“How do I motivate my team?”    When I work with direct sales leaders, it’s not a matter of  if  this question will come up, it’s a matter of when.  Great leaders are always thinking about what they can say and do to instill forward-moving thoughts, feelings, and actions in others.

Motivation is the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.  It is the powerful force that leads people to reach higher, to take action, and to sustain action.  Can a great leader really instill motivation in someone else?  Can a well-designed incentive move people to change behavior?    Lasting motivation is not a force that works from the outside in.  Lasting motivation works from the inside out.

Can you think of a time when you were highly motivated?  So motivated that you not only took the first steps, but you maintained a change in  your behavior to attain a new goal?  Take a moment to reflect on that experience.  You may be thinking about a business goal or a goal related to your finances, health, or other area of personal development.   

• What did you want? 
• What made that important to you? 
• What obstacles did you face?
• What moved you to work through each obstacle? 
• How did you feel at each point in your personal journey?
• What lasting changes did you make in your behavior?  
• What did you discover about yourself?

It’s likely that the motivating experience you just thought about was more than the result of an encouraging pep talk.  And more than the by-product of a monthly sales incentive.  It’s likely that the experience started on the inside with you wanting something that mattered to you.  Really mattered.   Your experience involved belief –in yourself, in your ability to make a change, and in the intrinsic value of the result.

Now, if you struggled to think of a time when you were truly motivated – may I make a suggestion?  Today, instead of thinking about how you can motivate others, think about what you can do to motivate yourself.  Think about what you want, what makes it important to you, and what you will do to get it.  As you step onto the path of personal motivation, pay attention to more than your action steps.  Notice how you feel, and what keeps you going despite setbacks.  Your emotional connection to this experience will make you more effective as you work with others. 

So, let’s get back to that question – “How do I motivate my team?”  Leaders make smart choices to facilitate motivation in others:

ŸLeaders create a motivating environment.

Something powerful happens when people are in the presence of each other.  Bring people together to learn and share.   Show what’s possible by celebrating successes.  Shine a light on what’s exciting and new.  Create an environment that nurtures inner motivation.

They sell the value of the intangible product called “success.”

Smart leaders know that selling is the art of influence –and as they learn to sell, they learn to influence choices.   Be an example that others want to follow.  Sell the sizzle of success – how it feels, what makes it matter to life.  And part of selling is asking for the sale  — show confidence as you invite a team member to take the first step.

ŸLeaders help people identify and work through roadblocks.

Leading is a one-at-a-time activity, not a mass-production activity.   Work with your team members as individuals and encourage them to start where they are.   As a leader, you can help them uncover what they want.  You can help them identify and break through their personal roadblocks.  Contact personal team members at least once a month – and more frequently when you’re working with people who are actively engaged. 

What forward-moving thought, feeling, or action will you instill in yourself today? 

What step, small or large, will you take to cultivate motivation in a team member? 

Leaders make a difference.  One choice at a time.

I love the look of long hair, but for me, the style was too high-maintenance.  Each morning, to create lift and volume, I would roll my hair in Velcro rollers.   My routine on most days:  an hour in rollers, after which I’d take them out, give my hair a good fluff, and get ready to face the day.    That was — most days.

One morning, my getting-ready routine moved a little faster than usual.   Facing a full day of appointments, I hurried to get out the door.  My first appointment was at the dentist’s office.    Greeted by the receptionist, I went on to see the hygienist,  then, the dentist — and they all smiled at me.   Then, I was off to an appointment with a decorator.  Walking through the showroom, stopping for side conversations along the way, everyone smiled.    My next stop was a lunch meeting with my colleague, Karen.   She smiled more than usual, asking “Sue, can I ask you a question …   what’s up with the pink Velcro roller?”   I missed one that day.

The roller was large and pink.  Bright pink.  That morning, I didn’t see what everyone else could see.    Karen and I had a good laugh as I told her about my morning of smiles.  Yet, after interacting with at least a dozen people, Karen was the first and only person with the courage to point out the roller.    Others may have silently hoped that I’d discover it on my own.   Or, figured that the next person I’d see would have the courage to say something.  

