The Ideal Director: Creating the Perfect Visionary for Your Project

[amy07]

Traits that I think are important:
Leadership - Not only setting the example but delegating tasks to help others assume responsibility and prepare for their own teams. This could be as simple as asking another consultant to find a new source for cheap business supplies, to teaching the cluster another way of demonstrating "x" products.
Compassion - this does not mean "mothering & hovering". Be open to hearing frustrations, and offer real solutions/suggestions/guidance to those problems. Your experience is valuable, share your knowledge.
Recognition - not just for highest sales and the like, but like someone else noted, on improvements as well. Sometimes the work we put in is not seen in tangible results for months, but it would nice to be recognized for the effort.
Respect - this is a biggie. A consultant's time is just a valuable to them, as a director's time is to him/her. If you are going to call, call. If you prefer email, respond to emails from your downline in a timely fashion.
Have a teachable spirit - From what I can gather, it seems that some have directors think that their way or only those in upper levels can think up great ideas or have something to share. Don't forget to be open to ideas/suggestions from the new person.

I guess the short answer, is to be a good mentor. Many of us are not looking for a "best friend", but someone to coach us.

 

[JAE]

My director does give me free things for something. I'm not sure exactly what, but I needed some more new catalogs and I received three at the last meeting. The first meeting I attended I received lots of things because I had qualified, and made the different sales levels - $750, $1250, etc. She made the caremel brownies, too and served them with ice cream. That's a bonus in my book!
Oh, and I can't remember if I mentioned that I love to be challenged! I may not always live up to the entire thing, but I love to work towards a challenge. BeckyD's director is good at that.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

My director does give me free things for something. I'm not sure exactly what, but I needed some more new catalogs and I received three at the last meeting. The first meeting I attended I received lots of things because I had qualified, and made the different sales levels - $750, $1250, etc. She made the caremel brownies, too and served them with ice cream. That's a bonus in my book!
Oh, and I can't remember if I mentioned that I love to be challenged! I may not always live up to the entire thing, but I love to work towards a challenge. BeckyD's director is good at that.

Jen is awesome at challenges! And she knows that I can't resist a challenge. She also does recognition for everyone - even those who aren't #1 in anything for the month. At our meetings - everyone gets recognized for what they achieved the previous month - even if you didn't have a show - she will recognize that you got X bookings coming up, or that you made XX phone calls, etc.....she is great at that! We have a "bookings basket" and get to choose one thing for every booking we have for the coming month (things like invitations, stickers, postcards, recipes, etc.....) She is always available by phone and email if we need anything - and she is always encouraging. I guess I feel blessed to have the upline that I do - because my AD & SD are also really great! I have had emails and phone calls from both of them for things I have done. When I booked my show w/ my 88 yr old host - I called Jen and told her, and she emailed Bets, and Sheri, and they both emailed me congratulations and encouragement.
I am constantly amazed when I read on here of directors who could care less - and Friday - yours is just APPALLING!

 

[janetupnorth]

Jen is awesome at challenges! And she knows that I can't resist a challenge. She also does recognition for everyone - even those who aren't #1 in anything for the month. At our meetings - everyone gets recognized for what they achieved the previous month - even if you didn't have a show - she will recognize that you got X bookings coming up, or that you made XX phone calls, etc.....she is great at that! We have a "bookings basket" and get to choose one thing for every booking we have for the coming month (things like invitations, stickers, postcards, recipes, etc.....) She is always available by phone and email if we need anything - and she is always encouraging. I guess I feel blessed to have the upline that I do - because my AD & SD are also really great! I have had emails and phone calls from both of them for things I have done. When I booked my show w/ my 88 yr old host - I called Jen and told her, and she emailed Bets, and Sheri, and they both emailed me congratulations and encouragement.
I am constantly amazed when I read on here of directors who could care less - and Friday - yours is just APPALLING!

I too have had good response from the ED I'm under...(Becky is in her downline so I guess that makes me either a great-great-aunt or a distance cousin! ) Sounds like our group has had some good training. I think it really matters how you start out, how you're trained and how seriously your upline takes the business.

With the upcoming additional director requirements this is probably part of what they want to accomplish, getting directors to take their job seriously and focus on it.

For those with bad situations, hang in there....there are great groups, find hospitality and strive to be the director you know you want to be!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I hesitated to post here (I don't want to come across as thinking I am the "perfect director") because I truely strive to be all the things you are wishing for and my team has come to me and given me the feedback that I am succeeding in those goals. I know I'm far from perfect but I do try to be the director I wish I had - that's all we can do.


My biggest fault is that I have trouble delegating responsibilities (partly because so many are hobbyists and partly because most of the performers are long distance and partly because it's just easier to do it). I really need to find ways to include the team in the meeting more - even new consultants can participate more.

Thanks so much for starting this thread. It gives all of us directors pause to think and improve!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I hesitated to post here (I don't want to come across as thinking I am the "perfect director") because I truely strive to be all the things you are wishing for and my team has come to me and given me the feedback that I am succeeding in those goals. I know I'm far from perfect but I do try to be the director I wish I had - that's all we can do.


My biggest fault is that I have trouble delegating responsibilities (partly because so many are hobbyists and partly because most of the performers are long distance and partly because it's just easier to do it). I really need to find ways to include the team in the meeting more - even new consultants can participate more.

Thanks so much for starting this thread. It gives all of us directors pause to think and improve!

