Written by PinkPeace

Recently I received the following e-mail recapping a conference call with NSD Karen Piro.  I’m not going to criticize the grammar/typos/etc., because obviously these were off-the-cuff notes put together for quick distribution.

But, oh my goodness, the content!  This call followed a well-worn Mary Kay pattern, including:

1. An apocryphal “real-life success story” with highly suspect sales figures (can’t wait to see what happens to Tawyna when she has finished moving through her family and friends)
2. Nonsensical platitudes and stories (“If there is hope in the future, there is power in the present” – wha?  Deaf frogs??)
3. The assertion that any difficulties or setbacks in your business are your own fault and have NOTHING to do with the economy (1984 is completely different than 2009, sorry to say, and the “scarcity mentality” that people are facing unfortunately comes from real scarcity)
4. An unintended reality report (“they see directors failing …they see more interviews with less results.”  Hmmm – ya think?)
5. Outlandish goals (“Am I holding 10 interviews a week?…move people up the ladder – 10 shows a week… Do 3 at meeting, 3 out of town, 4 in the field with key people… 40 a month will bring in new people.”  Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!  Those of us who have been in the business more than a couple of months know how preposterous it would be to even meet enough women to be able to book, confirm and hold 10 legitimate interviews a week.)

But read for yourselves  . . .

Bee Connected Conference call – February 9, 2009

• Karen Piro $80,000/highest mo. 8 million
• Tough Times Never Last, but Tough People Do!!!!
• I´m in the right business, at the right place, at the right time!
• We (MK) have NO DEBT…no one needs to bail us out or buy us out…sales have never been better. Tawyna has 17 guests coming to a meeting… per face average sales is over $100 – average classes are $600 to $1000. 10 show week – highest class was $1053, booked 4 and 3 basics. – avg class $337.
• When a decision is made, doubt disappears. Dance in the rain.
• The only issue is guarding our thoughts…Don´t buy into the scarcity mentality the press is feeding us. Show people how to make money…We have the power to help people change their life. Our products have never been better…help  people make an. extra $500 a month.
• Shake it off and be thankful for the blessings. Karen became a director in a recession— nobody told her! In 1984 a new national (recession, a newborn and lost directors)– – 2008-2009 we are back in recession…history keeps repeating itself…

Reread Dr. Schuller´s “Tough Times Never Last, but Tough People Do”

Summer of `82 – as if clocks were rolled back to the 30´s. Politicians used the state of the country to their advantage. It provided a great opportunity to highlight the failures, shortcomings, and faults of the opposite, political party. Democrats found in it an opportunity to blame the Republican administration which was in charge. Predictably, the Republicans, in turn, blamed the “Democratic administration that created the Problem” which the Republicans had inherited. ……(same)

Everybody was fixing the blame-nobody was fixing the problem! The problems persisted. They grew. The recession ran rampant across the country until nearly everyone was affected by it. No one was immune.

Yes the country had problems, but the biggest problem was our ATTITUDE toward the economic problem. Negative thinking spread like a plague from the infection of negative thinking, which spread by word of mouth, by conversations with friends as well as strangers, by television screens, and by radio news reports.

It spread quickly because in recessive times the tendency is to react negatively. Once an organism, a business, a life, or a country is infected with negative thinking, the infection attacks the mind, the heart, and the soul like termites that secretly gnaw away at the emotional support system! …. written in 1982!!!!….

No one will outwork us in MK…history repeats itself. We are just waiting to see what will happen….first the election……then in office……then the bailout  ……then the stocks……more terrorist attacks?…. What´s Next??? Are these in our control?

The opposite of fear is faith. There is no promise about anything. Faith and hope of a better tomorrow – push fear away and lean into faith. We expect a miracle everyday. Setbacks and surges…our company has always been stronger and you will be too if you stick through the recession. Prune the bush to make it stronger.

We must work harder through tough times. Ask yourself…….

• Do I love what I´m doing?
• What other career would I rather have?
• Mary Kay on the worst day is better than most jobs on its best day.
• When you come to the end of your rope tie a knot and hang on…our business can weather the bad economy. Life is tough, but I´m tougher.

Story:  Farmer had donkey… fell in the well…. animal cried…. animal old…. couldn´t get him out so decided to shovel dirt in and just get rid of him…. with each shovel… donkey would shake off the dirt and step up… did this over and over until he stepped up over the edge of the well and walked away… life will shovel dirt on you… shake it off and step up. Don´t stop and never give up.

Take a sabbatical on reading the paper and listening to the news…is it making you a better person or a better business???? ?…it affects your attitude.