 I’d like to think that one of the gifts of a well-developed relationship is that we can help each other see our pink rollers, so to speak.  Karen wasn’t concerned about what I might think of her for speaking up – she was concerned about me putting my best foot forward as I stepped into the rest of my day.   Before I speak up, I try to ask myself  “if this were me, would I want to know?”   In my work as a business coach and consultant, I’m hired to share observations and insights.  Whether working with a client who is frustrated with their results, or a company reaching for a new strategy, essentially, I face people who want to see what they’re not able to see. 

I respect direct selling.  I’ve chosen a career in it.  I have seen first-hand what direct selling can do for a brand, and what direct selling can do for people.  At Sue Rusch & Associates, it is our intent to help the direct selling industry put its best foot forward, and I’m thinking it’s time to tell you more about what we are seeing.

Most of the people who read this blog (you!) are involved with direct selling in one way or another.  So, readers, I ask you this question:  would you like to know what I’ve noticed as I look at trends in our industry these past several years?  For the record, I’ve seen a few pink rollers.  Some bright ones.  Curious?  I’ll keep you posted.

sue@suerusch.com

• If things aren’t going well, you might be tempted to spill your frustration all over the person.  Being in business for yourself does have its challenges!    The first person who inquires about your business may get more of an earful than they’re really looking for.   (Did you know you have another choice?)

• If things are going well, you might be tempted to rattle on and on about your recent successes.  After all, you’re excited!  You’re proud!  Your instincts  – and maybe even your training – may have told you that talking about success can create interest and generate new business.  (Did you know you have another choice?)

A number of years ago, I attended a sales training workshop and discovered an answer to the “how’s your business going?” question that works every single time.  Every time!   At first, I was a skeptic – after all, I stand almost six feet tall, and have tried many  “one size fits all” products that turn out to be “EXCEPT me!”   But then, I tried it.

Let’s imagine that your business is going wonderfully:

Q:  How’s your business going?

A:  UNBELIEVABLE!

Let’s imagine that your business is not going as well as you’d like:

Q:  How’s your business going?

A:  UNBELIEVABLE!

Just one word, and you’re covered.  Either way!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Sue Rusch is a professional speaker, author, and direct sales industry consultant who works with field professionals and corporate executives.

It’s been a few years since my son, Clint, brought his military career to a close.  Yet — I don’t think I will ever forget how it felt to see him off – or how it felt to welcome him back to the USA again after his tour in Iraq.   I know that every military mom doesn’t get to do that, and I’m grateful.  Today, I stand alongside many Americans as we feel proud of – and grateful to – the soldiers who have served, are serving, and their loved ones.  And – today my heart is heavy with the families who feel loss mixed with pride as they remember their fallen heroes.

Each of us knows what Veteran’s Day means to us as individuals.  You may wonder, though, what does it mean to a veteran?   How does a veteran feel looking back?  What goes through a veteran’s mind when they think ahead?   This afternoon, my son sent a link to this New York Times article.  The author, veteran Chris Hellie, offers quite a thought-provoking view.  I was moved by his confident and hopeful look at the future.  I’m grateful for his past service, and inspired to see him continue to stand tall as his mission continues.

To all who serve today – have served in the past – and their families – a heartfelt thank-you.

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/a-veteran-will-march-with-thoughts-of-fellow-soldiers-and-country/

One of the things I love about the direct selling business approach is that it’s really about people.  The best direct sellers I know treat their customers as one-of-a-kind individuals, not alpha/ numeric user names.  When you personalize and humanize your interactions with others, you stand out from the crowd.

