The Chess Match Principle
There is a good discussion going on the last post about what makes the business work. Dan raised an interesting issue about when you keep going back and working with people that don’t seem to appreciate you being there.
My take on this is I don’t.
I want to work the domino theory, getting down the line as far as I can, finding the exited person. Back in the day, when we all worked stair-step breakaway comp plans we called this the “tap root” scenario. The same principle still applies in today’s hybrid plans. I want to get down in depth and work with developing leaders, causing domino excitement to work its way up the group. But the key word there is “developing.”
I have no interest in trying to drag people across the finish line. So I work with my team on the chess match principle. I make a move, they make a move, then I make another one. I don’t do two or three moves in a row.
I guess I’m getting too old and too rich, because I won’t chase people because they have potential any longer. The beaches of the world are littered with the bones of MLMers that tried to succeed by chasing after people with potential. Potential is only meaningful if it is matched by a dream and a willingness to work.
People have to show me they want it and are willing to take action. Otherwise I would rather move on and discover the next person with a dream.
-RG
WOW – I think at this point in my business I have just been too desperate to have my team succeed. I realize you can’t make people have your dreams – just move on! I like this chess match principle.
RG
You know this principle both excites me and concerns me…
Excitement?
Then you truly are working with the runners who you aren’t dragging. Leaders will call, they will stay in communication, they will reach out when they need something rather than waiting for your to guess. So this principle ensures that you work with the leaders, rather than the pottentials! I like it.
Concern?
I guess I come from a background of therapy/psychology… and working with teens. They (like all of us) shut down and I had to work to bring them out of their patterns… Some were so shut down due to life. So when I see someone is shut down… I DO want to serve them. And I realise this is kind of like a “helping addiction.” While you had drug and alcolhol addictions, maybe mine’s an addiction to helping – that’s where I get the “fix” literally. So in order to get a healthier rush – it’s a shift into celebrating the leaders, and growing me.
Thanks Dude! I appreciate you. lots.
Love
Natalie
I had never heard of the Chess Match system but I really like it. My only question is in regard to the individual who does not contact you for sometime because of a problem that has developed and they are reluctant to communicate because of embarrassment or when a crisis has come into a persons life.
This happened recently in my experience and the person was grateful for my call and will call back when the crisis is over.
It looks like the chess match principle is not a “cut and dry” rule, but rather a basic guide and each one should go on a case by case basis evaluating each one independantly and act accordingly to your own heart. Dave
“Potential is only meaningful if it is matched by a dream and a willingness to work.” (statement in this blog)
Love it!!!
There are also those that want to find their upline. They email them and not just one but several. Sometimes the uplines don’t want to have anything to do with a downline member who has potential. If someone drops out the best thing for the next upline member is to do is to want find a way to find those people that have been left by themselves and work with them. It’s a work in progress I guess but it will never stop somebody with potential and a no quit attitude. Some people just learn what being a leader is by not doing what some leaders don’t do. There is always room for improvement because that’s what this is all about anyway, learning as we go.
Hey Randy
I read your chess theory and I believe that could be a good strategy. But here is my question. How about those people who dont have many downlines and they can not have one move and then wait for the person to have his and… since it is going to take so much time. Here is the second challenge. Isn’t like part of our phylosophy in NM is the way we influence people’s lives and help them transform from darkness to light. Not everybody who entered our biz and became successful had been all ready and set-up. I have seen people who took their leaders quite a long time to reach a point where they were ready to play the chess theory. Later they realized everything and became leader.
You are an indespensible figure in the world of NM and I like my life and all about our biz because of people like you.
thanks
Meitham
Watch the next post for this!
-RG
Working with excited people is “EXCITING” and as much as I would like to spend some time watering those whose gestation period is even longer than mine… I add them to a call list where I can now call the Chess Match Principle. If they know how to play Risk it is the same thing. … Just calling to let you know it’s your turn to make a move.
Yes, that´s it!
I want to work with people that really have a dream and also want to do what is necessary to reach their goals.
Then we can work in a real T.E.A.M. = Together Everyone Achieves More
I’ve seen and have been part of a constant attempt to re-energise ‘dead’ team members. Let me just clarify that by ‘dead’ I mean those who have lost the passion.
They get all fired up for a week or maybe even a month then they’re back doing nothing again. That’s ok, they are great people and I’m sure they love the short lived excitement, but their inaction tells their story.
If someone is trying hard and doing the correct work consistently then the results show, even if it takes an extended period of time.
It’s really easy to fall into the trap of trying to drag people along but as much as it comes from love a lot of the time, it has never worked and will never work.
When you boil it right down, I believe a lot of it is a matter of ego and/or wanting to feel needed, and we all know where Randy stands on that 🙂
Potential becomes exponential when it is converted into performance. — Arthur Tugman. – – – – I am a contributing writer for http://www.TheNetworkMarketingMagazine.com Arthur’s Corner, Mighty Monthly Musings. Would love to mastermind with you Randy.
I agree 100% with this approach. This is like reverse psychology. If you are not running after them, they will hopefully want what you have to offer.
Thanks. Mary
This is a great description! I heard it recently called ‘tennis’, too. I hit the ball across the net and then it’s up to the other person to hit back.
If they don’t, then there’s nothing I can do.
I know I’ve definitely fallen into the trap of trying to drag people along, although I am getting much better at playing ‘tennis’ or ‘chess’.
It boggles my mind why someone enrolls and then seemingly, sometimes immediately, drops off the face of the earth, but maybe that’s the difference between people who have an entrepreneurial mindset and those who do not.
I’m looking for people who want to play ‘chess’, not people I have to drag along.
So goes the old saying , you can lead a horse to water but can’t make him drink.
I have prospected people as I am sure many of you have, you give them all the tools, spend untold hours training, roll playing, 3 way calling etc. and yet they drop out and proceed to tell everyone they know that MLM is a scam, and so continues the bad name of MLM. It seems that the one thing that many of these drop outs have in common is they were all prior clock punchers. Do any of you notice that those who have to be told what to do on a daily basis don’t seem to be very successful in MLM as opposed to those who are or were self employed prior to their intro to NM?
Yep,
I heard this idea first from Kim Klaver. She said that she had the opportunity to ask some very high income networkers what they thought was their biggest mistake when they were getting started?
Every one answered, “spending to much time with the wrong people.”
So one of the first things I try to identify is if this is a “Right Person”.
Ray from Canoga Park
Totally agree! no time to waste, and action takers is where its at!
the chess match principle.
Hey RG,
Are you a good player of chess? i ask you this question, because my x husband was a good chess plaer , he was a chamoion, but he has a great
disadvantage. He treat people like he treat the pion of the chess.
i think that every person is a humen being, even if he is not your lead, or your prospect, or say no to your opportunity.
this is what i have to say about the “the chess match principle”
Yes I love playing chess, but there’s not as many people that do any more with the video game generation.
-RG
I totally agree with the chess approach, I know I have wasted way too much time on those who got so excited at first, then just stopped doing anything, like the bs was going to work itself.
Hey Randy,
I’d like to hear you talk more about the ‘tap root’ principle. This is something I’ve heard a lot of old ‘Amway’ guys talk about that hasn’t been brought up by a lot of modern trainers.
-Dave Wood