Getting Back My Mojo: Challenges of a Mediocre Director

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Many directors are experiencing significant challenges in maintaining their enthusiasm and business performance, with some contemplating relinquishment. Issues include inconsistent team engagement, declining sales, and feelings of mediocrity. Despite past successes, many are struggling with motivation due to personal circumstances, health issues, and economic factors. Discussions emphasize the need for a renewed focus on business strategies and personal goals, as well as the importance of support from peers. Participants share insights on effective communication and innovative approaches, such as promoting cooking classes to boost engagement. The conversation highlights the necessity of self-reflection, avoiding comparisons with others, and adjusting expectations to align with personal circumstances. Many express a desire to reconnect with their passion for the business while acknowledging the reality of their current situations. Overall, the thread underscores a collective struggle and the hope for revitalization through shared experiences and strategies.
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BethCooks4U
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I started to put this in Deb's thread but decided instead of hijacking it I would start a new one...


I am so surprised that so many of you have been so close to relinquishment lately - and especially WHO you are. I have worried some months about hitting the minimums but haven't been in that place except for one month about a year into my directorship - I've been lucky and blessed. Most of my team are hobbyists and none are consistent. I try to call and email my team to encourage and help them succeed but they just ignore me and don't answer my calls/notes. I don't consistently have the sales or recruiting to earn TPC. I earn at least level 1 every year but have only earned level 2 once although I have come close many other times. So I am a mediocre director.

I don't know if it is my recent health problems or what but I am having a lot of trouble keeping my enthusiasm up lately. I've even wondered if I want to keep doing this. I catch myself being upset about our products being made in China and other negative thoughts. It's hard to call my hosts, do cc calls, etc. I just don't want to do it. But I do need the income and I love the company. This is the best job I've ever had!

Help me get my mojo (sp?) back!
 
when you find your mojo, will you see if mine is with it?

Seriously~I haven't felt really great about my business since I became a Director 4 years ago. I often wonder if I would just be better off being a really good consultant again and keep my focus there rather than feeling like my focus is pulled in so many directions.
 
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I love being a director. I like training and celebrating with them more than I like doing the shows. That isn't the problem. I just feel like I should/could be doing so much better but can't get out of the groove I'm in and then I wonder if I want to do it at all.
 
Since I am in the reliquishment boat with some of you I will share my thoughts and story too. This has been a very hard year for my business. Since I have been pregnant, I have been able to appriciate, first hand the flexablity of the business. However, my team has suffered. I normally run about 11-14 active at all times, I am down to 6 right now. You probably read on the other thread that we missed our $4000 by $2.86, but I had only submitted $200, so it didn't really matter. In the past I have been one of those consultants/directors that did pretty well. I have earned 3 level 2 trips and TPC in sales. I certainly hope that I can get back to that level of business once this baby comes.

On another note, the times they are a changing! My director (she's an ED) and I have been talking about how the business is changing. The fish are no longer jumping into the boat with us, we have to actually cast our lines. Our products and business are still valid, we just have to go get the business in a new way. As I am typing this, I know it is true, but I can say I'm not doing it myself yet. I don't know if this is part of what has been happening to all of us or not, for me I think it is part of it. I hope we can all get our waders on and go get um!
 
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Well, to add to it all... My husband is out of town this week so I'm totally on my own. I'm not even driving yet but he kept me well supplied with food so I haven't felt the need to get out and a friend helped me on Monday when I went to my show. I stopped using crutches totally on Tuesday and have been doing fine. I plan to drive for the first time tomorrow and then 20 some minutes to the doctor on Friday. Well, Thursday is garbage day so I took the can to the road tonight so I wouldn't forget tomorrow (DH had said to get someone to do it for me but I can handle such a simple thing). Well, the ground is wet and as I stepped back into the garage I slipped - I did not fall though. Both knees hurt more now and I am so mad at myself. I'm sure I didn't make anything worse but geeze!
 
Oh Beth, I'm sorry. Revisit your why. Post it so you can see it.

I know exactly what you're going through b/c I'm starting to go through it myself. It really sucks. Biz is slow, people are cancelling due to hurricanes and I just don't have the time or energy to coach my team. I feel like if they want it and have questions they should call me. UGH!!
 