The other day, my mailbox looked like it does on most days:  overflowing with machine-addressed items.     As I quickly glanced through the stack, I  didn’t spot a single thing that made me feel “one-of-a-kind.”   That is, until a hand-addressed card tumbled out from between the catalogs.  The envelope stood out from the crowd.  I smiled when I noticed a friend’s name in the return address  – this card was from someone who is known for making others feel special.   This one-of-a-kind card wasn’t generated by a computer – each inked character reflected a bit of the sender’s personality.   And here’s the thing.  This card didn’t only say a lot about her – it said a lot about me, too.  I’m a fan of gardening – so she chose an address label filled with bright,  friendly flowers.  I love the beautiful sound of piano music, so she tucked in a copy of one of her favorite CDs.  She added a short hand-written note that spoke to some of the things she knows I’ve been thinking about lately.  And here’s the best part.  It wasn’t even my birthday!   I didn’t get the impression that she sent an envelope like this to anyone else, just me.  Her gesture stood out, and it reminded me that I’m one-of-a-kind.

How do you make your communications stand out from the crowd?  What do you do to remind the people you do business with of their individuality?  Consider:

• Send your next host a prompt and thoughtful hand-written thank-you card.  Celebrate something  you noticed as you worked together.  Boldly use a descriptive word in your note, so she’ll think about what makes her one-of-a-kind.
• Pay attention to what people like.  When you hear a product idea that you think will really connect with a particular person – pick up the phone and say,  “when I heard this idea, the first person I thought about  was YOU!”
• To team members who are working toward specific goals, mail notes and reminders.   If you see a picture in a magazine, a travel brochure, or even hear a song on a CD which makes you think of her journey forward, drop it in them mail with a hand-written note.  You’ll create an unexpected moment as you remind her that she’s one-of-a-kind.

 After a while, e-mails and text messages all start to look alike, don’t they?   You may not have time to write to every customer, host, or team member you come in contact with.   But you can make time to connect with one person in a personalized, one-of-a-kind way.    One of the things I love about the direct selling business approach is that it’s really about …  people!  

What’s so great about a list?  It helps you to focus.  Lists serve as a parking lot for the things you want and need to do.  They’re a place to capture the names of people you want and need to contact.  Lists help you you clear your mind of “to-do” items that sometimes dance like sugarplums.  Whether you’re a paper-and-pencil list maker, or you prefer electronic tools, a good list will help you organize and prioritize.

You may be thinking “yes, but I am so busy, I don’t have time to write it all down.”   You are not alone.  When we have a lot to do, we often start doing without planning.  Think about this for just a moment:  Have you ever gone grocery shopping without a list?  Did you wander around aimlessly?  Did you spend more than you hoped to, because along the way, you tossed things into the cart that caught your eye?  Did you come home and think of things you wish you would have picked up instead?  Compare that shopping experience to one where you entered the store with a list.  Were you more efficient?  Focused?  Did you get your shopping done more quickly?  Did you spend what you expected to spend?   As you compare those two experiences, are you thinking differently about the power of planning?

List-building doesn’t get the job done.  It helps you to get the job done.  You may be a person who loves making list more than you love doing the things on the list.  For example — you may write down fifteen people you need to call, then, instead of getting started on the list, you call someone you feel like chatting with.  After you finish the chat,  you write your friend’s  name on your list so you have something to check off.  (I’ve done that, too.)  Successful people, though,  plan the work, and then, they work the plan.  They know that making the list is a first step, and an effective tool to get the right things done.

If you are someone who has given up on making lists, it could be that you are tired of the disappointment of finishing a day with too many “undone” items.  It may help to manage your expectations.  On an ongoing basis, maintain a rolling list of everything you want and need to do.  If you work at home, it might help to have two columns, one for work, and one for business.  And if you’re a leader, it may help to sort your work into personal business items and team business items.   The key is in having reasonable expectations of yourself each day.  Review your list as you make daily choices.  It’s less overwhelming that way.

