The Cutting Edge of Fun in MLM

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2007
email: ensilva@aol.com
web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

In our enthusiasm to get serious about making money in MLM, sometimes we forget about the real attraction of our industry: having fun being our own boss while improving our lifestyle with extra money that we weren’t making before.

We call those wonderful extras you now enjoy (that were financially out of your reach before you started your home-based business) “life enhancements.”

They include, but are not limited to luxurious travel, sleek new automobiles, fancy restaurant dining, airline upgrades, prestigious addresses, designer furnishings, private schools for your children, mad money in your pocket, and jewelry, lots of jewelry.

I still smile as I remember my days as a schoolteacher with a rapidly exploding extra income in MLM. I was so successful that before I left the field of education, I was the last person in the school (over 150 teachers) to pick up my check.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want it. It was that I didn’t need it, and I was so involved in what I was doing everywhere --- loving both my job and my MLM sideline even more because of my enhanced lifestyle --- that I simply couldn’t spend all that money fast enough to need more.

Usually, when successful MLMers like me are still working both MLM and their original careers, they have a spectacular lifestyle enhancement. However, many times, when they quit their job to go fulltime MLM, suddenly the fun goes out of the situation. Here’s why, in my observation.

First of all, a $2000 or $3000 monthly check in MLM, when earned along with a primary income intact is really gravy, a great way to spoil the family and live it up. Without a primary income, you must apply your $2000 to $3000 monthly MLM income to all your normal living expenses and the benefits that are no longer paid for by someone else --- holidays, vacations, medical insurance, sick leave and taxes.

The primary income job also used to provide two very important fringe benefits, forced time management and contacts . . . fresh contacts for MLM. Many of those I know who enjoyed a carefree exciting MLM career part-time saw the fun go right out of it when they prematurely quit their primary jobs. For lots of those people, languishing in bed or in front of the television with multiple visits to the refrigerator became the order of the day.

I always encourage up-and-coming distributors to ask themselves some soul-searching questions before deciding to go fulltime in MLM:

1) Analyze your school career. Were you able to turn your work in on time and be a
class leader?

2) Are you a good money manager?

3) Are you now structured in your time management and business?

4) Do you have a written business plan?

5) Have you arranged for your benefits and are you withholding your taxes?

6) Is your MLM income 150% or more of your primary income?

7) Have your consistently made that income for 3 or more months?

8) Is your company more than 2 years old (98% of new companies won’t succeed)?

9) Have you got over 1000 people in your organization?

10) Is your family behind you on this decision?

11) Do you have cash reserves to carry your expenses for 6 months or more?

12) Do you love both your product and your MLM colleagues?

For those who don’t see themselves able to successfully negotiate the landmine of full-time self-employment after considering the questions listed above, I have good news for you! In our industry, you can make a full-time income with a part-time effort.

Actually, that’s how you have the most fun of all! Become a living example of how MLM can enhance the lives of ordinary people like you and me. Keep making “their” money and “our” money, thus taking the pressure off your MLM career . . . so that you truly can have it all and have fun at the same time!

The Art of Persistence Revisited

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2007

email: ensilva@aol.com

web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

Over the years, I have written on the art of persistence a number of times. I have encouraged my readers to put on the tunnel-vision glasses and, as Nike said, “Just do it!” I have often quoted my husband, Taylor Hegan’s now infamous, “We build the people, the people build the business!” to encourage keepin’ on keepin’ on by focusing on supporting others trying to fulfill their dreams. When we do that, in the process, our own dreams often come to fruition. Still, one nagging fact glares at me from the industry statistics: a lot of you out there aren’t making any money.

As I ponder on why such a charismatic industry with infinite amounts of non-discriminating potential has such a dismal success rate with the “average” distributor, a number of possible problem areas occur to me. Correcting these aspects of MLM could be a major factor on your success, so let’s look at them from the perspective of their impact on your money-making ability.

First, many unsuccessful people are handing out advice and training systems that they have not implemented personally. Even among those who have implemented the “system,” there are too many who have not produced a profit, so how can know if the way you were taught the system will work for you?

A classic example of this is the “tape-mailing program.” Some of those famous tapes arrived in households across America by the dozens. I even received multiple copies in one day! Several people who have called me about MLM have spent $10,000 - $20,000, plus countless hours, putting such a mail campaign together --- with almost no results. Now . . . it is true that some of the first distributors to do that were successful. However, the problem with those types of systems is that the labor-intensive aspect and the cost vs. the conversion aspect are not cost effective.

