I recently had an experience that was challenging. I won’t go into specifics, but it had something to do with territories… and the conflict arose from the fact that with WineShop at Home, there technically are no “territories.”
No one consultant “owns” or “claims” any geographic location. And technically, you can buy wine from whomever you want at any time. But there is an element of business integrity. There is an unspoken etiquette that we each abide (well, for the most part) though it’s not written down anywhere.
You can tell when you’re out of integrity because people around you get upset. And you might also feel a little twinge of discomfort in your gut.
Granted, it’s a fuzzy line, but here are some general guidelines for following the unspoken WineShop at Home consultant etiquette…
Follow Your Gut
Ultimately, your long-term relationships with the other consultants and your leader trump the immediate win of clinching a new recruit or customer. Yes, we do teach our consultants that new recruits are the blood flowing through the veins of their business – but guess what? It’s possible that the new recruit will go away in six months and you’ll still be working with the team leader you pissed off.
Go for the gold, but play the long game. Understand that it’s not always about the immediate win; sometimes it’s more about strengthening the relationships with the people who support your business and need your support, too.
Make the Best Choice for the Recruit
WineShop at Home is a business. When you play for the WineShop team, you want them to win – because if WineShop wins, everybody wins. If WineShop loses, we all lose.
That said, nobody wants to give up a recruit to someone who isn’t in their up- or down-line. I get that. I reaaalllllly get that. But as you think about your situation, ask yourself a few questions:
- Will this new recruit benefit most from working with me?
- Is it possible that he or she would be better off with a different leader, say, if the other leader is closer to them in proximity?
- What is my best move to ensure that my relationships with other consultants will be preserved?
Last month I gave a recruit to someone on my team because the girl lived in a different state. I thought the other team member would be able to do a better job helping the recruit through her launch. Because of that, I missed out on being recognized in the #2 spot in the company for sponsoring.
Did it sting? Yeah, it did! But it’s important that I chose the option that gave the recruit the best chance for success.
Allow, Forgive and Have Integrity
We’re human. Since there’s no clear marker to distinguish “territory” for WineShop consultants, we will make mistakes and accidentally overlap. Our job as consultants is to recognize this; we’ll make mistakes that infringe on other people and other people will make mistakes that infringe on us. The important part is that we work it out peacefully.
Ultimately, we’re all on the same team. And more importantly… Karma’s a bitch. If you run your business with integrity, you will mostly be met with integrity. If you do the opposite… you’ll mostly get the opposite coming back at you.
If you’re interested in becoming a WineShop at Home consultant, click HERE for more information and to get started.