The Most Common Complaints About marketing d affiliation, and Why They're Bunk

[Millsaps Jiles]

This review is done by a third party. I have no affiliation to All Dazzle. Over the years, I've often received emails saying, "I'm thinking of joining such and such a company, do you think I should?"

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When I review a company, I look for a few things. I look for company information. I want to know who they are, how long they've been around and who owns the company. I also look for information on the products. What does this company sell? Finally, I look for information about the business opportunity. If someone joins the company, what can they expect?

I began my search of this company on their corporate site. I found the company through their affiliation with the Direct Sales Association. I clicked the link offered by the DSA. I have to say I was quite disappointed. What I found was one page. I didn't find a website, but one page.

The page said the company was in their twelfth year of doing business. How could a company in its 12th year only have one page? So, my entire review and potential questions to ask are based on this one page.

There was nowhere to view the products. There was nowhere to view the business opportunity.

Their page did say they sell fashion, jewelry and accessories. Their page also does say they have a starter kit for those interested in the business opportunity.

At the bottom of the web page, two websites were listed. One of the sites led right back to this one page on All Dazzle. The other site led to a lingerie site. The lingerie site did show products and did have information on selling the lingerie products. There was nothing on the jewelry.

I did a web search for "all dazzle" and came up empty. I really couldn't find any information on this company or any consultant web sites.

If someone were to approach you about this business opportunity, I'd suggest the following questions:

1. Why is there nothing on the web about the company, the products or the opportunity?

2. How do distributors sell the products? Home parties? Catalog parties?

3. Are there catalogs available?

4. What is the start up cost and what do I get for my money?

5. How often are new products introduced and do I need to purchase them?

6. What is the commission for retail sales?

7. Are team building opportunities available?

8. How are distributors orders placed? Mailed in? Phoned in?

9. Do all orders need to go through a distributor?

10. How does the company help educate the public about the company and the product line?

Since there was just so little information available online, I strongly suggest asking many questions before signing up.

Leadership...The topic of leadership is amazingly broad. Hundreds of definitions exist attempting to refine and specify exactly what leadership means. But today, I want to share the one thread which seems to me to be key in any good leader's approach: the thread of affiliation.

Briefly, people desire to belong to something great. But, not only do they desire to belong, they desire to contribute. A brilliant philosopher, executive, and social scientist by the name of Chester Barnard [1] explained that the motivation of tangible items, such as money or wealth, only lasts for a short time (one - two years) for most people. Certainly, a person may be motivated to contribute their time, talent, and energies for a brief period in exchange for monetary compensation. But, Barnard said those who are drawn into an organization for intangible reasons of belonging and contributing enjoy a long-lasting relationship. In other words, intangible values, and specifically the sense of affiliation and contribution create the strongest forms of incentive available to garner lasting commitment and followership.

Neal A. Maxwell said of the Mormon pioneers: "church members did not become inactive while crossing the plains, when the sense of belonging and being needed was so profound" [2]. In other words, when a person is needed and their contribution valued, their desire to invest of themselves into an organization retains an enduring quality even marketing affiliation under the most extreme conditions.

Now you ask, what does this have to do with leadership, with youth, or with coaching? Here is the point - as leaders we must remember what it means for team members to achieve their goals and to contribute. In other words, enable and praise contribution. Give all glory out to those who follow and take none in to yourself. When contribution and affiliation are prized, respected, appreciated, and recognized, individual team members rise to an entirely new and higher level of performance and capability.

I have seen all types of leaders. Those who are most effective build their followers with emotional and intellectual strength by valuing contribution and by placing the follower role above the leader's role in public comment and sincere context. In essence, the best leaders seem to allow others to flourish. In fact, they not only allow it, they facilitate it.

Leaders who use their opportunity to stand in front of the crowd and draw all of the intangible energy coming from the leadership experience to benefit themselves miss a wonderful opportunity. Leadership interactions do seem to create a strong energy which is powerful and might be thought of as food for the soul because it makes one stronger, hardier, and more alive. This powerful intangible energy provides enabling capacity for those who imbibe. By diverting the intangible energy created from leadership opportunities from self to followers, the leader and followers both enjoy an increased measure of satisfaction because the energy created exhibits a multiplier effect. That is to say, the energy created by building others redoubles again and again and again, etc., impacting others for great good. Like a ripple in a pond the positive energy of facilitating affiliation and contribution spreads outward in a series of waves. There is something deep within the human soul that craves recognition, appreciation, and belonging; and when a person receives it a new and stronger desire to share that passion and power is created. When leaders facilitate the motivations of affiliation and contribution the entire group benefits because the energy is multiplied effecting not only direct team members, but others who enjoy direct and indirect associations with the team as well.

Based on my research and years of experience, I find leaders who build those around them enjoy a long-lasting, consistently dedicated, and highly loyal following. Leaders who use their role to achieve personal benefit or to fulfill their own internal needs of self-importance never acquire the true wealth that loyalty, dedication, and teamwork foster. When working with a team, whether of adult professionals or teen-age athletes, the approach that consistently gets the greatest results is to seek after the welfare of the team, make sure the opportunity for affiliation and contribution exists, and then recognize success vehemently.

1. Barnard, C., The functions of the executive. 1938, Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 334.

2. Maxwell, C.H., ed. The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book. 2009, Deseret Book: Salt Lake City, UT.