I know that even when I was just a hobbyist - when my director gave me things to do for a cluster meeting - It made me feel honored and I felt like she really believed in me and what I could do.
That belief made me believe that I really could make a career of this!

 

[etteluap70PC]

Beth and other directors,

Utilize the consultants that attend meetings regularly! I am not a director or even a FD bit I have been business for over 4 years. I feel very honored when the Directors that do my meetings ask me to participate and help with training! Obviously I do not do the recruiting training LOL! But I love it when they use people that are having luck recruiting to do that part.

Just some friendly observations...

 

[Ginger428]

First off let me start with...I KNOW I'm a pain in the Butt(just ask DH) My mind goes 24/7....so talk about asking alot of questions.
If it not had been for this site, I would not have made it past my 3rd month...OK

Basically everything that everyone has already said, but also (dont know if this was said) sometimes I need to be told in detail what to except. When my Director & I talk (she lives a block & a half from me) we can talk for an hour, but she doesnt tell me anything...if that makes any sense. When I go to out local meeting, I learn nothing, I get the impression she wants to learn from me... . I think the worse was me going to Conference(first time) All she said about the entire thing(hotel,air fare,booking,workshops etc..) was that I would have an AWESOME time, but again did not explain anything! So I went ( the only 1 from my cluster, she did not go either ) And I spent it with a stranger from another cluster who was there last year & knew less than I did, I had such a horrible time, that I changed my flight & came home a day early...sorry for such a long post, but I feel all she had to do was explain in detail a little so I would know what to expect

 

[BethCooks4U]

Beth and other directors,

Utilize the consultants that attend meetings regularly! I am not a director or even a FD bit I have been business for over 4 years. I feel very honored when the Directors that do my meetings ask me to participate and help with training! Obviously I do not do the recruiting training LOL! But I love it when they use people that are having luck recruiting to do that part.

Just some friendly observations...

My problem is that whenever I have asked someone to do something at the meeting they end up not showing up to the meeting at all. After a few times of that it's hard to do that delegating.

Every month I ask for someone to do tasks like greeting, recipe... and never get a response. When I call to personally ask they don't think they'll be able to be here early or they won't have time to prepare for or make the recipe (and most of mine don't eat at the meeting anyway).

I do involve them during the meetings and they are good at helping each other out with advice, etc.

One of my consultants consistantly books 1-3 shows at every show and I asked her to be prepared to share about that this month and she said "I'll try". I think I will talk about this at the meeting this month and ask what they would want.

 

[dannyzmom]

My problem is that whenever I have asked someone to do something at the meeting they end up not showing up to the meeting at all. After a few times of that it's hard to do that delegating.

Every month I ask for someone to do tasks like greeting, recipe... and never get a response. When I call to personally ask they don't think they'll be able to be here early or they won't have time to prepare for or make the recipe (and most of mine don't eat at the meeting anyway).

I do involve them during the meetings and they are good at helping each other out with advice, etc.

One of my consultants consistantly books 1-3 shows at every show and I asked her to be prepared to share about that this month and she said "I'll try". I think I will talk about this at the meeting this month and ask what they would want.

I have the EXACT same thing going on with my team...exactly...

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

Paula,
at least she ordered them, my director is adorable but I cringe when she announces something because I know probably only 1 or 2 of us will earn it and she will either forget or be ticked that more didn't and she just lets it slip her mind. I have even reminded her WHEN I earn it that I am looking forward to it but, she usually forgets or says yeah, I changed my mind!!!

MY other gripe is USE part of your production Bonus to REWARD us, thats what it is meant for.... send a newsletter or when you email me your directors take her info out of the bottom!! (or delete the attachment)

Well, that's kind of the point....after this happens, over and over again, it makes you wonder if she really did order anything, you know??:grumpy:

Paula

 

[dannyzmom]

My director is pretty good at recognition. We always have a business building cluster meeting. She is now calling them cluster training.
I used to have a weekly call with her and I found them worthwhile but they have gone by the wayside because not everyone was making time for their calls. She was frustrated by the number of people complaining about no bookings but they weren't willing to put the effort to change things for themselves. I just think that if you have consultants that are working and want the consistant followup and want to grow their businesses - you shouldn't write them off. Encourage them and support them. And yes, follow through with what you say. Don't offer things (incentives, training, meetings, newsletters, emails) and not follow through. It is just like customer care.

So true...

 

[Gina M]

I have just to chime in - I have a great director (pamperedbecky) - always answers my emails and phone calls and gives great advice She also passes opportunities along to me when she has conflicts as well. And we can always borrow things from each other since we only live 5 minutes away. I've been a consultant for 2 years and have great cluster meetings as well. Everyone is very supportive in our cluster -I feel fortunate to know them. It's unfortunate that it's not this way for everyone!

 

[dannyzmom]

I have just to chime in - I have a great director (pamperedbecky) - always answers my emails and phone calls and gives great advice She also passes opportunities along to me when she has conflicts as well. And we can always borrow things from each other since we only live 5 minutes away. I've been a consultant for 2 years and have great cluster meetings as well. Everyone is very supportive in our cluster -I feel fortunate to know them. It's unfortunate that it's not this way for everyone!

I think it is so important to pass opportunities on to your downline as a director. When I first started, my director sent me to a booth opportunity at a Home Show...I got my first show lead there and it led to several bookings!