Putting all your eggs in one basket - TSF

In our business, depending too heavily on one leg of your organization can be the recipe for disaster.

I had a conversation today with the husband of a friend who is in another party plan company. After eight years working hard to build her organization, she has decided to put up her feet and take the next several months off. She is frustrated because `the' hotshot (and her best working buddy) on her team is down for the count after giving birth to her fourth baby at the beginning of the year.

When a strong team member makes the decision to ease back on her business - it not only affects her downline - but it can be discouraging to you as the upline as well - especially if you count heavily on her.

As you grow your organization it is important to keep the following in mind:
Always keep your recruiting glasses on. New recruits are the best resource of new energy and enthusiasm on your team.
Keeping new blood coming on board assures that your `pool' of potential new leaders is continually full. It is important to continually be grooming new leadership.
Never get too comfortable with the leadership team that you have in place. You want to continually be helping THEM to be grooming new leadership in their downline as well. That way, if `life happens' and they decide to step back from their business - they have leaders in place to fill the gap they leave.

Always maintain some form of a relationship with your entire organization. As you build, you may not always have the opportunity to personally connect with each member regularly. However, make an effort to be sure that they know who you are so if the need for you to step in as an upline arises. You can do something as easy as sending them your business card and a hand written note on personalized stationery to welcome them to the team. It takes just a moment - but it will make a big impression.

Finally, when it comes to team building - never put all your eggs in one basket geographically either. It is important to grow your team in many areas. That way, if one area is affected by a natural disaster (like Hurricane Katrina for example) - you still have team members working in other parts of the country.