Teach By Example

About 5 years ago, I made a thoughtful decision to start a business by way of a network marketing company. While the first few days were a bit rocky, I soon experienced a level of success that exceeded my expectations. Over the next 10 months, I worked closely with the leadership and reached another point of achievement. It felt amazing!

Not long after, my friend and mentor, the one who was guiding me on this journey, made a decision to move a couple of hours away. This meant that we wouldn't see or work in the same way that we had been during the preceding months. It was both scary and exciting. It was scary because there was still so much to learn, but exciting because I was being promoted into a leadership role. 

What I realized almost immediately was that I was great as an individual, but wasn't as strong as a leader. I remember one lady on the team telling me that she was happy for my success, but wondered how she could experience it for herself. It was then that I stopped doing the activity that helped me realize success and looked instead to encourage her to increase her activity. My plan was to talk about the strategy that I employed and massively educate the team on the how-to's. 

Eventually, this young lady closed her business and I had to start rebuilding where I left off. The lesson I learned in that moment was to never stop doing what works. 

A year or so after that experience, I had another amazing run with a team of go-getters. They were hungry, excitable, and highly energetic. It was so much fun and I learned a lot about how to build and support a team of entrepreneurs. I loved it! 

Process for Teaching

Today, as I continue my work with new business owners and share the building lessons that I've learned over the years, I was reminded of the process by which we help others find success in this industry. Not just in this industry, but life in general. The process involves the following steps:

• Step 1: I tell you how to do it.
• Step 2: I show you how to do it.
• Step 3: You do it, I watch you, and then I give feedback.
• Step 4: You do it all by yourself.
• Step 5: You teach someone else how to do it.     

Since the very beginning, I was good for telling you how to do it. I would quickly move to watching you do it, with feedback, and then letting you go. While it seemed to work fine, I knew there was something missing. Today, it's as clear as a window after Windex. I completely ignored step number 2, which is the show you how to do it. Be it at the office, at home, at the gym, in the fraternity, or now in the business world, I skipped such an important step in the learning and teaching process.

It is by doing the activity and inviting you to join me on the journey that one gets to hear and see how something should be done. It's small, yet powerful. Again, by going to the gym, attending the class, talking to prospects, loving your spouse, and reading the books that I show you how to experience success in your life. That point was so good, I had to reiterate twice.

So, as we go into this day, let's take the action that we wish to teach and invite others to come along for the ride. "Oh, you want to learn this valuable point, huh? Great, how about you sit back, relax, and watch me go to work." 

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