Regardless of what your business is or might be, it’s likely that it depends on relationships. That’s certainly true in the case of MLM or Network Marketing where building a strong team can be the difference between a mediocre business and a truly successful one. One way to create a strong team is to not only create strong relationships but to start off with partners who share your values.

As my friend and coach John Milton Fogg, author of The Greatest Networker in the World, is know to say, It’s not hard to learn what people value. Just have a conversation with them and listen for their values.

This passage from the second book in The Greatest Networker series, Conversations With the Greatest Networker… demonstrates “Listening For Values”. The scene takes place at a Saturday training where The Greatest Networker engages a young man in his favorite conversation, “Where do you live?”

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“Thanks for your help, Vince,” The Greatest Networker nodded gratefully. “Are you willing to do something with me here?” Sliding out of his chair, he jumped off the stage and walked towards the man.

“Sure,” Vince said.

“Great, thanks again,” he said sincerely.

“Okay,” he addressed the entire audience. “Vince and I are going to have a conversation. I’m going to ask Vince where he lives. Is that okay with you, Vince?”

“Yes sir,” was Vince’s reply.

“Sir,” he repeated, almost as a question. “Army? Navy?” The Greatest Networker inquired.

“Mother,” Vince said with a smile.

“Ah yes, I had one of those. Evidently, in at least one way, very much like yours.” He smiled, and I had the thought that we were about to get a crash course in the art of relationshipping. The man was good. I could sense Vince was nervous at first, but I could see that he was already beginning to relax.

“While Vince and I talk— and by the way, this will only take two or three minutes at the most— you will all have some work to do. I want you to
practice your Creative Listening. Pay close attention to everything Vince is saying. Don’t read anything into it. Use Open Listening. Just focus your listening on exactly what comes out of Vince’s mouth— his words, not the chatter inside your own head. What Vince says is what he means. Not what you think he means. People say what they mean, yet we insist we know better. Crazy, don’t you think?” he nodded….

To read the rest of this passage as well as get access to wonderful resources go to: The Greatest Networkers in the World – Listening For Values: Where Do You Live?