Orrin Woodward on LIFE & Leadership

Lately, I have been thinking a lot on what beliefs make the difference between building a large community rather than just trying real hard in Network Marketing. No matter what company you are affiliated with, these core beliefs will make a huge difference. The key is to find a company with owners who truly believe the same principles. These core beliefs will anchor you during the many adversities that life will send your way. When Laurie and I mentor the leaders on our team, the goal is to instill these beliefs into their lives and share how these beliefs will empower you to further success. Feel free to share these articles with anyone in the MLM, Networking or Community building field as I believe in giving back to the incredible field that has blessed me. I will share the key beliefs over the next several posts to help people develop into a Master Networker.

First Key Belief

The first principle for all top Networkers that endure the test of time is an undying faith in people. Faith allows the leader to see people where they are at, but have faith that they can improve. Without faith, pessimism and cynicism will reign and no leadership is possible. Leaders must give people the hope for a better tomorrow and the appropriate tools to obtain that better tomorrow. Hope with no plan or a plan with no hope will not get the job done. The leader must have faith in themselves, faith in their team, and faith in the plan to accomplish the objective of building a large community.

How do you develop this faith you ask? Everyone has faith in something. The atheist has faith in their belief that God does not exist. You cannot rationally prove that God exist or does not exist – both sides run out of logic and take their beginning points as articles of faith. Faith goes beyond reason into principles of life that cannot be proven for or against with rationality. Why do you have a faith in people? I could point to many examples of people who have grown and changed into leaders, but that would not prove rationally why I have faith in people. Someone else could show people who did not grow and change becoming bitter and resentful. Any Master Networker must have an unapologetic faith in people or they will never be able to lead with conviction. My faith in God and belief that people are made in the image of an Almighty God leads me to treat them with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Networkers who truly want to make a difference are called to love people and use things, not love things and use people.

Where are you on this core belief? Do you have a faith in people to grow and change with the right information? Yes, it is up to the people to take the information and apply it to their lives, but are you willing to faith it until they make it? I have seen people take five years to get their thinking right before growing the business. Can you love and respect people for years with no results and maintain the faith that they will get it right in time? If you can, then you have the faith necessary to build large communities. People are your most valuable asset in any company. Watching people grow and get better is the one of the highest joys associated with building a community. Watching people shrink and get bitter is one of the lowest of lows associated with building a community.

A Master Networker on faith will swallow the bitter pill to have the right to enjoy the better pill. People have an infinite worth and must be treated with care and dignity until they see the worth in themselves through the handiwork of God. Never, never, ever give up on anyone! The world is filled with cynics, critics, backbiters, and fools – don’t join the ever growing club. The world is crying out for leaders of character who will follow their core beliefs even when it hurts. Who will believe in people, even when it hurts? Who will follow through on their dreams, even when others say it can’t be done. Leaders by definition divide. Leaders of faith state that it is possible to change yourself by persistent and consistent efforts. Those who believe in this core principle will unite around the leader. Those who don’t have faith in people will attack the Master Networker as a charlatan and a crank.

Only time will tell who was right and who were the charlatans. Abraham Lincoln said, “I would rather believe in people and be let down once in a while than to not believe in anyone and never truly live.” William James, the great American psychologist and philosopher stated, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.” It takes faith to believe that and all Master Networkers have that faith. Pascal, the French philosopher and mathematician said, “The heart has it reasons that the mind knows nothing about.” Building a large network goes beyond the mind into the heart and reasons that are hard to quantify. Leaders just know in their hearts that they are responsible to serve and develop others. Examine your faith and ask do you have faith in the ability of people to change and become better? If you do, you have the first key belief necessary to build a large community and enter into the elite of Network Marketing. God Bless, Orrin Woodward