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Leadership is a world-impacting topic. Short of writing a compendium of lengthy manuals, it is difficult to organize this incredibly broad subject. Leadership cannot be discussed in a self-evident, sequential manner because its elements overlap and interconnect. They range in sophistication from elementary to presidential.

Leadership requires a different treatment depending on its application. Although the principles are the same, the practical aspects of EcoQuest leadership are different from what they would be if the same person were running a savings and loan institution, an NFL franchise, an airline, a Boy Scout troop, or a two-week family vacation.

But make no mistake; the principles of leadership come into play in each of these examples.

At various times we will discuss vision, goal setting, planning, financial planning, staffing and attrition, talent evaluation, attitude, ethics, communications, training, personal growth, personal example, habit development, problem identification, problem solving, problem anticipation, management, motivation, recognition, delegation, leader development, and crisis management. A dozen additional categories may be added.

Classifying the Levels of Leadership

I'm going to arbitrarily divide all the leaders in EcoQuest into six classifications. The key word in this statement is arbitrary. This is the Giddens view of things. Among the 650,000 people who have joined EcoQuest, only a few handfuls are "A" or "B" caliber leaders.

"A" Leaders are superstars who do a reasonably good job

of leading 100,000 or more people.

"B" Leaders are superstars who do a reasonably good job

of leading 10,000 or more people.

"C" Leaders are up-and-coming individuals who do a reasonable job

of leading 1,000 or more people.

"D" Leaders are beginners who do a reasonable job

of managing 100 or more people.

"E" Leaders are recruiters but very weak leaders.

"F" Leaders are non-recruiters, non-leaders.

Where do you fall in this ranking? Where would you like to be? What potential do your people have? What kinds of people are you recruiting? And, are the questions of leadership being asked down in your organization?

Comparing Recruiting to Leadership

An individual can be EcoQuest's best recruiter. He can have a large group and make a large income, but he may be no better than an "E" leader. Or he may be a "D" ... providing support for a small number of his favorite downliners but little or nothing to the masses.

As vital as recruiting is, it should not be confused with leadership. Recruiting is an aspect of leadership, not the whole thing. A weak recruiter cannot claim to be a "B" or "A" based on his ability to give motivational talks or on his lucky acquisition of a big group under one of his subordinates. When it comes to leadership, a single skill is not enough.

The Vision of a Leader

A leader must know where he is going. He must see the destination and the path. He must understand the gains that will be realized when his destination is reached—the gains for himself and the gains for his subordinates. Looking ahead, a leader must anticipate various obstacles that are apt to deter him. He must think of ways to avoid or surmount those obstacles.

EcoQuest's Leadership Needs

Basically, EcoQuest needs about one "D" leader for each 10 workers. The definitions we started with suggest that a "D" can handle 100 people. This is true; but from 100 people he will probably only get 10 workers (90 will be insignificant).

Through a combination of recruiting and selling, our WORKERS produce about 1,500 QV per month per worker (some production is from retailing, some is from new Success Packs, etc.). That's 18,000 QV per year. Based on our present size of $150,000,000 per year, this suggests that we have about 8,333 WORKERS at the present time. This can be cross-checked against the data provided in our Income Disclosure Statement. The company reported that in April 2004 we had about 6,000 "active people" holding the rank of Distributor or Manager or higher. It's pretty close.

If you want 15,000 QV (the amount required for Manager Qualification), the pathway should be clear: Attract or develop 10 leaders within your Open Group. The alternative is to struggle and sweat bullets all month long. Which method are you currently using?

HISTORICAL NOTE: On June 23, 1995, I wrote to Cheryl Houghton in California and reported to her that I had identified 43 leaders (in my group or, in a few cases, major prospects on the brink of joining) on my third month anniversary in EcoQuest. I finished that month with 50,000 PV. These numbers I am giving are proof positive of the impact and overriding importance of leadership.

For a short period a hard worker can produce 15,000 QV with fewer leaders. Some people pull 15,000 points out of their hat with no downline leaders. But very few people can maintain a PERSONAL average above 1,500 QV per month. Based on my experience with EcoQuest, perhaps 500 people do VERY HIGH PERSONAL PRODUCTION (about 10 per state—this would translate to 50 people in California and only 1 person in South Dakota).

Stop Trying to Deny Reality!

Many people will read this essay and miss its significance. Believe me, many EcoQuesters have recruited 200 dealers and still they have trouble doing 5,000 QV. They are trying to fill a bathtub with water while their drain remains open.

"If I get ten salesmen who each sell two units a week," they calculate, "I'll be doing 20,000 QV every month without breaking a sweat." Sorry, this just isn't true. It has never happened. Not even once. Salesmen need leadership. If no one is providing it, their production drops off and eventually they quit.

"I've broken off 20 Fast Start Distributors," says one Manager, "and I can't get anyone up to Manager." He adds, "...and my Fast Starters are no longer producing." This happens if the Fast Start Process is used as a business-building crutch (some folks are very one-dimensional about this) rather than as an intro to more responsibility. Managers who are somewhat guilty of this must learn to introduce leadership issues from Day One. Rather than stressing their usual menu of "go-go" methods (for getting their new person to 5,000 QV), they must begin talking more about career planning, goal setting, self-development, personal example, talent evaluation, problem solving, and all the other facets of leadership.

Here's why a leadership career is worth pursuing:

"A" Leaders in EcoQuest earn $40K to $100K per month. The ultimate potential is even greater.

