From Team Member to Leader: The Dynamics of a Downline and Moving Up

[cooknjess]

I am now a team leader. Can any of my downline pass me?
or will they always be under me?

 

[raebates]

They can move above you as far as their own level, but, to the best of my knowledge, they'll always be your first-line recruit. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[chefann]

There is a pass-by situation in which one of your team members can pass you if they promote to Director before you do.

 

[beepampered]

There USED to be a pass by but with the new program, you can never lose your recruits unless you go completely inactive. I think that is 6 months with nothing.

I was being passed by a downline and had to promote in order to keep her. Thankfully I did, but I spoke in detail with the HO person who called to offer me directorship. She said that, even I could not maintain my directorship (very likely), that she would stay my recruit forever - no matter how high she promotes.

 

[chefann]

There is still a pass-by situation. It's outlined in the FAQ about the new career plan:

What happens if a Team Leader beneath me promotes to Director before I do?
This is called a “passing by” situation. When someone [A] is unable to simultaneously promote to Director along with a Team Leader below her, she has two months to promote to Director under the normal Director promotion requirements. If she does not, the new Director will “pass by” and be permanently assigned to the first upline Director.

• In the month of qualification and the two months following the promotion of the downline Team Leader , the “passed by” person [A] does not earn overrides on the newly promoted Director or her Personal Cluster. (Because only qualified Directors earn on downline Generations.)
  [*]In the month of qualification and the two following “potential pass by” months, the newly promoted Director [former Team Leader B] is considered 1st Generation to the Director upline from A.
  

Example: Anna is a Team Leader, and Beth is a Team Leader beneath Anna.

• In June, Beth meets the Director requirements of $750 in personal sales, $4,000 in Personal Cluster Sales, and four active lines with two Senior Consultants. On July 1, Beth promotes to Director, and she is paid as a Director for her June performance.
• However, Anna does not meet the requirements for simultaneous promotion.
  • If Anna meets the normal Director requirements in July or August, Beth and her Personal Cluster will become 1st Generation to Anna. If she does not, Beth is re-assigned to Anna’s upline Director, and Beth’s Personal Cluster is 1st Generation to Anna’s upline Director.
  • Anna does not earn overrides on Beth or her Personal Cluster(unless Anna promotes to Director).

The FAQ is linked from the new career plan page on CC.

 

[trps]

it says unless Ana promotes to director so does that mean they are inly gone until Anna becomes a director then she regains that line?

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

it says unless Ana promotes to director so does that mean they are inly gone until Anna becomes a director then she regains that line?

No, it says that that line is permanently assigned to the upline director.

 

[beepampered]

Hmmm. This is the new program? I was COMPLETELY sure that the new program insured that you could not be passed by. You might not get overrides, but you would never lose a recruit unless you were no longer a consultant. I just can't find all these policies.

Guess I'll be losing my director under me cause there is no way I'll meet the new requirements within two months. Boy was I told the wrong info. Ugh.

 

[trps]

Hmmm. This is the new program? I was COMPLETELY sure that the new program insured that you could not be passed by. You might not get overrides, but you would never lose a recruit unless you were no longer a consultant. I just can't find all these policies.

Guess I'll be losing my director under me cause there is no way I'll meet the new requirements within two months. Boy was I told the wrong info. Ugh.

I thought that was a key point you will never loose your recruits that was the only part I was excited about with the new program.

 

[chefann]

I thought that was a key point you will never loose your recruits that was the only part I was excited about with the new program.

That is one of the exciting parts of the new program, but HO must not want Directors under Directors, so the pass-by situation still exists. There MAY be a grace period, just like there is for Directors under the old program keeping their title/pay for the first several months of the new program.

 

[beepampered]

Well it's not very exciting if you lose your recruit. I just don't get this rule. If they don't want someone to "profit" too much from their downline, just change the rules. They can only get xxx percent if they are passed by with that changing the minute they promote. AND, there is plenty of misinformation about this out there so obviously they haven't made this clear cause they know it would upset people. Actually, it just de-motivates me. I mean, why recruit if you'll lose the recruit because you don't recruit enough? (Okay, who can say that three times fast?)