Give new consultants one thing at a time to do so you don´t overwhelm them… pay less attention to the scoreboard…help them make money….do things differently…look for eagles and run from the buzzards.

What are we dealing with consultants right now…

fear…
low confidence….
effects of negative input (low energy)….
shaky positive attitudes….

FEAR – most basic – destroys our business, our relationships, our lives…it is one of the enemies inside us. People are fearful of not paying bills or losing their jobs… they see directors failing … they see more interviews with less results… the see a negative world ….. they have given up hope…

“If there is hope in the future, there is power in the present” (John Maxwell) Hope is the great activator!!! How do you feel when you have hope?….. how do you feel when you are discouraged? .

ZigZiglar – we are surrounded by people who need hope in their lives….you can see it in their actions…they don´t make the call…. they won´t seek counseling…. they won´t try in a relationship…. they won´t ask for help….. We need to give hope to people…rely on HOPE…be the hopeful side of any incident.

Should you walk around in la la land…No…..but HOPE is the choice. Look for the hope and choice in every situation. When people have disappointments…”I´m so glad that happened. because you will need that knowledge when you are a director”. In the last 24 hours…did I spread hope?

Think of 3 ways I can be a hope- giver…spread news of how people are selling more now. If you are in the field, you will know. Recruiting is increasing in their area. 1/3 of directors have increased unit size. Concentrate on what we know works…see the people, hold classes, and develop relationships… face to face always works best. You build a strong foundation and when it loosens up, we will be poised to take off!!!!
Am I projecting people into the future?
Move on up luncheon! (Check this)
What do you do to push through fear?…write down what you want to do and then  tell someone to make yourself accountable… bring up a past success and remember how you felt when successful…

LOW Confidence – Continually sell people on themselves. Sell them on the company…sell the importance of holding shows…build their confidence.

What´s working right now?…What´s not working right now?… Go to plan B or C…how can I improve it?. Confidence comes from being in ACTION
Action cures low confidence! If you are in action, you will have little time to listen to #3

Negative input from world – spread good news about my business and my people. Don´t contribute to the negative in the world. Don´t share problems. Go UP. Hang out with positive people. Give praise and encouragement to everyone you talk to. It radiates energy… shattered nerves into power…. increase whatever we praise! Praise releases ENERGY. If someone compliments you… how do you fee? You get a lift from praise! Actual physical energy is released with praise. When measuring fatigue…tired children were praised and their energy went up…when they were criticized. their physical energy nosedived. Science can measure it. It is going on in the world…don´t listen to them.

Story: A Frog – running competition – to reach a high tower… race began… no one thought the frogs would reach the top… not a chance–the. tower was too high.. .they began collapsing one by one…no one will make it… more gave up… everyone kept saying they wouldn´t make it……. one continued higher and higher. One frog got to the top…how did he do it?…how did he find the strength?…the winner was DEAF!!!! Never listen to other people…they take your dreams away from you.

Think of the power words have. Always be positive and be DEAF to what others say…. … SHAKY positive attitudes – I must keep a positive attitude all the time… make JOY non-negotiable – it cannot be stolen away. Think of someone who is joy-filled…..

The only unhappy ones are ones with nothing on their datebooks…if you are doing interviews or power starts… it will rub off… start on that goal… 30 minutes 3 miles…push through the pain…whatever it is.. .get started…. go the distance… help people with a work schedule and a 6 most important things list and weekly plan sheet.

Not thinking you need a schedule when you are president of your company is terrible. Am I holding 10 interviews a week?…move people up the ladder – 10 shows a week…Do 3 at meeting, 3 out of town, 4 in the field with key people…   40 a month will bring in new people. People will not come to meeting if it is 20 minutes away. Surround yourself with people.

Anchors and motors – lose the anchors and get with the motors…anchors drag you down!
If you have dreams and goals, you will have frustration. Get your head back in the game…don´t let negative thoughts take over. Support each other! Don’t gossip about people. What we put out comes back 10- fold – We must teach our consultants…the world is so negative (SNIOP susceptible to the negative influence of other people.) …

Phases are passages! When you hit a new plateau, go to the next one. We as leaders are dealers in HOPE. We must cut through the doom and gloom… people are tempted to look at the worst. The best and only answer for fear, low confidence, negative news, and poor attitude….only answer is to SEE THE PEOPLE. Hold the appointments, book, coach, sell, recruit. Be excited about tomorrow. We have an unequaled success story to tell. Make 2009 the year that we astonish everyone.

Oh, I think 2009 will be QUITE an astonishing year . . .