•Tom "Big Al" Schreiter  •Robert Butwin  •Rod Cook   •Jeffery Combs  •Jerry "DRhino" Clark •Greg Arnold  •Artemis Limpert  •Robert Blackman •Dr Zonnya •Ellie Drake - Contributing Editors

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The Ultimate Leader Is The Ultimate Servant
By Greg Arnold

Leadership is a funny thing.  While true leadership is the ultimate act of service, most people see leaders as the ones who give the orders.  While they do lead the charge, it is the act of leading that causes the troops to follow.  Often your MLM army has a greater fear of being left behind than they do a sense of adventure about what’s up ahead.  MLM bosses are a dime a dozen and rarely find more than a hand full of followers.  Crusaders who are willing to withstand the massive amount of rejection that lies between them and their vision normally end up with legions of eager followers. 

Leaders rarely have the hunger to be right.  My friend, Jerry Clark, says the greater your need to be right, the less likely it is you will make any real money in the MLM industry.  In other words he would rather be rich and wrong than right and poor.  Arguments with your downline or anyone for that matter are easy to resolve.  Just say you’re sorry.  Some, who have a real hunger to be right may press on and give you several more reasons that you are a terrible person...but even the most emboldened “right people” normally will give up after 5 or 6 apologies and go ahead and forgive you for whatever trespasses they perceived you made against them.  As a potential leader, you just have to decide which you want more, to be rich or to be right. 

Leaders rarely have the desire to control how their downline members pursue their dreams.  Leaders often have a system that they follow toward their vision, and they are willing to share that system, but they never force it on others.  It’s remarkable that it is often true that only the other leaders on their team, who are the ones who choose to follow that winning system.  98% of the people on their team, who don’t make a lot of money, follow the system to a lesser degree or not at all.  Leaders also make it a habit of providing what their downline leaders ask for rather than telling them what they need.  This leadership support is usually the most powerful building tool you have. 

Leaders spend most of their time being an example of successful behavior.  Leaders prospect.  Leaders sponsor new team members.  Leaders make themselves available for 2 on 1’s and three-way calls.  Leaders continue to work on their own shortcomings and very little time pointing out the faults of others.  Leaders are far from perfect, no matter what their downline members think they should be.  However, they do know that they are a work in progress and normally have a long to-do list of their personal shortcomings. 

Great leaders spend little time worrying about managing their organization and much time in the actions of increasing its size.  Leaders stay on offense or in building mode.  Leaders build from event to event.  Encouraging their team members to give it all they have for the next 90 days until the regional rally.  Leaders make sure there is an impending event to look forward to at least every 90 days.   Leaders know that anyone can work like a madman in 90-day spurts and then celebrate at the events.  This is the way many leaders grow giant organizations. 

Leaders wait for their team members to call them.  Leaders know that their leaders will call and that their product users don’t need reminders of when to take their pills.  Leaders provide monthly communications that inform their entire team of new product offers, who the team leaders are, product profiles and even recepies.  These communications build team culture.  Local leaders may even hold a monthly potluck get together to enhance this sense of culture. 

Leaders are servants.  They provide the vision of what is possible.  They take the no’s first.  They break through all the pin barriers first.  They attend all the company functions.  They create live training events.  They develop a recognition system for their team.  They invest both time and money in generic live training, cd’s and books that will enhance their knowledge and mental disposition.  They build lasting relationships with their team members and families.  They help when and where they can.  Oh, and they truly do get paid the big bux!  The ultimate leader is the ultimate servant.