Why You Should Consider Attending Team Meetings

[Sheila]

Here's my 2 cents for what it's worth!

I was able to attend a few meetings before my recruiter gave up Pampered Chef for personal reasons & I moved up to a Director who wasn't local & whom I'd never met. From that point, I wasn't close enough to ANY Director to attend meetings. There wasn't another Director on the military base in Japan.

I have an amazing and supportive upline, but at that time, they were half a world away, I'd never met them and I just didn't have that same bond that I'd had with my original recruiter. Chef Success was my saving grace back then. As most of you know, I absolutely LOVE this site. It's given me so many ideas on how to improve my business. As I've said before, 2 heads think better than 1. 50 heads definitely think better than 1. 250+ submitting ideas really helps to get those wheels turning in our heads. I'll always have a special place in my heart for CS & DCS, it's members & what I've learned to help me with my business. Even after I was able to meet my upline & build those bonds, I'm still here ... because I know what a valuable resource this site can be.

When I promoted & started holding meetings it was fun. My meetings were pretty laid back, I didn't give homework assignments or tasks. Another Director moved to the island & we started doing joint meetings. It was great to finally see another Director's perspective on training. I was able to get ideas from her that were new to me. She did things differently than I did them, but different people learn with different techniques, so it was really nice having different teaching methods for the group. And of course adding Director Chef Success to my list of resources was extremely helpful too! I was able to read ideas from multiple directors, then pick & choose what sounded like something that I'd like to implement. What works for one consultant/director doesn't always work for the next ... so having multiple ideas and the freedom to CHOOSE what to try is amazing.

I think Chef Success is a GREAT resource for ideas on expanding your business, but I can't stress enough that it shouldn't be a replacement for your team meeting. With drive time, you are probably only committing 3 hours to attend a meeting. That time is definitely worth the effort! If you can commit 1-2 visits a month/week to this website, or even 1-2 visits a DAY to this websight, you can commit 3 hours a month to attend a monthly meeting. I've learned from experience, those who attend meetings are the most successful at their business. And I can attest that was true for me! Sitting there in Jan 2010 and listening to the other Director talk about trips, how it was possible to earn one, having everyone make their dream boards ... it motivated me! There's something about the camaraderie of being in a room with other consultants, with ideas flying & actually feeling that positive energy in the room. Guess what? That's the year that I promoted twice from Team Leader to Director & then to Advanced Director. I also earned Toronto (with a military move in the middle of the year) and earned an Excellence Award in developing Directors (with the same military move AND the evacuation from Japan during that earning period)! I was motivated, determined & I made it happen because my eyes were opened at a meeting.

If you are not attending meetings, I challenge you to go! If your upline isn't near you, find hospitality! If you need help finding hospitality, ask your upline or call Career Solutions to get a referral to someone in/close to your zip code. Think NIKE and "Just Do It! You'll be glad you did!

I'm not asking who you are and am not expecting anyone to step forward here ... I just want to add that I'm hearing feedback from other Directors that people are giving a "no" RSVP to their monthly meeting this month because they've already seen the products on Chef Success. If you are one of those consultants, please reconsider. Attending your meeting isn't just to see the products. You might get to try out the product, hear tips on how to use the product, learn ideas on how to sell the product, etc. And bonding with your team mates is the bonus! Out of a spice? Need to borrow a particular product? It's nice to have consultant friends close by who you can call on 2 weeks or 2 hours before a show to borrow something! Get out there, form bonds, make friends & I feel confident you'll be glad you did.

If anyone else wants to post a testimony on how much monthly meetings have helped you with your business, please feel free to add your story. My testimony might motivate a couple of people to start attending monthly meetings and your testimony might motivate different people. The more people we can motivate, the better!

 

[Cathy pclady]

I would love to attend a monthly meeting with my director. But a 5 hr drive one way in the middle of the winter (with 2 of the 5) driving on a 2 lane highway that is closed more then it is open is not my idea of fun times. That being said, if you live any closer than a 2 hr drive and it is not calling for a storm... get your body to that meeting!!
Twelve yrs ago when I first join PC, my director held the meetings on Saturday and I attend each month... sometimes leaving at 4 am to get to the 9:30 am meeting.
Meetings are very important and you learn so much from sharing ideas and product tips. My new director holds the meetings on Monday night and that is when I do my shows so I am not able to attend. This is were Chef Success and fb has helped me a lot. I love the sharing of ideas and flyers! I think to myself.. there is no way that product will sell and then I come here and read what others have said or used it for ... sure enough that works.... Hopefully my little team of 2+ will soon grow and then I can hold my own director meetings ..... fingers crossed!

 

[tiggerhale]

Up until last Nov, I had not missed a single team meeting in over a year. It's not the most pleasant drive to get to my directors house and my husband has to leave work early so I can go. But I get so much out of the meetings. I have made so many great friends - another fellow consultant lives not far from here and we are constantly swapping catalogs, rubs etc. as well as walking together in my neighborhood!

Even with ChefSuccess and Facebook, it is easy to pull back and not expect more from yourself and your business. But once you get in a room with other consultants, the ideas start flowing, you get to try recipes, decided that YES you want to earn the latest promotion - you see the possibilities are endless!