 

[cookingwithlove]

Well it's not very exciting if you lose your recruit. I just don't get this rule. If they don't want someone to "profit" too much from their downline, just change the rules. They can only get xxx percent if they are passed by with that changing the minute they promote. AND, there is plenty of misinformation about this out there so obviously they haven't made this clear cause they know it would upset people. Actually, it just de-motivates me. I mean, why recruit if you'll lose the recruit because you don't recruit enough? (Okay, who can say that three times fast?)

First off, Anna does not bypass you the minute she promotes. You have two months to also promote to keep her as your first line. This is a very fair rule. Director is the first step in building a strong team and mentoring a large group. It really is the foundation of the business. A Team Leader/Senior Consultant cannot mentor a Director. There is different information and training available to Directors that is not available to Consultants/Team Leaders. It has nothing to do with profitting from a downline, but mentoring a downline properly. We happened to make a LITTLE bit of money from our recruits, but it should be about helping that recruit succeed in her business not about the money. Think of the situation in reverse, if you were going to bypass your recruit who is only a senior consultant, wouldn't you then want to be mentored by someone who understands the Director role? The person who is spending the time training and helping you suceed should also receive the overrides for you.

I am sorry that you are "de-motivated" to build your business by this really logical rule. This is an incredible fair company who treats its consultants very well. The New Career Plan is different, but not difficult to understand. The only misinformation out there is info that is being passed on the boards. If you are confused or need more information, watch the video online, go to one of the local training meetings or send an email with questions. You will also be able to order the Career Plan book soon which I highly recommend.

 

[beepampered]

The video nevers says you can be passed by. I understand the rule and PC is fair in the since that everything is always the same for every person. By your logic, a director could "pass by" an advanced director because of the mentoring possibility. By your logic, the assumtion is made that the recruit's director is suddenly not going to provide training simply because it's not a direct recruit. They would have been providing training all along. A passby doesn't really change that.

My point is that my recruits (weather a director or another level) would never have been a part of this company had I not had contact with that person; therefore, it doesn't seem right that you should lose the very person you recruited.

PC IS a good company but there is a constant pressure to work more than I want to. Direct Sales is all about working hobby, part-time, full-time or career - whatever you want. Well, if someone recruits one person but works part-time and doesn't have time or desire to more, they will lose someone that might want more out of the business. Then, if I ever want more, tough luck, you can't have that person back.

And, ironically, my recruit who promoted has yet to be paid for a director because she has met the requirements. So I could have lost someone that didn't really "have" it yet anyway. I disagree that this is a logical (or fair or necessary or whatever you want to say) rule.....Maybe to those who are better/more motivated/longer in it this is a good rule but for me personally, it isn't....

 

[cookingwithlove]

I will not be able to convince you otherwise unless you want to be convinced. I look at recruiting a bit differently. It is not about me, but about helping other people acheive their goals. If they are more motivated than I am and bypass me, excellent for them. By the same token if they give Pampered Chef a try and it is just not for them, well I am not mad at them because they quit. I am happy that they were able to give something a try and make a decision. I think you would be less worried about losing a recruit if you had a few more on your team or if you took ME out of the equation. I have been doing this for 4.5 years and I did not actively recruit anyone until this January. I had a couple that fell into my lap, but I did not persue recruiting. In fact I hate the word recruit because it sounds like the military. I now talk about the opportunity like I talk about the food chopper or hosting a party. It is a fabulous product that should be shared. I know you are only part time (so am I), but anybody can share the opportunity. If you would like to acheive Director, you can do it. Just share your story and share the opportunity, but most importantly take ME out of the equations. It is about helping people acheive their goals not about you getting overrides. Once I changed this way of thinking it became easier to "recruit" and train and support my team. I now have 5 active recruits.

 

[beepampered]

Oh, Wendy. I am not debating the why or how of recruiting. My downline did in eight months which I had not been able to do in three years. So, I'm not "worried" about losing a recruit as much as fell a bit punished. That's a bit strong word but it's the same end result - I get something taken away because I didn't do it "right."

In one month three people joined and qualified so I didn't 'lose' her yet. But it's only a matter of time. I honestly don't want to be a director because I don't have the time/energy/organization to keep up with my own business, much less someone else's business. I just don't think anything should be taken from me.