Here’s a tip that works for a lot of people:  Choose three top-priority items to focus on each day.  Not ten, not twenty, three.  If you have a large project to do, break it into bite-sized pieces — choosing to take on one piece at a time.  Or, if you have a lot of calls to make, decide on the three you will absolutely (positively!) make that day.  Focus your mind.  Focus your efforts.  Avoid the distraction of checking for new posts or emails that might pull you in other directions.  Stay on what’s most important first, and let the power of momentum keep you going.

Give yourself a gift today.  End the day feeling good about moving three steps closer to your goals.  Which three items will you choose to make happen today?

Sue Rusch is a professional speaker, author, and consultant who works with direct selling executives and field professionals.

Visit www.SueRusch.com to learn more about Sue, her services, and tools for direct sellers.

We’ve all seen the incredible rise of social media, bringing a variety of new, more contemporary ways to communicate.   By and large,  I have remained an outsider looking in at things like blogging, Facebook, and other contemporary forms of communicating.  I’ve observed.  I’ve listened.  Clients tell me how these new tools make it harder than ever to connect with people by phone, and they’re looking for ways to use today’s tools to make real connections.   Leaders have described how team members are often distracted by constant electronic communication and access to information — so distracted that, at times, they run out of time to build their businesses.  I have also heard numerous stories about how new,  contemporary ways of communicating are bringing people together like never before.  I’m not yet sure what to think.  How can I fully understand the impact of social media on business when I’ve comfortably remained an outsider looking in?

I have decided that it is time to move from comfortable to contemporary.  So (drum roll please)today marks the day that my website goes “live” to reflect its refreshed, more contemporary look.  My blog goes live.  I’ve launched a Facebook Fan page.   Truth be told — I don’t quite know what to expect from all of this.   But I  know, for sure, that making the transition to more contemporary ways of communicating will deliver new insights and learnings.

There’s a cool breeze in the air today.  It’s time to get in sync with the season.  I think it’s finally time to put away my flip-flops.

What is too much?  I feel  like it is too much when I feel myself going into auto-pilot-mode — no longer really paying attention to what I am doing.  It’s too much when I run from task to task, and stop enjoying anything that I’m doing.  It’s too mcuh when my mind thinks so far into the future that it doesn’t pay attention to what is right in front of me.  I know it’s too much when I hear a voice inside screaming “enough.”  At times like these, it helps to get off life’s treadmill and take stock.  To make new choices.  To make new plans.

What is too little?  It’s that place where inaction becomes a habit — and it’s hard to get in motion again.  Have you noticed when there’s too little on the calendar, it’s easy to turn a small and insignificant project into a day-long event?  Parkinson’s Law says:  “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”  When you recognize yourself in that too little place, it helps to open a week-at-a-glance calendar and start scheduling things you really want to do.  If you fear you’ll become that person who is doing too much, remember that busy people have a way of getting things done.

How do we strike a baolnce?  While there are many situations in life when we don’t have control, there are plenty of times where life is filled with choices.  We can plan our schedules to allow enough downtime to renew and recharge.  And enough uptime to create the happiness we want in our lives.  Balance comes when we celebrate the choices we have.

I remember a morning – years ago — when I was running late and came flying into a church meeting.  I was noticeably out of breath.  As I plopped myself down in a chair, the kind, elderly woman next to me noticed my frenzied expression and asked if I was OK.  I remember telling her, “I’m so BUSY and I just have SO much I have got to get DONE!”  (Can you picture it?)  She smiled.  She gently placed her well-worn hand on my forearm, and said “Honey, that’s what life is all about. You’re not DONE until you’re dead.  You don’t want that, now, do you?”

I’d rather choose to live each day fully, doing what I really want to do, than  live in fear of doing too much.  Now, I’ve got plans for my day, and it’s time to get started!

Sometimes the only word to describe the feeling we have as time flies by is … busy.  Have you ever started to write the date on a form or check and had to stop and think about what month it is?  Live moves pretty quickly these days.  “I’m so busy” has become such a common phrase that it has started to lose its meaning.  Makes me think about a cashier going through the routine steps of a sale without even looking up and saying “Have a nice day.”