Please keep the faith. I've drawn a tremendous amount of motivation from Morfia's posts about her conversation in DC with Doris. I love the incentives and the post cards, but it is honestly the benefit to others that I value most about what we do.
 
I survived summer of 08!!!!I had a GREAT MAY Over $5000 & 5 recruits......THEN Summer came & my business took a nose dive!!! June little over $750. July 1250. Aug. $578.
I have been with PC since 99 & I've always sold over $1250. My host just dropped like flies :(

I love the post about Doris. It got me thinking??? READ BELOW....E-MAIL I sent to my customers:

Hi Everyone,
Pampered Chef has started doing cooking classes on "Affordable Dinners". I would LOVE to teach YOU & YOUR FRIENDS how to cook for a family of "6" for ONLY $15 OR LESS. Quick and Delicious recipes!!! Over a year ago, I became a member of www.TheGroceryGame. com Anyone heard of this? Today at Food Lion I got $117.00 worth of groceries for ONLY $ 41.32 ( MVP I saved $28 & With Coupons saved $48). I would LOVE to share my TIPS on how I have cut my Grocery Bill in 1/2 @ "YOUR" show!!!

Here are my Open Cooking Class Dates ( as of Aug. 25) :


*****If you don't have time for a cooking class give me a call ,LOVE to answer any of your questions about The Grocery Game!!! (910) 572-4767 I'm up till 10pm :)

PS. If you become a member please tell them I sent ya. I'll get referral rewards [email protected]

*******************************************
Well with that 1 email .....I'm alive AGAIN!!! I have 7 strong shows this month!!! I even got a booking for 1 of my Team members. My Team meeting is on the 16th & my Team really wants me to teach grocery game to them.

I've started doing step up to Director with 2 of my strong team members too!!!

I'm still on track for Paris. I need 15,187. I hope this helps some of you Guys to get back on track of your business goals!!!

THANKS YA'LL,
KAREN
 
Wow Karen! Well said. I'm getting on the phone tomorrow to coach my team. I hope I can reach the majority of them.
 
OH my gosh, Karen, that's awesome! Thanks for sharing. I may need to borrow that wording. AND learn about the grocery game. HOw inspirational!!


I had an incredibly LAME August (my lowest ALL year). I just went back to check last year's and whatdayaknow....August was my worst month last year. DUH - wish I would have planned for that! AT least this year I beat it by $600. My September is looking pretty dismal, but is hopefully picking up steam.

I was almost completely attributing it to having a crazy summer with kids' stuff and just NOT getting on the phone like I should have. But for the first time EVER I'm now thinking the economy has a little something to do with it. So, it's an even better reason to totally highlight Doris's message and what many of you have focused on. Sure, I mention it at shows, but I LOVE your wording Karen and it gives me hope to move on tomorrow and start connecting with people and really stressing THAT.

I have yet to send my Sept newsletter out and I think that'll take front stage. GREAT idea! I hope it pulls me out of my slump because this is the first time in the 5 1/2 years I've been doing this that I've teetered on saying "is this worth it?" I've never felt that way before and it just seems that I procrastinate WAY too much when I know what needs to be done (phone calls mostly - just freakin' phone calls, Becky!:cry:) and I think of a million things to do instead. I've never felt that the phone weighed quite as much as it has recently so I really hope I snap out of it.

So, thanks for letting me vent a little. It IS comforting to know that others are going through the same thing, but we can all work together to fix it!! I hope!:eek: I just love this place.:candyheart:
 
Ya know, Beth, I think we all go through the "ho-hums." Mine lasted four years.

For a long time I felt like I never made enough money. I was always telling myself that "if only I would do this (recruit more, hold more shows or have a higher average) then I would be happy and I could never get there. I started to feel like a failure. Especailly every month my hubby would tell me to get a real job.

It seemed like no matter how well I was doing, there was never any money left over for me. I am not a numbers person. Finally, one day my hubby broke it down for me. I need to sell $_____ to make enough money for our budget. Then I needed to sell $______ to make enough to cover my TPC expenses. Whatever above that is mine to keep. Duh! Why did it take so long for me to realize that!

I have been with TPC for almost 13 years and I am ONLY a director. I was an AD for a couple years and have struggled to get it back. When I attend conference and leadership I feel like such a peon. People that have been with TPC for way less time than me have left me in their dust.

I had to quit compairing myself to others. I make enough money for me, I am having success my own way.

