amway_postma_memo1
Wohhhaaa... some scary stuff in this memo! I would point out that it is more than 20 years old. Having said that, I've little doubt much of it is still true, at least in parts. Let's however compare what it says Britt/Yager does compared to what I've always been taught in Network 21 (incidentally, N21 was formed some 6 years after this memo).
A. Relationships
well, obviously relationships are important in any business, and obviously in a networking business your upline relationships are very important. Remember though, this is to each IBOs advantage. As a new IBO, one of the first questions you get is "yeah? so how much do YOU make?". To be able to introduce your propects to successful people you know personally is very useful. It's also of course useful to have the knowledge and experience of your upline available to teach you and your business.
A.1 This section has quite a few areas of difference with N21. For example -
"distributors are taught that they are to do all that has been requested of them by their line of sponsorship"
no no no no no!!! We are taught to think like an OWNER. It's YOUR business!! Get advice, then MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION.
"There is no room for individuality or creativity. They are taught consistently that there is no need for creativity, since the line of sponsorship has the answers for them"
complete opposite - be creative! Come up with new ideas and approaches! We are constantly having new approaches and techniques and tools moive through our LOS and system. Some of the ideas have come from brand new IBOs! Obviously though, if you have a great idea, run it past your upline. If they've been around a while they may already have tried it and seen if it works or not, or other pitfalls. That just makes sense.
"In fact, after a Direct becomes a Diamond, he is still not free to act on his wishes. In the area of finances, a new Diamond in the Puryear organization recently confided that in order for him to buy a house, it was necessary for him to receive the approval of Ron Puryear and Bill Britt"
This is just a horrifying comment to me. I've heard Jim Dornan, founder and owner of Network 21, explicitly say that you need to be careful in your advice to downline. Chances are you are not a professional counseller, or account, or for that matter real estate agent :-), so don't give advice in these types of areas! If people have, say, marriage difficulties, encourage them to get professional help! Upline is there to advise on the business - anything else borders on dangerous!
2. Relationships with other lines of sponsorships
"They may read no other material except that provided by their line of sponsorship"
In Network 21 we are encouraged to read as much as possible, not just the "recommended books". Obviously we are encouraged to read "worthwhilė material" and not just romance novels, but definitely completely different to this reported approach.
"They may listen to no tape or receive any other information from any source, other than their line of sponsorship"
again, we are encouraged to get more education. Go to personal development seminars, listen to other personal development and business tapes.
"It excludes from the sources of information any reference to any other line of sponsorship or any achiever in Amway"
well, my very first seminar and the guest speaker was a guy by the name of Louie Carrillo. He explicitly mentioned how he was not a part of the Network 21 organisation. That's happened numerous times since with other speakers. Funnily enough, at later times some of these speakers have moved their organisations across to Network 21. I wonder why :-)
3. Relationship with the corporation.
"the line of sponsorship does not allow communication between the distributor and the corporation"
Right from the beginning if I had a question directly related to the business side of things rather than the networking side, I was encouraged to not waste my uplines time getting them to find the answer, but to contact the corporation directly! We are encouraged to attend Amway provided events. The corporation itself has had a speaker at every major Network 21 seminar I've been to for some years.
B. Motivation
1 and 2. Tapes and books and Functions
In Network 21 there's a pretty basic formula followed just as it is in any business. The more tapes and books you buy, then the cheaper you get them per unit. It always surprises me that people find this strange! As a businessperson outside Amway, this seems normal to me! In any case though, there are checks and balances in place to ensure that the prime focus is on moving Amway product, not tools.
3. Accessories
This is new to me! Never seen it in N21
4. Counseling
In Network 21 this is just business planning and advice - makes sense!
5. Moving Up
"If a Diamond sponsors a Diamond, that second Diamond should not go Double Diamond until the first does"
Oh good grief, how insecure are these people? My upline has consistently said how great it would be if I had a bigger business than them! Heck, the bigger my business the more money they make! One of my upline Emeralds has dozens of Diamonds and above in his business. He even has at least two Crown Ambassadors!
I can barely even comprehend the thinking behind these comments!
Summary
Amazing if true, and I have no reason to believe it is not. We are encouraged right from the beginning in Network 21 to think like an owner; To get information and make our own decisions. If you are just a slave to your upline, what's the difference with having a boss? It's YOUR business, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Yah, think like an owner. Find out more about your suppliers and cut a better deal.
As scary as all of the things in the Postma memo sound, the fact is that most of them are true. I am a former member of the Yager/Stewart/Rummel/Maxwell Diamond line.
It seems, though, that the closer you get to Yager and Britt (that is, the people that they directly sponsored or who have been in their sponsorship lines for decades) the worse the abuse and control is. There are stories too numerous to mention about "kingpin" Diamonds in the Yager organization (including Yager) telling lower Diamonds that if they don't do everything *exactly* as they are told, with no questions asked, then they will have their group and system money taken away from them by their upline. So much for "freedom". Perhaps this is why the two dozen or so Diamonds who resigned a few years ago were mostly Diamonds who had been in the business less than ten years.
Former Yager/Stewart/Rummel Emerald Jeff P. has told explicitly that once he reached Emerald, he was expected to ask permission from his upline Diamonds for any purchase (jewelry, clothes, cars, house, etc.) that would affect his outward appearance or image to his downline or to new prospects. Others have related stories about upline ordering them not to buy certain homes or cars, or not to attend weddings or graduations or funerals if it conflicts with a major function.
I have also wondered about the significant number of divorces that occur among big pins in the Yager and Britt organizations. Sure, today divorce is to be expected, but if this business makes you free and fulfills your dreams and (as I have heard on numerous tapes) actually *strengthens* your marriage, then what gives? I would guess that the enormous amount of control placed over IBO's by the Yager/Britt systems (as outlined in the Postma memo) results in people who no longer understand reality. When one spouse lives in a "dream world" created by their upline and the other spouse lives in reality, things will eventually fall apart. Since the goal of the Yager/Britt "dream world" is 100% control with zero outside influence, these marriages are doomed. (And Britt says that his is a "God-ordained business".)
I am happy to read that your system seems to strive to treat IBO's as individuals, not cogs in a giant machine solely designed to make those at the top super-rich. But I'd always keep an eye on what's going on out the window, and make sure that your "reality" isn't defined by what someone else says. Good luck with your endeavors.
"But I'd always keep an eye on what's going on out the window, and make sure that your "reality" isn't defined by what someone else says"
Exactly!!! Make the "I" in IBO stand for something .... particularly Independent thought!
quixtar is a scam and a cult
Post a Comment