not all doom and gloom by any means, but be patient with yourself! We want to all be super woman and soon realize that the skimpy outfit what's her face fit into just doesn't work in real life!:approve:

 

[finley1991]

And best of all, we are all here for each other (unless Colleen uses her wine glasses a bit too much!!!)arty:

I'm still here for all of you... even if I do have the wine glass in hand!

 

[pamperedlinda]

I'm still here for all of you... even if I do have the wine glass in hand!

this early?

 

[finley1991]

this early?

Well, No.... but I'm certainly equal opportunity so a mimosa or bloody mary would do the trick!

Actually, I'm off to work out. Happy hour starts at 4pm in this neck of the woods!

 

[chefruthie]

Hey Linda!

I'm still trying to figure out how to attach links to the files, so I'm just going to tell you about a great handout that I think will help you (and the rest of us ). Go to files , type in "Gizzi" and it's handout 2. I read this awhile ago and loved it. She has so many good ideas and makes very good points about balance. I'm glad I remembered it, I re-read it and am so glad I did! Sorry I'm still behind in computer tech stuff.

 

[pamperedbecky]

Hey everyone,
GREAT thread!! Thanks for starting it, Linda!! I haven't really delved into it yet and I still need to go back and read everyone's advice, but I just wanted to post that I"m totally in the same boat. My duties as a director is probably the weakest area of my business. Most times after conference or leadership, I come away feeling VERY overwhelmed because I realize all that I'm NOT doing as a director or at least I'm feeling that I don't do a very good job. My strong suit is being available for my team when they contact me with questions. I get back to them very quickly, so I feel good about that. Most everything else though - I need serious help!!:cry: So, it's good to see this thread and know that I"m not the only one feeling this way.

I'm REALLY trying to get off on the right foot with my new recruits (5 since mid-June) by closely following the supporting new consultants guide or whatever that is. Some are open to regular phone calls, some aren't. This frustrates me too. As many of us has said, it would be great if we could clone ourselves because some just don't seem as willing to seek out, absorb and be open to new information as we were. I've had to realize most people aren't like me and I hope they come to me when they really do need help.

Ok, now I'm babbling, but I'm right there with most of you who have expressed concerns about all this. It's such a challenge to balance family, our own business and our duties as a director. Right now I feel my own business isn't doing that great and it's the first time all year I've felt that way. I can almost 100% point to the fact that I haven't spent much time on the phone this summer and now I"m seeing the results. I've been very "blah" about other stuff going on in my life too and it makes me less motivated to jump on business-related tasks for some reason. You'd think I would be on top of those when other things haven't been going well, but that's not the case.

Ok, well, I'm really rambling, but when I have some more time, I'm going to go back through this thread and try to implement some of these things. For now, I'm off to make some phone calls!!! Wish me luck.ray:

Thanks for everyone's input. I love this place.:love0010: