Hold Your Own Meetings: Promote, Plunge & Recognize

[amy07]

For those of you who hold your own meetings, how soon after promoting did you take the plunge to just do it? How is your attendance?
And if you still are meeting with your director, what suggestions do you have for recogntition, Do you recognize each team or combine them? And if you do them individually, do you each follow the same rewards system of have your own?

 

[bethsbiz]

No matter what you decide to do, keep in mind that if you start with giving lots away, there will be an expectation for it and the cost that goes with that. So...if you aren't sure yet, keep your incentives small, but do do them. As I see it, my consultants KNOW that I earn extra income from their sales so I feel it is a bit of an obligation to turn some of that income into rewards for their performance. It can be a win-win if your team does work for incentives! (I have several who do on my team.)

For my history, my situation was a little different: I was a future director for 2 years prior to promoting and my director and advanced director were both over 2 hours away. Because I wanted to be at a monthly meeting but didn't want to travel, I began doing my own cluster meetings (with permission of my director). So, when I promoted, I was already doing them, including hospitality.

As a future director, I didn't really get a lot of help from my director for the meetings...except for occassional incentives she offered and I would hand out if earned. I also didn't earn that much extra for give a ways, gifts, so most of my stuff were basket picks and things from .50 cents to under $5.00.

Now that I'm a director, and earning reaosnable income from my team sales, I try to invest more of that income eveyr month in small and medium incentives. My team loves the stuff I get. Mugs, stickers, calculators, etc. And pretty much I did start to give more things away as soon as the promotion was official. It sounds like I give tons away....I don't...I just make sure there is a nice variety and that everyone has potential to earn SOMETHING and that bigger achievements get a bigger reward.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I have been doing meetings since Oct 2004 and promoted May 2005. My director had moved to another state so it was dropped in my lap to do. It was a great motivator to promote - I was not getting paid anything to help me do the meetings and was not getting the planners (not even from my director) and I wanted it!

PC gives us so much help and there are so many other resources out there it's not hard to do - even if it's just 3 people it's worth the effort!

 

[pamela]

I had a light bulb moment at Conference in 2004~I heard our very own Deb "Happy Chef" say at a workshop to think and act like a Director as an FD and you will be in the right mindset to promote!
I went back to the hotel and told my Director that I was going to start holding meetings as soon as we got back! I promoted that November!
I did very little items as incentives, like the pick baskets with office items or inexpensive door prize items.
Now my meetings are with 3 other Directors, although I am considering doing one on my side of town for the consultants that live here!we currently drive 45 minutes to an hour for our meeting. NBD really since it is only once a month.

 

[chefkathy]

I really want to do my own meetings, but I'm worried my small team might not show up. They are spread out all over geograhically and dont' have the commitment like Meg does to make the drive once a month.

But I NEED to break away from my director. She doesn't include me in her meetings AT ALL and it's super frustrating.

Any words of wisdom?

 

[pamela]

Deb, I would see if there were other Directors in your area and ask if you could join with them. Maybe for just a few meetings and then you might feel more comfortable branching out on your own!

 

[DebPC]

I can't believe she doesn't include you. Having a director do their own meetings too soon in my book can be a big mistake. All directors should share the work of doing the meeting but unless the director is really strong and has a strong downline-holding meetings too soon can be frustrating.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Thinking they have to hold their own meetings right away is the biggest thing that stops people from wanting to promote. I have had a couple of people say that to me. I counter that with "You can continue meeting with us and can do more parts of the meeting as you get comfortable and decide when you're ready to do your own." I also point out that a lot of directors continue meeting as a larger group indefinitely. It's what ever works for the individual person.

For me it was motivational to be totally responsible for them before I was a director but I know that for many it would be just the oppositie.

 

[amy07]

I'm really leaning towards holding my own meetings simply because my team members either can't make my directors meetings because of the day of the week or the other reason they give is that they don't feel welcomed or encouraged. My thought is that if they come then hopefully they will grow. As it is now, they are not getting any extra help aside from my weekly/biweekly calls with them.

 

[DebPC]

Thats a different situation. If they will come and contribute and feel welcome and comfortable then having your own meetings would be a good thing. Its more work for you but you can customize your meetings to your groups needs as you're in control.

 

[bethsbiz]

I agree with the other post regarding the fact that some folks don't want to do their own meeting at first. I have 3 gals strongly working on becoming futures, with desire to promote to director. 1 is a major self-starter, the other 2, more nervous.

I encourage each of them to recruit, build their team, and branch off only if they want to. I offer to do continued training and mentoring while they build their comfort zone. If that is the day after they promote, that is fine...if they want to meet with me longer, that is fine too. I think that as they build their teams their confidence will grow and they'll be willing to do more.

Regarding whether a small team will attend meetings...I also have a widely spread team but about 6 are local. I hold a meeting every month and sometimes it is only me and one other consultant. But, as my team has grown, so has the attendance so now I'm at an average of 3 consultants per meeting. Yippee!

 

[chefkathy]

I have no problem leading my own meeting. I want to branch out more because my director refuses to mentor me as a new director and include me in other director activities. She does her meetings with one of her other downline directors.

Honestly, I think she feels threatened by me.

 

[finley1991]

I started doing my own meetings when my team became bigger than my directors. She NEVER planned our meetings and I was doing the whole thing anyway so it was easy for me to branch out.