It is like shopping for clothes. If you like the clothes you see hanging on a mannequin, you try on the exact same outfit and then you compair yourself to the mannequin. Every single time we will fall short of the "perfect size 0" mannequin. You need to step away from the mannequin and decide if the outfit looks good on you, without comparisons.

If I worked my business differently I could/should be in a much different place. But, I am working my business in a way that works for me and my family. So, instead of comparing yourself to people that are on a "size 0" success plane, compare yourself to what fits for you. Does your business fit you and your family, your goals and your priorities? If it does, than don't fix it and don't tell yourself "this is where I could/should be."

Once you have done this, then you can decide if you want to stay with TPC or find something new.

Michelle
 
This is a great thread and even though I should be heading to bed to sleep off this massive bump on my head I want to address this!I didn't have a great summer... we did eke it out every month but August. My sales were low and September might be month 2 of R for me but I know with my personal schedule, we will be fine in October.Conference was awesome but the two consultants who went with me had some racial issues with each other and that obviously didn't go over very well with anyone. And it really sucked the life out of me. I felt terrible for my consultant who was offended and was really upset/pissed/disappointed with the other's behavior. And overall, working PC just didn't seem to be a priority for anyone on the team... with me leading the way. I'm happy to say that we've put that behind us and had a great meeting this week with everyone feeling like they are getting their heads back into it.I LOVE Karen's approach to the budget friendly and happy to see the Grocery Game mentioned. As I mentioned a few months ago, I picked up a part-time job on the weekend and my job is to write the Grocery Game list for one of our local stores here!!! So with that, if any of you have any specific questions about how it works or anything like that, I'm sure Karen being a seasoned user can help and I'd be happy to answer any questions as well.And also, my life is going through a change and I will be needing more income. And I want (and need) it to come from my PC biz. There's no reason it can't... other than me.Okay... off to bed. The dr. said I should be feeling back to normal by Friday... and I hope so because I am going to the opening of a casino's hotel's black tie event Friday night and I don't want to be all groggy for it!
 
What happened Collen?
 
pampmomof3 said:
What happened Collen?
Click to expand...

I'm not so coordinated and suffered a mild concussion Sunday night. I'm sure I'll be fine by the end of the week. I better be! I don't have time for this! :rolleyes:

Okay.... Now I'm really going to bed!
 
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Thanks for all the great replies and stories! You guys are great friends - I just love this place! :love0010: You guys are so inspiring.

I would like to hear more about the grocery game so please share!

The thing is my summer wasn't all that bad. My sales were $4423 in May, $3454 in June, $1733 in July and $2530 in August. I am almost at $1200 in sales (not submitted) for Sept and I do have shows later in the month. The team came close to not making the $4000 in July (it ended up at $4071) but otherwise they did well.

I should be psyched since we had a relatively good summer. It's probably just the results of the surgery thing and that I think I was comparing my business with all you TPC and trip earners and wondering (while knowing all along) why I wasn't doing that well. Michelle is SO right. We can't compare ourselves to others. We need to determine what WE want and what WE are doing to get there and glow in the achievements the WE earn. Thank you Michelle!

I really think I just need to give myself a kick in the butt and GET ON THAT PHONE and make things work.


PS: One of my May recruits just emailed me and said he just put in his 4th show. Thing is he went inactive September 1. I won't get the trip points but I do get credit for the recruit on my Incentive Calculator, right?:pray: If so that's #2 in 2008 and I've earned level one. I'm embarrassed to say (after reading that great trip thread about where you all are) that I am now at just under 24000 points and 2 qualified recruits (if he counts). There I go again, comparing...
 
Beth, I agree with the PHONE idea...what a concept! I will have to give that a try! ;)

My team has picked up the pace. I have adapted a new rule -- instead of "Bless and Release", it's "Bless and REPLACE"!

I must say on a side note, that it never ceases to amaze me how there are people on CS who have only been in the biz 1 year, have nearly 13,000 posts and have only had 42 shows. Hmmmm....hope they don't belong to anyone here! :rolleyes: She's not mine, thank goodness!
 
finley1991 said:
I'm not so coordinated and suffered a mild concussion Sunday night. I'm sure I'll be fine by the end of the week. I better be! I don't have time for this! :rolleyes:

Okay.... Now I'm really going to bed!
Click to expand...