My business is not where I want it to be currently - last year was a tough year for me, with my brother-in-law succumbing to Pancreatic Cancer in May and then my Dad's unexpected heart attack and passing in November. My team was there with me through it all. My director and local fellow consultant even came to Dad's service - 3 hours away!!! I cannot tell you how much that meant to me - and really, I do love the products, but it's the friendships I've made through my Director and our team that are my "why" for being in this business.

 

[DebPC]

All of the above...plus I love trying new recipes at the meetings and seeing the demo. I am definately inspired by top sellers and recruiters. There are so many wyas to work and be successful in our business. There's always something new to learn.

 

[mmilus]

I would LOVE to attend meetings but my director (3rd one I've had due to people leaving the business) has not found a location for her group and the group that we sometimes meet with (I only get notices every 3 or 4 months) meets on a night that I have a commitment at work so I have to go late, if I can make it at all. Very frustrating!

 

[CookinWithLynda]

First of all, I think the people who aren't going to their team meeting because they 'already saw the products on Chef Success' are using that as an excuse not to attend a meeting - do they only attend twice a year to see the new products? Are people who went to the launches not going because they've already seen & touched them? Probably not. And the No's deliberately looked at the new products - it wasn't an accident. It sounds like maybe some of those who didn't want the 'Spoiler' thread may be trying a different way to get across their opinion on how it wasn't a good idea - but, I hope not. Also, the team meetings were supposed to be after the launches, when the products were up on CC, for all of us to see - whether we attended launch or not.

I completely agree with the above mentioned benefits of attending meetings. It's about the exchange of ideas with live, face-to-face interaction. It's FUN! In our meetings we always have several consultants who are actually not in our group, but attend because their directors are far away. We laugh a lot and I always leave with several ideas I would never have thought of on my own. As Sheila said, it's the 'feeling' of excitement and positive energy that makes it really worthwhile. I'm so glad I can attend meetings because it really does rejuvenate me - and, therefore, my business.

 

[lt1jane]

I miss my meetings and would go back in a heartbeat. At issue is lack of relable and trustworthy childcare on a school night. It will probably be a few years before I an attend during the school year.

 

[Sheila]

mmilus: The option is always there for you to call Home Office and find Hospitality. There might be another group in the area meeting on a night that works better for you.

Jane: I recommend that you talk with the other moms in the group & see what they are doing for childcare. Maybe their sitter would be willing to watch your children too for a little more per hour.

 

[pchockeymom]

For me, the flip side of the encouragement etc. is that it helps me see that I'm not the only one that struggles with....doing a fsco, recruiting, dealing with rude people, hosts that don't call me back, etc, etc. When I first started, I personally needed that assurance just as much as I needed the great ideas, the excitement, the comraderie, and training!

As a director, I STILL need it! Just because I'm a director doesn't mean I don't have these same issues. Having engaged team members helps me just as much as it helps them. I keep them encouraged and they keep me motivated. And it kills me to talk to a team member who's struggling with her business, dealing with the same issues we all deal with, but unwilling to take 2 hours out of her way to get the training and support she needs.

 

[jenjibur]

Thanks for all of this info! I've been a consultant for almost 2 years & I've been contacted once by my recruiter - this past November, by email. I didn't even know I was supposed to have a team or meetings until I found this forum. I've felt like I was just limping along. I didn't realize how much support I was supposed to have & didn't know who to even contact about things. I contacted my recruiter once in the first couple of months & asked if I could observe a cooking show since I hadn't actually been to one in several years. I went to one & that was it. Yeah, I know I could've called her again, but honestly it didn't cross my mind after that. I may have thought to if she'd called me a few times to check up on me. Who knows? Anyway, what's done is done. I'm grateful to know that I could find another group to meet with or even find out if my own team has meetings & where. And one question (at least right now!), what is Hospitality?

 

[CookinWithLynda]

Jenjibur, Hospitality is when someone attends a team meeting that isn't part of their 'line'. If your recruiter doesn't have or attend team meetings, or is far, you can find someone in your area and ask to attend their meetings. There are several consultants who attend our meetings that aren't on our 'team' but their line isn't near them. Glad you found this site - it is AWESOME and you'll get so much info and help here. Everyone is great about helping and sharing. I hope you find meetings to attend in your area - you'll really get a lot out of them. Information, definitely, but also the companionship of sharing and laughing with other consultants on a personal basis. Good Luck!!!

 

[jenjibur]

Thanks Lynda! So far I've found the site to be fantastic! An overwhelming amount of awesome information. I'll check into locating some meetings. Thanks again!

Jen

 

[Sheila]

Jen, just call Home Office & tell them you need hospitality. They should be able to refer you to a Director in your area.

 

[StacieB]

I love our team meetings and would not miss for the world. The training is awesome, but most of all I love these ladies like sisters. They are there to celebrate acheivments, help through rough patches, laugh, cry, and keep me motivated!! I have met some of my best friends through PC and attending meetings and seeing these wonderful friends. I know if I miss a month, I am not as energized!!

If you do not have a meeting to attend, CALL and find hospitality!!! Well Worth Every Minute of YOUR TIME!!!