Unless you are very well financed and patient, that is not the system for you! In fact, you must keep your hand on the pulse-beat of the industry for programs like that. Even some of the biggest hitters have been burned by not realizing that the wave of effectiveness had crested and the market was now saturated.

Remember the definition of insanity: “Continuing to do what hasn’t worked and expecting different results.” One of the next obvious problems with persistence that I see has to do with what people are persistent about. Some callers tell me they have persistently “worked” MLM to no avail for five or more years, but then I discover they have been with more than half a dozen companies during that time.

When I define MLM persistence, I am assuming that you know I mean persistence with a single select company. Now --- since a good many of you seem to love start-ups, I must advise you to get over that “fatal attraction” to the new deal. Very few start-ups will be successful ultimately. Of those that are, none bear much resemblance in three years to the way they looked on their launch day. The products, the materials, the training, the compensation plan and the management have usually changed within that period of time. It’s truly a case of “survival of the fittest.”

I personally have made over 8 million dollars with my MLM company, which was about a year old when Taylor and I joined it. Since there are reportedly only 18 companies that have been in MLM for 10 years for more, I am happy to report that my company is now over 20 years old.

You may ask me, “How has it changed?”

My response will be, “How hasn’t it?” Even the one product they had when they launched (which is and always was a fabulous product) has a different formula, a better taste, a new name and new packaging.

Over the years, the company has evolved in many ways, sometimes big ways. Fortunately, we had the vision, desire, and patience to persist no matter what changed. However, thousands of others fell by the wayside during this prolonged metamorphosis.

Here is your priceless thought for the day: If you can find a “home” with a mentor or a sponsor who is making at least a four-figure monthly income and then keep “working” with that same company for at least 10 years, you will statistically become a big money earner. Those who stay with a program for ten years or more are almost all company leaders by then and financially successful.

For further clarity, let me define “working” by sharing these 10 mandatory steps, which define whether you truly are engaged. Ask yourself:

Am I consistently retailing product every week (I do every day)?
Am I pitching a least 3 people a day, (re: my business opportunity)?
Am I following up daily with customers and potential reps to whom I have given material?
Am I attending all company conventions and events?
Am I distributing at least three brochures, flyers, special reports, etc. on a daily basis?
Am I spending a minimum average of 2 hours a day on my business?
Am I doing at least 20 minutes of personal development work a day?
Am I a real product of the product?
Am I clearly developing my goals and then my personal visioning?
Am I being sure I employ simple disciplines each day, not “errors in judgment,” as trainer, Jerry Clark says?

The more I stay in this business the more it looks like work. However, the big difference is that it’s work that I do on my terms, and I love it.

With today’s compensation plans and fast-changing technology, the days of hitting it big long-term by simple accident in our business have become almost non-existent --- especially with legitimate programs. We, in MLM, have done a big disservice to the public by spreading those tales of instant wealth.

I have a great way to make more money predictably: I think --- as trainer, Bob Harrison says, “increase.” I just step up my production level with more of the activities that are working when I want more money. To put it simply, you must learn to never, never quit. In order to never, never quit, you need a good mentoring sponsor. If you don’t have a “good” one, look around in your company, and align yourself with a good field leader, upline, downline or sideline, regardless of whether you’re making money together.

If that’s not possible, and your company has no one for you to learn from, then perhaps you should consider making one last company move so that you can have an optimal chance to succeed. Remember! Choose a lasting company, become a lasting leader, and you will enjoy a lasting residual income.

Talk Versus Action: A Closer Look

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2006
email: ensilva@aol.com
web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

Talk! Talk! Talk! We are in a business where talk reigns supreme, and the boldest talkers are always at center stage. Claims run rampant about everything from ad responses - to phenomenal product results - to bodacious income projections.

Sometimes this talk sways the uninitiated, and if they fail to seek any type of verification before taking action, they might find that they have based their decisions and plans on pipe dreams and smoke screens.

However, before I leave the impression that talk is always cheap (and therefore frivolous), I need to emphasize the legitimate role of responsible talk in MLM. Responsible talk in our industry accomplishes a number of things:

It speaks public commitments into existence which then create the forum for public accountability that is so helpful to those who need a support structure for continuous production;
It helps people design a time frame for success (i.e., I’m going to lose 20 more pounds before Easter);
It excites and motivates others to think bigger;
It sets a climate for accomplishment in the organization which stimulates others to make commitments;
It intensifies focus for everyone so they can evaluate their goals, large and small.

