Growing a Network (2)

You'd probably say the kind of duplication I espouse here is unrealistic. You'd say it can never happen. You cannot keep networkers sticking to a single business and leader through life. They will always look for another. And anyway, it is not growing a network. So, forget about duplication and just focus on recruitment en masse. So it's got to be big meetings to get a steady supply of downlines.

Well, that's how they've been doing networking, and it's not networking--it's pure recruitment. Big meetings are good now and then, but once it becomes the main bread and butter, it's nothing but desperation. It's tantamount to "hiring." And honestly, how many of the recruits really continue in the business? One or two percent or less. The rest stop and feel duped. Yeah, they do the business for a while but only to spend more than they earn, spurred on and hyped only by the uplines who are making it good on the far top. The rest are just used to create an impression of great quantity and for noise. Networking has got to stop being like this. This is not growing a network--it's growing an empire with a lone emperor on top with a few of his cohorts.

From 11 to 25,000 in 5 Years

I was amazed by the phenomenal growth of the communist rebels in the countryside in the 1980s in the Philippines. They started as a ragtag band of 11 young people who looked like they were yet on milk and never tasted wine. They had no office or company support or tools for proliferation. They were constantly in hiding and in grave danger. In 5 years they grew to more than 25,000, a growth of about 5,000 a year. They became a major threat.

How did they do it?

They had only 3 things: Undying idealism, strong belief, and duplication.

Duplication? Oh yes. That was the reason the government could not eradicate the revolution though they kept arresting and liquidating student leaders, labor leaders, and leaders of the armed front. When a leader was eliminated, another one like him replaced him. The military kept announcing the sure demise of the communist insurgency because so and so leader had been captured. It never happened. The movement continued and is alive to this day. They did it one on one, closely proselytizing their recruits and transferring their idealism, ideology, and spirits to them. There was a transfer of ideological DNA and a culture was developed. That's growing a network. Once you do that your growth will be firm and unstoppable.

There's got to be DNA transfer. It's that or nothing. Electoral campaigns can get large crowds of people but after the political meeting and election, it dies. People look for another party gimmick to be able to gather again. And they largely rely on handouts. That's rubbish.

DNA transfer creates a culture and an undying idealism that gets transferred intellectually and settled in the hearts. If the communists were able to do it without enjoying freedom and company support, why can't networkers who get company support and technology aid and all the freedom in the world? They should be growing a network that grows established and which lasts a very long time. The communist movement in the Philippines started in the 1930s (PKP) and continues to this day, taking some form of evolution (CPP), being flexible to changes to adapt to the times. That's growing a network.

We should grow a network, in the real sense of the term. A real network. A real network is founded on real and deep relationships, not just skin-deep, rubbish recruitment. A network is NOT an empire where an emperor reigns supreme. That's slavery. A real network is a fraternity of kindred spirits and intellects, committed to help each other, led by a company of selfless leaders who win by making their junior associates win.

Growing a Network (1)

One-on-One: Luke and Jedi Yoda
on a one-on-one training
 to beat the empire.

BOMs, promos, orientations, free tastes, freebies, big events--we think of everything to grow our network quickly. And they're all costly. Yeah, gimmicks can grow a network in leaps and bounds fast and you get fat checks out of it, but then later you find it's not sustainable. It's short-lived. It's not growing a network in the true sense--just making it look busy. It has a peak and then descends uncontrollably. Then you feel the need to get new blood because many have left looking for other networks to workout, others got burnt out, the rest simply got lazy. 

In a funny way, it looks like church. Church work is also growing a network. You launch costly crusades and big meetings, the church explodes and then dwindles down again. And then it's recruitment time again--what they call "evangelism." It's a vicious cycle and we always have the same remedy formula--meetings and more meetings. Our thick skulls never seem to learn. By the way, you see the similarity between church and network marketing? That's why I say, networking is God's design for church--but the church never gets the hint. They prefer to beg.

OOO

Anyway, you try asking networks big and small what to do and they'd say it's got to be through big this and big that. Everything's got to be big. We got to make lots of noise and do everything to attract, everything that is except do a one-on-one. One-on-one (OOO) sounds slow and too small-time. They don't have the patience to wait. Everyone wants big profits--if not today then tomorrow. We're fascinated by guys who made it big overnight or after a few weeks. We don't believe in sowing and reaping seasons anymore. We want overnight farming, if there's such a thing. And the same thing goes for the church.

One-on-one is actually explosive and also sustainable. It's the key very few people use to unlock doors to higher levels of growing a network--church or marketing. It looks weak, but power is made perfect in weakness. It starts with only two. Get dedicated two. Look for 2 to 3 individuals who will really stick with you through thick and thin and want to prove that the system works--not just try the system but see its potential and believe it works--and they're out to prove it, come what may. Until you get these two or three, your big events and BOMs and parties and circuses will be all big wastes of time and resources. They're plain stupidity.

Where Two or Three Gather in My Name

Jesus knew the power of 2. It's actually Kingdom power. The universe and the vastness of God's Kingdom were the handiwork of the Trinity--that's only 3 People who were intent and focused and of one mind and were radical and fanatic believers of their system. Jesus taught the church the power of 2 (or 3). But no one wants to listen. They still want big. They don't see that in the Kingdom, small is big and vice versa.

When the atom splits in two, a whole country can be changed dramatically. It doesn't divide into multiple parts at once but initially only in two. Jesus said 2 or 3 initially is dynamically powerful, able to move heaven and earth--and even the heart of the Father. Let's listen to the Master Networker.

Initially Jesus had 3--Peter, James, and John. Then it became 12. The 12 had 6 each and became 72. The 72 became 120. Then the network spread from Jerusalem, to Samaria, and to the outermost part of the world. Jesus had big meetings that helped launch the "product" (which is life in the Kingdom of God, and mind you, the meetings weren't costy), but he treated big crowds lightly. Instead, he relied on his few close-in proteges. His vision was 2 to 3 initially. And the system used was OOO. That's surefire way of growing a network. 

Get Two

First, master the system and the product. Your first direct downlines can only be as good as you are. The Master says no student is above his teacher. They can only be like their teacher, and that's it. That's duplication. You cannot duplicate yourself on the multitude. That's why Jesus often hid from the crowd. It's not productive to aim at big assemblies. The bigger they are the more hopeless is duplication. Big assemblies are bonuses. They're not the main thing and you can't expect anything from them--they might even crucify you in the end. So he spent the 3 crucial years of his earthly ministry with only 12, which started with 3 and ended up with only 120 when he ascended to heaven.

The bible says "Would 2 walk together unless they are agreed?" Your 2 should fully agree together, and together agree with you as leader. Lots of networkers today just gather physically together but are not agreed mentally. They will follow only those who have the big earnings. But with their immediate upline who hasn't earned anything yet, they won't bother listening to. This bad attitude leads to a natural death of the network, if not sooner then later.

First, the leader should be knowledgeable and skillful and well experienced--never mind if he or she isn't earning yet. The 2 directs should obey this leader and be with him or her through thick and thin. The two should then get their 2 each and train them the way they  are trained. The training method should be the same to achieve real duplication and establish a network culture. Remember, culture keeps people stick together.