So, how do you sell, schedule, recruit, and train people who think they don’t have time for what you have to offer?  The key is in illuminating value.  Instead of positioning what you are sharing as something which a person has “got to do” — reframe it as something that they “get to do.”  Don’t let your product or service be viewed as a commodity — something that they think they fully understand.  Talk about how it will feel to experience what you are offering.  Share how your products and services provide welcome moments of indulgence in otherwise busy days.  Instead of positioning what you’re selling as an addition to an  overflowing to-do list, create interest in the experience that goes with what you have to share.

When you hear “I’m so busy,” you might feel the urge to respond by saying “Are you kidding?  You should see MY life!”  Sure, your life might be busier than someone else’s — but creating a “busy showdown” doesn’t lead to making a connection.  When you encounter any objection, the first step is to acknowledge it.  Respond with something like “I understand, we’re all moving so quickly these dayhs aren’t we? And — what peole tell me about this product is …”   Then, go on to share the life-enhancing benefits of what you’re offering.

What really matters about what you’re selling?  What will you say this week to move what you’re selling from being viewed as a “got to do” — to a “get to do” experience?

Speaking of things I can hardly believe, I can hardly believe that I’m blogging.    I’m not completely sure yet what I think about blogging — but I have decided to do something I have never done before.  I know this:  doing new things creates a lot of positive energy!   Have you found that, too?  I feel a little extra pep in my step today — I feel excited imagining that the experiences and insights I’ve gathered on my direct selling journey may contribute to your life.  Or to your success.

Let’s start this blogging connection by getting acquainted.  Simply stated, I’m a wife, a mom, and an entrepreneur.  A wife — I’ve been married to my husband, Matt, a sixth grade teacher for 35 years.  ( …speaking of things I can hardly believe.)    We love to play golf, but after ten years of working at it, we still can’t officially call ourselves “golfers.”  We especially enjoy spending time with our three grown sons, who live around the country.  We treasure the time we’re able to spend with them, and it always goes by so quickly.   Last weekend they came home for a family golfing  weekend at a lakeside resort and had a great time.

I’m also an entrepreneur.  After fifteen years as a field direct seller, I started my own business as a speaker, trainer, and business consultant in the direct selling industry.    Like a lot of entrepreneurs, I enjoy the flexibility of creating my own workstyle.  While I spend a lot of time traveling to client locations around the country,  I also have the privilege of working from home.   I stepped away from the independent life for a couple of years to work as a corporate Vice President, and found it to be an amazing learning experience.  But I’m happy to be like many of you — working each day from my home office chair.  I enjoy the  life of a self-employed entrepreneur.

Like a lot of people who are in business for themselves, I enjoy connecting with others.   I still believe that face-to-face meetings are the most effective, yet I find they’re becoming more and more rare these days.   Telephone conversations come in second — you miss body language — but the phone allows for some give and take, and it allows for tone.  E-mail and texting are lightening-fast — but not always the most satisfying way to connect with other people.   As I said, I’m not completely sure what I think about blogging.   I may discover, like a lot of people have, that I absolutely love this way of feeling connected.  And, well, it’s possible that I won’t.  Just like starting in direct sales — how can you know if you don’t give something a try?    So here I am.

My plan is this.  Each week, I’ll pour myself a cup of tea, and take a few moments to share a thought or two with you.  I will imagine we’re sitting face-to-face, chatting about some of the things I’m noticing about being a self-employed entrepreneur.  I’ll share a few thoughts and ideas about what  it’s like to be in business.  How it feels.  What works.  What doesn’t work.  My aim is to inspire you to think differently — about yourself, about your business, and about the steps you take each day to create success.

I consider myself quite fortunate to work with individuals and companies who bring their best to work each day.  To do more.  To become more.  I fully expect that what I’ll hear from you will inspire me, too.

Sue Rusch is a professional speaker, author, and consultant who works with direct selling executives and field professionals.

Visit www.SueRusch.com to learn more about Sue, her services, and tools for direct selling professionals.

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