We consider this type of talk to be positive because it results in benefits like those listed above.

However, empty rhetoric, or worse yet, distorted testimonials and promises spoken, but not kept, have damaged our industry tremendously. When people keep talking about the future and how much money they are going to make, you need to come out from under the ether and look at what they’ve consistently done over the past year or years and compare those results to what they are saying.

I used to --- out of ignorance --- stand in front of the room and ask the question, “How many of you would like to make $10,000 a month?” Every hand would go up . . . and that got me excited! I didn’t learn for several years that I was asking the wrong question.

Of course, they all wanted $10,000 or more each month; they just didn’t aspire to the levels of commitment, focus, and keeping of production schedules that were needed to produce such a monetary result.

In those days, I didn’t comprehend those levels myself as my own business was not making $10,000 a month yet. I daresay that if I had known and identified the work habits and time constraints required for a $10,000 monthly result, I would’ve had far fewer “takers.”

I don’t want to discount the importance of “speaking things into existence,” because I do feel that public declaration can go a long way towards helping people get on track and stay on track.
Just don’t be misled by unsubstantiated talk. Most of the companies in our industry are bigger on telling you what you can do, particularly in reference to your earning possibilities, than in sharing what others like you have really accomplished. Before you put a lot of time, energy and money into a game plan, check it out carefully to make sure that the speaker has lived what he or she is speaking and that it was indeed successful.

Industry legend Richard Brooke says, “Success comes through you before it comes to you.” By speaking your commitments into existence, you can attract energy to you, which will support your making things happen . . . if you are truthful and focused while honestly sharing both those times when your accomplishments are measuring up and those times when they have fallen short of what you have said.

We must be ethical and honest at all times. Too many distributors will say anything to prospects to get them involved. Check out some of the ads in any papers or letters, and you’ll see what I mean. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. Greed often clouds our judgment about what to believe.

We must be careful that we speak honestly, respecting our prospects and giving them the best that we can offer. We need to distinguish the wide array of benefits and contributions that our MLM opportunity presents. We need to talk about what they, the prospects, want, and we need to focus our speaking, and then our actions, on team efforts.

Only then will talk really become a vehicle for helping dreams come true.

The Hierarchy of Opportunity in MLM

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2006
email: ensilva@aol.com
web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

If you are a top leader, scratching your head at the ineffectiveness of your new distributors ― if you’re an MLMer, who has never really made money in the industry in spite of “working” several programs ― if you’re on a plateau, unable to drive your income above that glass ceiling ― this one’s for you.

It cost me well over $30,000 in business-consulting fees and seminar costs to really comprehend this life-changing insight. (It’s amazing how much more insightful you get when you’ve paid a lot of money.) The good news is . . . you’ve got a shot at collecting this information for the price of the time it takes you to read this article.

The insight is that perhaps the biggest difference-maker between the industry icons and the unsuccessful is that icons avoid wasting time on “low-level” activities if “higher level” activities can be accomplished instead, thus they utilize the hierarchy of opportunity to help them make the best use of time.

Let me explain: distributors in our business become successful ultimately by “talking with people.” Generally, when they begin to work their businesses, they may experience little or no success. When they return to you for guidance ― if they do ― you might say, “Talk to more people.”

However, if the distributor does not have an effective story in place, if the distributor has not been trained in how to properly “language” people in the conversation, then most likely more will not be better . . . it will just be more.

What needs to happen in that case is that the new distributor needs to spend some time instead, having YOU pitch the prospect so that he or she can see some effective modeling of better techniques.

Instead of spending so much time looking for fresh prospects, your distributors need to understand the hierarchy of opportunity and utilize the probability of expanding market patterns by contacting current customers/distributors and selling them additional products.

If they already like your products, chances are they will be receptive to products they haven’t tried yet. Obviously, one of the best and highest uses of time would be to get them enrolled in your automatic shipment program so that they have no product-purchase interruption and they continuously create a volume stream.

It is obviously everyone’s highest best use of time to build attendance at events and to put a lot of strategy into how to create new attendance records at every event. We have always said that decisions are made at events, and each person in attendance at a major event could easily be worth $1000 a piece to you.

Of course, when people go to events, the “hierarchy of opportunity” plays a large factor. It is vital that distributors (and leaders, of course) place top priority on being early to all segments of the program, “circ and perk” to do nugget-sharing or gleaning, and tuck themselves in early (instead of partying all night) so that they will be fresh, attentive, and energetic for the next day’s business.