"B" Leaders earn $15K to $40K per month.

"C" Leaders earn $7K to $30K per month.

"D" Leaders earn $3K to $15K per month.

"E" Leaders earn from $500 to $7K per month.

"F" Leaders earn commissions on what they sell.

It Is Hard To Transition From

Selling or Recruiting to Leadership!

Old habits die hard. A person earning $20,000 per month as a strong seller should not try to abruptly abandon selling and go 100% into leadership. A person earning $20,000 per month as a strong recruiter should not just turn off his recruiting faucet. An abrupt change in either of these strategies would probably be disastrous.

A leadership approach to EcoQuest has to be learned with new legs ... just as any apprentice would learn his trade from the bottom up.

Adopt a New Decision and a New Vision!

1. "I'm going to learn leadership. Step by step, I'm going to do it all."

2. "I envision finding an ambitious, entrepreneurial person and working closely with him or her toward a large goal—Key Manager or higher. I can't turn a duck into an eagle. I have to start with a highly capable person." And I must do this ten times, not just once.

Make A New Plan

3. "I'll spend several hours mapping out my plan, thinking everything through, and writing a game plan. My plan will include work activities, timetables, personal growth plans, anticipated problem areas, downline manpower needs, and a geographical expansion plan." (SARCASTIC NOTE: Did it ever occur to you to print this out and actually follow it?)

4. "I will think of ways I can contribute more to my downline. I will not build their group or make their sales. For starters, I will set a good PERSONAL EXAMPLE in as many areas as possible. I will build THEM as leaders, but I will also REACH OVER THEIR SHOULDER as the group starts to expand. Every leg has to be built as deep as possible. In particular, I will give a lot of meetings.

5. "I will care about my people. I will recognize their successes. I will come to their rescue when they get in trouble. I will listen when they need to talk. I will give tough love when they need it. I will be confident when they are filled with doubt." (I recently spent two days and $600 on expenses to attend a 50th wedding anniversary. They didn't "expect" me to come. I just wanted to show this couple that I really care about them. Care is expressed in many ways—notes, visits, concessions, reliability, public comments, remembering special events, returning phone calls, and much more.)

6. "As part of MY PLAN, I will not rely 100% on any sub-group. I will go wide, wide, wide. This will be part of my PERSONAL EXAMPLE as well as being my INSURANCE AGAINST ATTRITION."

7. "Nor will I rely on any one geographical area. If a hurricane hits Florida I will have some high and dry groups in Ohio and Montana. If an earthquake hits Los Angeles I'll have other groups in Texas and New York. If bad publicity hits Milwaukee I'll have groups working in Seattle and St. Louis."

Draw Organizational Charts

To Show How Your Legs Will Look

Let's say you are recruiting Bob.

You should be able to show him your vision for his future...

"Look at these two schematics, Bob. This first chart shows you as a Key Manager. You will have 20 Managers in your group. You will be driving a bonus car and your monthly checks will exceed $20,000. You will win two wonderful trips each year and be able to pay for a third with your Travel Dollars. You will work very hard to achieve this and it may take you two to three years to get here. (NOTE: Get out some paper and actually do what this instruction says. See this link and order the June 2005 Chippy News. I've given this suggestion to thousands of people ... and very few are actually willing to draw a schematic of how they want their legs to look. You'll be amazed at how much this assignment can help your understanding and implementation of the EcoQuest system.)

"This second chart shows you as a Master Manager (this is you talking, as you give a presentation). You will have 50 Managers in your group. You will do six million dollars a year in business and earn $300,000 or more. You will work very hard for five years to achieve this but at that time you will be set for life. In addition, you will be able to take a dozen good friends along with you. They'll be doing their own work, but you'll be a part of their support system.

"Which of these two plans suits you best?"

Staffing and Attrition

A lone wolf can't be thought of as a leader. He hunts alone. He has no one to celebrate with. He has no family. When he wants to celebrate the blessings of his life he howls at the moon. If he's injured and unable to fend for himself, he dies.

Do you want to be a leader? If so, get out there and start recruiting. Make a long prospect list and get after it. Call your prospects. Send letters. Stop by and visit them where they work. Give them an Umbrella Book. Send them to your website. Invite them to functions. Whatever your method, get with it.

If you don't have a lot of friends, think through the options for meeting strangers. You can cold call on business owners. You can run ads. You can buy "opportunity seeker" lists. You can buy Internet leaders. You can teach yourself to ask for referrals. You can start as a seller and recruit your satisfied customers. You can wear a Fresh Air Buddy around your neck and go cruising in a nearby mall.

You'll get a "Big Picture overview" of how all these recruiting possibilities fit coherently together by studying the Spiral Notebook Plan -- Prospects Are Everywhere And They Are Free.

To reach toward the top of EcoQuest you need more than just people, you need GOOD PEOPLE. You need people who believe in our technology, in our cause, and in our way of doing business. You need people who really want to make this program work (for their own reasons) and who aren't afraid of growing and taking on responsibilities. It helps enormously if you go after people who have business skills, a record of achievement in other activities, long lists of friends and ready made contacts, and some healthy financial ambitions.

These kinds of people are not found by accident, they are found on purpose. And here's some surprising news: The good ones aren't any harder to recruit than the bad ones. It's true. The most ambitious and qualified people are perhaps MORE likely to see the strengths we offer.

You MUST focus on these types of people because they are the types who will want to be more than sellers or recruiters. They will WANT to be leaders.