Hope you feel better, Colleen! :)
 
Love what you shared Karen. What a wonderful approach! (I checked out the grocery game earlier this year, but it wasn't really available here....but it is where I'm going!) :)
 
OK Colleen~details about the grocery game are needed!!!

DH & I had words last night about the fact that each month the money runs out before the month does....this was since May when my business took a nosedive. I laid in bed last night, beating my self up about this because only I can control how much money I make.
I have said this before~I am afraid of success. I guess it boils down to what I think it would take from my life if I were as successful as, let's say Morfia! It really is all in my head though...kind of like Michelle said above...I compare myself to others. BUT the difference is that I let the comparison pull me down to a point that I then don't do anything rather than just do what I know is the minimum to keep myself going, KWIM?

I have my first show of September tonight and I have decided that it is truly up to me to change my attitude and actions~I have to enjoy myself tonight and feel comfortable with how I run my business, not how others run theirs. For me, this is going to mean baby steps! AND A CALL TO MORFIA for a kick in the butt!
 
I think Kelly on CS ran a whole thread about the grocery game last year. You can also go to their website: thegrocerygame.com. Of course, it sounds like we have our own incognito expert. :)
 
Oh, hope you fell better Colleen...and Beth and Janice too! Gosh, I hope we all are better soon.:blushing:
 
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Colleen I hope your head is better this morning!
 
I've been beating myself up all summer too b/c this is my 3rd month of R I should be fine w/my sales but my team has now disappeared & I'm working on replacing all of them!! I AM to blame for most of it b/c my "real job" does suck the life out of me in the summer BUT I didn't get on the phone @ all this summer to book shows...
this happened to me last summer & I did it but I missed the cruise by 2500 points....I would of earned it IF I worked more in the summer so it's the same thing this year. I REALLY WANT MEXICO!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Beth for posting!!!
 
Been there...done that...Beth,

As I read your post I said to myself "been there, done that." Last July & August to be exact. I was to a point in my business where I was asking myself questions and making statements like this:

"Why am I doing this?"
"Is this worth it?"
"If I had a 'real-job' life would be easier"
"I am tired of 'baby-sitting' my team. I didn't sign up for this"
"I am such a bad mom, I work all of the time"

I was ready to throw in the towel at the end of August. My husband was the one who point blank asked me, "what the h**l are you doing? :eek:You know that you are an amazing Director, an amazing motivator, a great sales person and a fabulous example for our children; what are you going to do if you quit the Pampered Chef? Are you willing to miss the first day of school, volunteering, spending quality time with your children and making a difference in not only our lives but the lives of your team and future team members? Do you want our children to be raised by other people? You have worked so hard for 4 years, why have you now decided that you want to quit? I didn't marry a quitter. I married an amazing woman who goes after what she wants. So what do you want?" :confused:

WOW!! When he put it like that I too agreed. I am happy to say that I pulled myself out of that funk and have had the most amazing year since that valley! I am now on the top of my mountain. I earned the Level 4 trip last year to London and will earn it Level 4 again this year. My team has grown to it's largest yet and my sales have been wonderful.

Now, that's not to say that I still don't get in the funk...I just don't allow myself to wallow in it. I had a bit of bad funk after missing the TOP 50 by $166 but I pulled myself up (with the help of many great friends, my executive director -Chris Manion and Amy Neal) and out of my funk and realized that WOW I almost made it!! What an amazing feat!!

I know that we all loose our groove every now and then. And that is the amazing part of this company, our PC friends help us "get our groove back!"

So Beth I hope you get your groove back!!!:D
 
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fruit76loop said:
Beth,

As I read your post I said to myself "been there, done that." Last July & August to be exact. I was to a point in my business where I was asking myself questions and making statements like this:

"Why am I doing this?"
"Is this worth it?"
"If I had a 'real-job' life would be easier"
"I am tired of 'baby-sitting' my team. I didn't sign up for this"
"I am such a bad mom, I work all of the time"

I was ready to throw in the towel at the end of August. My husband was the one who point blank asked me, "what the h**l are you doing? :eek:You know that you are an amazing Director, an amazing motivator, a great sales person and a fabulous example for our children; what are you going to do if you quit the Pampered Chef? Are you willing to miss the first day of school, volunteering, spending quality time with your children and making a difference in not only our lives but the lives of your team and future team members? Do you want our children to be raised by other people? You have worked so hard for 4 years, why have you now decided that you want to quit? I didn't marry a quitter. I married an amazing woman who goes after what she wants. So what do you want?" :confused:

WOW!! When he put it like that I too agreed. I am happy to say that I pulled myself out of that funk and have had the most amazing year since that valley! I am now on the top of my mountain. I earned the Level 4 trip last year to London and will earn it Level 4 again this year. My team has grown to it's largest yet and my sales have been wonderful.