Many MLMers spend a great deal of time out in the hall at events ― definitely the wrong message to send new distributors. Either you need the meeting . . . or the meeting needs you. There is never an excuse that justifies your missing a presentation, no matter how many times you have heard it. Furthermore, the hierarchy of opportunity definitely requires you to re-evaluate how much time you spend with which people.

Some people are time vampires. They call frequently and take up hours talking about virtually nothing. Stop meeting with them every time they want to get together, but rather ask them what the purpose of a meeting would be, and if it sounds important enough, then make it a phone meeting so that you can better manage the clock.

Doing something with one person that you could do with several simultaneously is a poor use of your time. Because I finally comprehended this, I set up a 12-week group internship conference call. I am now training about 4 dozen people simultaneously who are each duplicating those training procedures with 3-6+ people each. In essence, I am actually “training” over 240 people with such massive duplication potential . . . and it takes me 1 hour a week.

The best news about that is . . . the promise of my internship program was that it would at least double the income of every participant. A significant number of participants had their incomes double the very first month!

I think you can see the value of making the best use of your time vs. working harder instead of smarter. I suggest that you take an honest look at how fruitful your activities really have been, and ask yourself how you can produce more in less time.

Prioritize the importance of every thing you do, then systematize it whenever possible. I promise you that this will increase your income dramatically, while decreasing your frustration.

You CAN make big money in MLM. We’ve made almost seven million dollars with our present company (while others have failed in it), and we have a proven track record of building significant new-distributor incomes within the first month or two by utilizing these principles.

Not everyone is going to make the over $10,000 his first month that Billy Banks made . . . or the over $16,000 her first 60 days that Karen Imhoff made . . . or the over $6000 her first month that Andrea Dudley made. Nevertheless, everyone can at least replace an income, and everyone can follow a proven plan to utilize the highest, best yield for time invested. My wish for you is that you can accomplish your dream and your vision for your future through the financial and time freedom that our industry allows. Good luck in re-structuring the way you are using your time to make the most of your MLM opportunity.

The Reluctant MLM Spouse

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2006
email: ensilva@aol.com
web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

You can sense it immediately. . . . You are talking with a prospect, and you are hearing more about how his or her spouse will react than how your prospect is feeling about the opportunity you are offering him or her.

You might have heard things like:
“My husband hates it when I go out at night for meetings.”
“I’m going to have a lot of resistance about the time this will take from my family.”
“My spouse is not going to let me spend any money.”
“My wife hates MLM.”
“My spouse is going to throw it up to me about all the other deals I tried that didn’t work.”
“My wife hates it when I’m on the phone a lot.”
And so on.

Let’s face it; either you or someone you know has burnt a few bridges at home pursuing an opportunity that didn’t work out. However, it is vitally important to win over that reluctant spouse if you can.

Years of experience with this topic have given me a number of helpful suggestions I can pass along to you. First, spend some time in a freeing discussion clarifying the dreams that your spouse has about where he or she would like your family to be and what he or she would like to do with the MLM time and financial freedom you could create by building a successful organization.

Often times, when your loved ones start “thinking big,” they begin to realize for the first time that your fixed salaries are unlikely to allow fulfillment of those dreams. Consider materialistic dreams like new homes, cars, boats, clothes, jewelry, vacations and toys . . . and then consider your dreams of time freedom. Perhaps you would like to avoid the commute, spend more time at sports events for your children, or volunteer more for your church.

Once you have fully explored the possibilities regarding time and money freedom, you need to put a star by a couple that could be realizable within a year (like a promised diamond wedding ring to replace the cheap band you started with, for example).

Let your spouse know that you are committed to working hard toward accomplishing the items on the family’s list with your MLM income. Reassure your spouse that you will keep good records to maximize tax breaks (more “found” money). Make a promise (then keep it) to coordinate your schedule with your spouse’s, compromising whenever possible so there is still quality family time.

Stop “convincing” your spouse through high pressure tactics and instead allow your spouse to explore your product line without forcing a success story (in my company, the spouse often loses a huge amount of weight, like 19 pounds in 10 days, and then wants to take over the business).
Don’t commit a huge amount of family money to back a business if you are the only one excited about it; start on a shoestring and work your way up instead. Realize that what will shift your spouse’s attitude is a different result than what you’ve had before. You can only create a different result if you get “tunnel vision” with a “ten foot tall and bulletproof” mentality.

