Suzan Svatek

Gentle Persuasion

Lincoln on Leadership – Chapter 3

Getting back to “Lincoln on Leadership”, Lincoln lived on a philosophy of deep respect for his fellow humans. He felt that coercion, rather than persuasion, was akin to Dictatorship, which he abhorred. Lincoln led through openness and honesty. Lincoln felt that coercing another human being took away their dignity and the basic rights of the Constitution.

He did not hesitate to voice his opinion, but he always did it with respect. He went through a series of Generals. Lincoln practiced what he preached and lived. He expected his Generals to take initiative and LEAD. He delegated responsibility and expected follow-thru. Unfortunately he had a number of Generals who would not engage in aggressive battle with the Confederates. They would hesitate, and at times, not take action at all. Lincoln did not want the responsibility of leading his Army. He felt his responsibilities were with his elected office.

General George McClellan was accused of “deliberateness” (a.k.a. procrastination). Lincoln stood by him until it became apparent he was not willing to engage the enemy. Since Lincoln believed in persuasion, he never issued orders to his Generals. It was always suggestions. However, when he felt he had not other recourse, he relieved them of their command and appointed another General. Though Lincoln did not believe in coercing, he did believe in taking action.

In Network Marketing, we are about building “Know, Like and Trust”. That cannot be accomplished through coercion…..only persuasion. The fact is that even if you COULD force someone into joining you in your business, they would soon be “missing in action”, not returning phone calls and nowhere to be found. On the other hand, if we develop a relationship that provides a climate of trust, we are much more likely to have a prospect that is willing to do the work necessary to be successful. Persuasion is an art.

Lincoln’s Principles:

· When the occasion is piled high with difficulty, rise with it. Think anew and act anew.
· Don’t lose confidence in your people when they fail.
· Let your subordinates know that you are always glad to have their suggestions.
· If you never try, you’ll never succeed.
· Except in matters of broad policy, encourage subordinates to take action on their own initiative, without waiting for orders.
· Remember that the best leaders never stop learning.
· Surround yourself with people who really know their business, and avoid “yes” men.
· Be quick and decisive at employing new advances and make every attempt at getting new weapons into your soldier’s hands immediately.

Taken from “Lincoln on Leadership” by Donald T. Phillips

Educating yourself is vital to good leadership. To find out how to be a Network Marketing leader, download and read the free Ebook at: http://www.mentoringformlm.com

Lincoln on Leadership – Chapter 2

Can you imagine a more appropriate topic for Network Marketing? Network Marketing is all about building relationships (Alliances).

Lincoln spent an enormous amount of time building alliances with everyone from his Cabinet, Generals to office staff workers. He saw every relationship as important. Lincoln wanted to know how everyone ticked. Would they meet the challenge under pressure or would they fold? What were their ethics and values? As an effective leader he needed to know whom he could count on and who would need extra support. He also wanted everyone to know him well so they knew what to expect from his leadership style. Lincoln left nothing to chance.

Network Marketing Leaders build strong interpersonal relationships with their team and prospects which is the difference between succeeding and failing. Retention of your team is paramount to building your business. People join people, they don’t join companies. Building relationships develops Know, Like and Trust with your team and prospects.

Lincoln was a great listener. He was a master at dealing with conflict. His own “team” knew they could depend on him and could pretty well predict what his response would be in a given situation. He was firm, kind and resourceful, with a distinct mind of his own. He was able to overcome intense negative feelings directed toward him. Divisiveness can greatly weaken your team. Just spending time with your team, getting to know them, how they work, treating them with dignity and respect, will create great loyalty.

“Lincoln’s Principles:

· Wage only one war at a time.
· Spend time letting your followers learn that you are firm, resolute, and committed in the daily performance of your duty. Doing so will gain their respect and trust.
· Etiquette and personal dignity are sometimes wisely set aside
· Invest time and money in better understanding the ins and outs of human nature.
· Remember, human action can be modified to some extent, but human nature cannot be changed.
· Showing your compassionate and caring nature will aid you in forging successful relationships.
· When you extinguish hope, you create desperation.”

Taken from “Lincoln on Leadership”.