Leadership: The Art of Pulling vs. Pushing by:John Stuart Leslie

As a network marketing leader, I get a lot of feedback from my downline about people who fail to step up

. This lead my to question whether the issue was with the leader or the follower.

A leader who has a relationship with a group of people such as a department manager, a drill sergeant or a sports coach often asks for "volunteers" from their team to do something beyond what is expected from the leader.

How the group reacts to the request for volunteers says a lot about the leader and the followers. A leader who does not command respect may not get any response. A great leader however, will get the entire group to volunteer.

Great networking leaders will know what the response will be from a well managed team. One way to find this out is to ask them to go beyond what is expected of them and observing their behavior.

Testing your team in this way (asking for volunteers) can also be called "separating the men from the boys" or "the wheat from the chafe", or "the cream will rise to the top", etc. A leader must therefore test their team, observe and learn.

Not only is a lot of information revealed about the motivations and drive among the team, but the degree of respect for the leader can also be revealed.

Those who volunteer go into the "pull" group; those who resist volunteering go into the "push" group. You can "lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". You have heard this many times. The point is obvious that one must decide they want to do something on their own.

Forcing someone to do something for which they do not having a burning desire is like pushing someone to do something against their will. They must possess the inner drive, the momentum so that you need only pull them along as a leader.

If you are a follower at the moment, examine how you react when your leader asks you to do something. Do they test you in any way? How do you react?

Do you feel resistance when they ask you to do something? Be careful not to be quick to put blame on the leader for failing to be an "effective" leader.

This could be a sabotage maneuver on your part. Perhaps you are not willing to go the extra mile to achieve your goals. Perhaps you are more aligned with the "idea" of having your own business rather than achieving it.

The actual achieving it would require you to change in some way and that it where many people get stuck. This is where leadership comes into play.

The effective leader can see the follower resisting. They know the feelings of being stuck. They can craft a game plan for the person and encourage them to create momentum so they can guide them along the path and pull them towards their goal.

Pushing is not leading. In fact, it is a step backward because you are not in front of them, rather you are behind them. You are in a subordinate position which only creates a relationship of dependency rather than self sufficiency.

As a network marketing leader, when someone falls into the "push" group, it is time to evaluate your strategy and time commitments. You may also wonder if it is you who is failing to be an effective leader.

Are you valuable to those you lead? Do you provide support, knowledge, encouragement and other forms of value to the group that they cannot get by going to a weekend seminar or purchase in a book?

About the author

John Stuart Leslie

Manifesting 24/7

"Grow Your Network As You Grow Your Self"

John Stuart Leslie is a network marketing professional providing solutions to struggling network marketers looking to stay in the game and achieve their goals.

Check out his blog site at:

http://www.manifesting247365.com

http://ww.manifestingmoney247.com

POST COMMENT

Achievement Through Goals by:Laurie-Ann Murabito The Effects Of Choices by:Laurie-Ann Murabito Five Ways To Handle Stress by:Laurie-Ann Murabito How To Create New Habits by:Laurie-Ann Murabito, CPCC,ACC Arresting Time Bandits - How To Keep Your Concentration And Double Your Productivity by:Len Foster The Stress Monster Will Upset Your Balance by:Lori Radun Personal Development How It Affected Me by:Lyndsay Searle A Personal Development Course that Changes Your Life by:Lyndsay Searle The Padmic System - How To Manifest Successful Goals Easily by:Raymond Hill 9 Secrets to Better Speaking by:Arvee Robinson Bereavement - How To Deal With Grief by:David Carroll Attitude of Entitlement and the Law of Attraction by:Rick Walker Hypnosis For Anxiety: Panic Disorder and Anxiety Reduction by:A. Thomas Perhacs