Make up your mind, once and for all, that you are not going to quit unless the company goes down. Too many people only pursue an opportunity for 90 days or less. If I had been relying on big production in my first 90 days, then I would’ve quit my deal and missed out on the almost 6 million dollars we made a little later.

Your spouse does not necessarily want to “take you to raise” and have to indulge all your poorly-thought-through whims. Understand that you will enhance the quality of your marital relationship considerably when you respect and acknowledge your spouse’s negative thoughts about your endeavors. If you really get honest, you’ll probably have to admit that the first time or two you tried such a venture, your spouse didn’t have those negative feelings.

If you work on understanding how your spouse feels and listen on that level, chances are you will break down the animosity with patience and production.

Some people say when you really want something . . . give it away. But, if what you really want is to control your spouse . . . give up on that idea. Chances are, you’ll start experiencing a lot more of what you’re really looking for once you stop controlling and start communicating.

A good marriage, after all, is just a good series of on-course corrections and compromises… preceded by tremendous empathy and a desire by both spouses to bring more than 50% to the relationship.

If you are having spousal problems in MLM, then chances are you are having spousal problems in other areas too. An awareness of this will give you a chance to mend your relationship in a healthy way before other areas of the marriage become contaminated.

Remember what they say: “You could do it without ‘em, but you’d whole lot rather have them on your side.”

Free Thank You Gift Certificate

As a holiday thank you to all of you, Dr. Silva is offering a free thank you gift and a free gift certificate for $10-$20 off phone orders from today until January 1st, 2007. To receive your gifts simply call Dr. Silva’s office at 817-424-5204.

Trading Glory for Dollars: The Art of Leading from the Back of the Room

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2006
email: ensilva@aol.com
web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

There is probably not another profession on the face of the earth more tailor-made for the “average person” to develop into a stage seeker than MLM. From the time you take your distributors to their first major event on (and perhaps even from the time you take them to their first business meeting), many of them begin to long for the moment when they can step up to the microphone. In fact, one the first declarations they make is, “Next year, I’m going to walk across that stage!”

There is something intoxicating to people about being center stage. Actually, I find it rather humorous that while I hear many people declare an aversion to speaking from the front of the room, it never seems to shorten the length of their remarks. In fact, sometimes the so-called terrified ones have to be cut off by the host of the program because they won’t shut up.

Although the lure of being on stage for money has a compelling charisma, I would list it as one of the most expendable activities for any leader wanting to make the big money. You may be wondering why I say that. It’s because your best money-making spot is the back of the room as you watch your leaders flock to the stage.

The more your leaders get to participate from the front of the room, the more momentum and enthusiasm they will have for the event. Incidentally, they almost never find fault with an event in which they are a major participant.

It is important to begin cultivating them for that leadership participation as soon as you sign them up. Begin in small groups, like at a home party or a small meeting. First, they need to observe you (or someone else) and ask questions. Then, you need to coach them for a small participation role. When they have successfully mastered a supportive part and have proven that they can manage the clock, you will want to give them their starting role chance.

I first heard this “lead from the back of the room” stuff from my husband Taylor back in 1986. I though, at the time, that perhaps it was overrated. I was confident back in my professional teaching days that a trained presenter would be hard to beat.

What I learned is that it’s not about “beating.” It’s about developing, encouraging, supporting, and envisioning. It’s about accepting standards, temporarily, that might drop a tad so that they can ultimately rise to a new level. This fits right in with Taylor’s motto: “We build the people, the people build the business.”

In December of 2002, Taylor and I decided to host a historic Leadership Summit meeting. We had 55 of our top leaders come in for a 72-hour marathon. It was one of our finest hours. After a Mexican fiesta dinner and a tour of our estate, we held a Vision Workshop. The breakthroughs that began to occur there are still unfolding.

On Saturday, seven of our top leaders presented to the group. The afternoon culminated in a question and answer panel followed by an inspirational call to action. I’m sure the string of seven limousines we hired to carry us to a holiday party at the CEO’s estate added extra sparkle to the event ― but we are still at a loss for words to describe the power of the entire experience.

“Leading from the back of the room” is what generated that winning format. It is also how you can get the most out of an event while observing the responses of the audience. I would encourage you to set your ego aside and build up those around you. You may not see your name on the program, but you’re more likely to see it on a bigger check.

I’ve always said if I can make at least $30,000 a month, I can get by. If you aren’t happy with where your leadership has taken you, try stepping out of it and passing the baton. Trading glory for dollars seems like a pretty fair trade to me.

