CHAPTER 01
A simple scale with a powerful lesson
Many years ago, my upline taught me a training called “Digging for Gold”. It remains one of my favourites: simple, practical and surprisingly powerful. Ready?
Imagine a scale from one to ten. Ten is the superstar, with outstanding contacts, charisma, skills and habits, plus a burning desire to succeed in this business. One has few of those starting advantages.
Who would you rather have on your team? The ten, of course. But how do you find those people when you do not know many superstars yourself?
You have to dig for gold.
CHAPTER 02
The easy path goes downhill
Suppose you are a five in this model. Most people around you are fours, fives and sixes. Some bring a little less than you, some a similar amount and some more.
As a five, you will probably find it easier to approach a four than a six. The four looks up to you. The six may make you feel less confident. Perhaps you reject them in your mind before they can reject you.
So your frontline fills with fours. Now duplication takes over.
A four knows threes, fours and fives. Who are they most comfortable approaching? The threes. Those people know twos, threes and fours. You can see where this is going.
Five, four, three, two. The easier path leads downhill. Comfortable, yes. But hardly the direction you wanted.
Your team can strengthen or weaken you. You decide.
CHAPTER 03
Sponsor up
If you want to build a strong team, consciously sponsor up.
Look at your contact list again. Mark the sixes and those above: the capable people you respect, the people who have already achieved something, the people you look up to.
Approaching them may give you goosebumps. You are afraid of rejection. Yes, they can say no. Some will.
But in my experience, successful, talented people are often open to examining a business idea. They are used to evaluating opportunities. You do not need an elaborate story to start the conversation.
My direct approach is:
“Have you heard about network marketing? How much do you know about this business model, and what do you think of it?”
Straightforward. No talking around the subject. Naturally, you need to stand behind a solid company and its business model yourself.
If a contact brings more experience or expertise than you, invite your experienced upline into a three-way conversation. Bringing another knowledgeable person in to answer questions looks professional. It shows respect.
CHAPTER 04
From six to seven, and eventually ten
Your new six knows fives, sixes and sevens. What will you advise them to do? Exactly: look up again.
Then comes the seven, perhaps an eight, and one day, possibly deep in your organisation, the ten. A strong leg develops. Bingo!
One final point: These numbers are a model, not a strict judgement of people's worth. People grow. I have watched partners become successful through personal development.
The model helps you see how your choices duplicate and where to invest your attention. If you want a strong team, look for strong players, even when the first conversation takes more courage.
All the best, Sven