This was a personal email I recieved from Steve Scott after the Workshop last week. I felt like the thoughts he shares are excellent iterations on the general thoughts of the organizeation.
Thank you to Steve for sharing, here is his email.
Casey, I wanted to thank you for your honesty with the Interbiz team last night.
In your talk, you asked us what you could do for us. From a corporate perspective, I think you are asking the wrong question. Instead, I think we need to look at two issues: (i) how committed the team is to their dreams and goals; (ii) the team’s commitment to you as a mentor.
Please note that I understand the following observations may not be totally accurate, but I felt I should share my perspective with you.
In the following note, I will refer to Casey Combden, almost as an entity like Interbiz, rather than as an individual. I see the name Casey Combden holding its own power, equal yet separate from who you are as a person.
Who is Casey Combden?
Greatest Strengths: You are a natural attractor: people; business; money; and success. People trust Casey Combden and the Interbiz Business System in the development of true leaders. You are a kind, caring and patient person in your interaction and development of your team.
Weakness: You are a kind, caring, patient and forgiving person in your interaction and development of your team. Although you’re no Mother Teresa, you certainly appear to have her gift of patience.
Past: You are one of the top network marketers in North American history. By all accounts, your greatest successes came when you were running around as if your hair was on fire and you enforced change for results. People were held to account and feared disappointing you. To get face time with Casey Combden, an individual needed to be exceptional. Your team also had dreams and used your lifestyle to develop their own as a benchmark on success. Outsiders still respect you and they can’t deny you’ve had many successes. As you have said from stage, you knocked more people into the business than you could knock out of the business.
Present: For several years, you have been one of the best mentor/teacher/coaches in the world. You freely share your wisdom with anyone who becomes an Amway distributor and part of the Interbiz Team. You are readily available for everyone and that has fostered a loyalty from team members who are 100% committed to the teachings of Casey Combden. People don’t fear disappointing you because you accept people for who they are and who they can potentially become. You see the diamond in everyone, when they can’t even see the coal for the dirt in themselves. Unfortunately, this has led to the development of a “Papa Casey” image, where you have become the provider (knowledge, tools, motivation and self-worth) and the majority of the team is dependent upon you feeding their addiction to Casey Combden.
Both approaches have generated positive results, and brought success into your life, as well as to the lives of countless others. If I were speaking to a corporate executive, I would suggest that on the intensity scale, you have gone too far over to the side of becoming a “nice guy.” I would also suggest that WE are holding you back from an unprecedented future of success. Where we as an organization have failed you is that we take you and your skills for granted. We also accept our own mediocrity because we know that we will always have you there to support our need for Casey’s personal and professional development/motivation, regardless of our performance.
Questions to think about for the Future:
What would happen if you weren’t so readily available?
What if you focused on enjoying the fruits of your labours, rather than always being present for the Interbiz team?
Do the individuals on the team have big enough dreams?
What would happen if you became the figurehead of Interbiz, instead of its champion?
What would happen if you made yourself available only to those who performed at your standards?
Is it too late? Has the current incarnation of Interbiz developed a culture of complacency? If so, is it repairable?
Who are your top 6? Could they lead Interbiz if you decided to take a year-long cruise around the world?
I can tell you that your free teachings have been a blessing to my family. I have made nearly $200,000 in bonuses and promotions in my J.O.B. purely from the wisdom of Casey Combden, yet I haven’t applied those same principles in our Amway business. I would imagine that most people in the room are in similar situations. Sadly, that shows a lack of respect for the gifts you’ve given us. What would happen if we had to earn your time?
I see that you have tried everything imaginable and you’ve had more patience than anyone should reasonably expect. I know that my family (Steve and Lindsay, Dave and Laura) love you, Jeannie and Wendy, and we are blessed for just knowing you. Is that enough? Not in my books. I submit that we develop a different culture; a culture of more intense accountability, based on rewards vs. consequences. I know you’ve tried this before, but maybe if we, as a team were a little more serious about it, it may deliver the desired results.
Once again, thank you for having the courage to be our leader, mentor and friend.
- Steve
October 9th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Wow… what a message! Steve really describes a different way of thinking. Makes me wonder too… What if?
December 20th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Wow. Very educational