Here are some tips for leadership development:
1. Set and live by high standards;
2. Be consistent;
3. Know your people;
4. Bring out the best in people;
5. Earn the respect of your team;
6. Delegate;
7. Build confidence by showing confidence;
8. Project positive expectancy;
9. Create team achievement;
10. Communicate enthusiastically;
11. Have a vision.

Remember Mary Kay’s National Sales Director, Luella Gunter’s famous words, “Ultimate success is the ability to inspire followers to become leaders.”

Lessons from the Crib – How to Hold Your New Recruits

Dr. Eileen Silva © 2006
email: ensilva@aol.com
web: http://www.easilymakingmoney.com/

Enrolling someone in your business is of little consequence to your success in MLM. Getting continuous production from that recruit is the key to success. So, what are the elements which result in converting a “recruit” into a “leader?”

Well, after spending 2½ weeks with my toddler grandchildren several years ago, an insight bolted into my consciousness: if you make it fun and interesting --- concentrating on what THEY want, then you pretty much get compliance. I realized, as I thought about what it took to get cooperative action from our little darling 1 and 2-year-old grandchildren that the same logic certainly applied to MLM.

Some elements of our business are very challenging to people, and we have a hard time getting our new recruits into action. One of those elements is prospecting. But, what if you had a reward program to “pay” your recruits weekly if they got the job done? I can tell you from experience that once I established a monopoly type paper “pay” system in my weekly Boot Camp call, participants would do practically anything to make sure they got “paid.”

When I started “paying” everyone to prospect 3-5 people a week and “paying” people to sponsor, they accomplished these activities a lot more successfully. In addition, when I started “paying” my distributors for exercising, instead of just nagging them to get more fit, I got incredibly better results.

One of my participants broke her toe, but she only missed one week’s money, soon finding a way to take up stationary bicycle riding to comply with the activities, so she could once again win all her weekly money, plus the weekly bonus for completing all 12 assignments successfully.

A major key here is that it is about what THEY want. Much of the training in our industry is a cookie cutter process designed to create exact duplication with everyone. Therein lies a problem.

Many people cannot SEE themselves doing certain things, like saying exactly what is in the script, or wearing a button. If, however, you could design a way to personalize your trainings, making them more interactive and perhaps even involving role-playing, then chances are you would retain a lot more people.

I have found that I can accomplish this in a group process over the phone. I structure my Boot Camp calls to allow for a significant amount of interaction every week. People are both acknowledged and rewarded. It’s not about me, it’s about them.

My first real conscious implementation of this “fun” and “interesting” behavior modification actually occurred many years ago, when I was a teacher in that small town high school in Escalon, California. I taught English and Home Economics.

In my Home Ec classes, due to the nature of the activities, I had to assign monitor duties (I thought) each week. Some students were required to unplug and turn off the irons, some folded dishtowels, some cleaned off tables and put away pattern books, etc.

I assigned such jobs alphabetically and wrote the “workers” names on a monitor list that I taped to my desktop. The kids complained incessantly that surely it wasn’t their turn again, etc. and ---quite frankly --- after 3 years of struggle, I decided that life was short, and I was tired of all the whining.

I came up with a revolutionary new “system.” I would accept only volunteers. No one would ever “have to” do a chore again. When I first announced the new program in each of my six classes, a snicker broke out when I said I was only accepting volunteers.

After waiting an appropriate length of silence for the snickering to subside, I then continued on to say that my “frequent” volunteers would be rewarded at the end of the semester with a 4X6 colored glossy photo of my celebrity pet parakeet “Little Michael,” which she would personally autograph, and a choice feather collection would be taped on the back of each collector’s item photo.

A stampede ensued in each class as students darted up to write their names in every week’s slots. My biggest “new” problem was that I didn’t have enough jobs for all the eager beavers. I thought to myself, “Let me see if I understand this. For 3 years, I have been struggling to get any cooperation in monitor duties. Now, I offer a 50 cent photo of a parakeet, and I get an enthusiastic effort all semester long --- and I even have substitute monitors lined up in case of absences!”

I continued to use the parakeet photo system for the remaining 11 years that I taught at Escalon High School, and my only problem with it ever was that I couldn’t create as many monitor jobs as I had volunteers, so I had to give credit to my long list of substitutes just to maintain fairness.

Fun and interesting . . . that’s the key. I hope you will take some time to consider applications of these insights for your MLM organization. Remember what Einstein aptly observed:

“The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.”