Tips for Leaders

March has kicked off a new team challenge from my upline, Hope (yes, another Hope).  I am sure she is not alone in challenging her team to be their best.  It is the time of year when everyone in direct sales is working towards a HUGE goal – a leadership trip, a promotion, National Conference.  Whatever the goal, I am sure that recruiting and leadership plays a key role.  For some, leadership is old news.  There are seasoned veterans who grow their team at a drop of the hat.  There are those who struggle with recruiting and as a result doubt their leadership abilities.  Then there are those who are just starting out in leadership, eager to absorb every tip that comes along.  Here are some top tips from Direct Sales Education Foundation for being a good leader:

• Put people first. It isn’t always about the money. Putting people first is not only the right thing to do, but in the long run, it will contribute to your developing a good reputation as a reliable, trustworthy business person.  
  
• Work cooperatively with others. In any sales career, you will interact with all different kinds of people. It is important to find common ground and cooperate to maximize your productivity. This goes for customers and colleagues alike.  You may run into people that push your buttons – I know I have – so I practice “bless and release”.  Come on, we all have people like this maybe even some on our team.
• Maintain high positive energy. It’s normal to feel stressed or burned out once in awhile, but maintaining a high level of energy and positivity will work wonders for your own morale. Remind yourself why you started your business, what you love about it, and why you want to continue. Be your own best cheerleader; it will go far in helping to motivate others looking to you for guidance.  Definitely something that I need to work on – “being my own best cheerleader”.
• Set clear goals.  Clear, specific, and challenging but realistic.  Decide exactly what you want and how you will go about achieving your goal to set yourself up for success.
• If you can’t measure it, don’t do it. I like this since I tend to get pulled off track easily.
• Share your power with your people.  The feeling of wanting others to share in your enthusiasm should play a big role in your business. You’ve mastered a certain set of skills that are bringing you great success; share how you do it with others. People under your leadership want to learn.
• Lead with action more than words. If you tell people one thing, but do another, you will lose your credibility. Words mean nothing when accompanied by actions that don’t match. 
• Keep it simple, and don’t sweat the small stuff.   There will always be obstacles, but be sure to pick your battles and don’t get bogged down with trivial things.
• It’s business, but make it fun! The wonderful thing about a career in direct sales is the flexibility it brings in allowing you to make the business your own. Add your own personal flair to your sales pitch, your professional development workshops, and your opportunity presentations. Find what makes you happy and integrate the fun stuff into your business. Your enjoyment will rub off on those around you.

By strengthening your leadership skills, you will improve your customer service as well as begin to prepare for any future aspirations you may have for a leadership position.  Taking on a leadership role may or may not come naturally to you, but adopting certain qualities will definitely improve your effectiveness.

What do you think of our list? Would you add anything else? Please share your ideas below!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!