Now, that's not to say that I still don't get in the funk...I just don't allow myself to wallow in it. I had a bit of bad funk after missing the TOP 50 by $166 but I pulled myself up (with the help of many great friends, my executive director -Chris Manion and Amy Neal) and out of my funk and realized that WOW I almost made it!! What an amazing feat!!

I know that we all loose our groove every now and then. And that is the amazing part of this company, our PC friends help us "get our groove back!"

So Beth I hope you get your groove back!!!:D
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for this Marlene. You know I can just hear my husband saying pretty much those same things! I have been down before but then he'd say something about my business that he was so proud of me for or comment on my business providing this or that and it would make me say to myself "Well, then it must be right for me".

I think it's that, while I am now a director and I do have a decent size team (15ish), my sales stay at the same average $2500 per months (some closer to $1250 some $4000 and more) that I have had since I started my business as a new consultant. I just seem to tred water no matter what I try and when I put effort forth to increase my schedule/sales/etc it seems I go backwards. If I let it go and let it come to me it happens. Now I am NOT saying I don't do anything! I do have to call and connect but what I mean is I go back to making it about them and not worry about what I'll get. Maybe this is where I need to be now and I should just be happy with where I am while striving for more.

Thanks so much for your words.
 
bethcooks4u said:
I think it's that, while I am now a director and I do have a decent size team (15ish), my sales stay at the same average $2500 per months (some closer to $1250 some $4000 and more) that I have had since I started my business as a new consultant. I just seem to tred water no matter what I try and when I put effort forth to increase my schedule/sales/etc it seems I go backwards. If I let it go and let it come to me it happens. Now I am NOT saying I don't do anything! I do have to call and connect but what I mean is I go back to making it about them and not worry about what I'll get. Maybe this is where I need to be now and I should just be happy with where I am while striving for more.
Click to expand...

Beth,

I know some months when I try my hardest, it seems like I get the most cancellations or disappointments and it is disheartening!! I had 5 cancellations in August and couldn't believe I ended up with $9K in sales. So, I know what you are talking about!

It seems like you aren't happy to tread water...but you just keep treading water. What will it take to make you swim?
 
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fruit76loop said:
Beth,

I know some months when I try my hardest, it seems like I get the most cancellations or disappointments and it is disheartening!! I had 5 cancellations in August and couldn't believe I ended up with $9K in sales. So, I know what you are talking about!

It seems like you aren't happy to tread water...but you just keep treading water. What will it take to make you swim?
Click to expand...

I don't know. I definitely have the desire. The carrots are there.

Part of it is no matter what I do my team will do just as much as they want. They all say they want to earn more but put absolutely no effort to do more.

I think I just need to make those extra efforts that I know I'm not doing and accept the results - which I know would be better than what I have now - doing less! I need to listen to what others say they like about me and stop telling myself that I'm not worthy! ...I need to read the book I got at conference "Stop Self-Sabotage!"
 
bethcooks4u said:
...I need to read the book I got at conference "Stop Self-Sabotage!"
Click to expand...

These are all great words!! Thanks to you both!! You know, I got that SAME book at conference and have yet to use it!!! I also wanted it so I could use it in other areas of my life (mainly getting healthy/weight loss!!!:cry:) but it's still sitting on my dang shelf. Thanks for reminding me about that!
 
bethcooks4u said:
Part of it is no matter what I do my team will do just as much as they want. They all say they want to earn more but put absolutely no effort to do more.
Click to expand...

WOW...is your team my team???:)

Sounds just like me! I often want more for my team members than they want for themselves!! Talk about sabatoge!!
 
fruit76loop said:
WOW...is your team my team???:)

Sounds just like me! I often want more for my team members than they want for themselves!! Talk about sabatoge!!
Click to expand...

Don't we all??
 
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