Amway and Leadership team Development (LTD)

In my last post I talked about LTD or Leadership Team Development. Today I feel the need to classify this a little. Amway and LTD are not the same company. They are two different companies that work together to help the IBO (Independent Business Owner) to grow within the Amway business. Amway Provides the products and some product demonstrations where LTD provides the Training and support to any new IBO who joins Amway. 

There are a lot of companies like LTD out there. Each one with it's own training method. I will not be talking about those other companies due to the fact that I am not familiar with them. 

I often reference my first experiences with the LTD team and some of there training. This is because it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking. When I joined LTD and Amway I found that the idea of a company that was not focused on money but who's core values were as follows: 

"LTD has eight core values: Faith, Service, Unity, Honor, Freedom, Vision, Duty, and Courage
These eight core values exemplify a character of excellence. They are the standards by which our affiliated business owners operate."

I felt very comforted that a Company would put FAITH first. It is a rare thing that any company would put FAITH first in anything.

1)Faith"We believe in having complete trust and a firm belief in something for which there is no proof."
Faith-  I found this to mean not Faith in any cretin religion or God but Faith in people. As a person it is hard sometimes to look at my self and said "I HAVE FAITH IN MY SELF" I have faith that I am more than what the world says that I am. I love that quote by Marianne Williamson

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

LTD not only opens the door to the people that it works with that they are powerful beyond measure but it also teaches them how to do the same for others. It has given me FAITH in my self. What a WONDERFUL group of people to put that as there FIRST CORE VALUE>

2) Service"We believe helpful acts and contributions to the welfare of others are important."
This value was one that really touched my heart deeply! When I was 18 years old I was in a car wreck. I was driving 20 miles Per Hour and rolled my car into a frozen corn field and shattered my skull. This was January 20, 2006. I was rushed to the hospital and now have 7 plates and 28 screws in the right side of my head. Two years later is when I had my first experience with LTD and Amway. In February of 2008 I became and Amway IBO and joined LTD for the Wonderful training and people that gave me dreams to hold onto in life. April of that year I started to have seizures. October 2009 I had to have Open brain surgery. My up-line were wonderful through then entire time. I could not ask for more service to be given to me by a group of people that did not know me that well. The wonderful acts of kindness and just words of friendship still stick dearly to my heart. Although this is a situation that most people do not need to go through in there lives there are many other examples that I can give you.
When I first joined business my up-line Laura helped me to show products to my family so that I could get some of the customers that I have today. They helped me understand the product lines that through Amway I sell and they drove me accost the county for a Large training session were I was introduced to some of the most influential people in my life.
Service comes in many forms. It is how you look at service that matters. LTD and Amway are both companies that are very active in serving there fellow man/woman/and children through-out the world. 

3)Unity"We believe and find value in the continuous purpose or action of becoming one."
With any Team if everyone in the Team does not have the same goals in mind then the end result is not going to be accomplished. It is said, "Unity is Strength, When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved"
This is Very true- LTD is Leadership TEAM Development for a reason. It all hinders on the Strength of one another. With LTD there is always someone to call or training to read or listen to that will help strengthen the situation. LTD has been built on the backs of people who have been there and done that so for any situation that any member is going through there is always a way to get an answer. The Unity of the Team is the leadership of the team and the fact that at any time the materials that are available can and will if you let them provide the answers. They can strengthen you.
Everyone Wants a team of there own but before you can have a team of your own you must be ready for that team your self. so just like the quote, "Unity is Strength, When there is teamwork and collaboration..." you must be able to collaborate with your up-line team first and be able to strengthen that team before you can build your own. With unity as the smallest man you can then slowly become stronger and ready for Unity and have the Strength for more responsibility. It all hinders on how unified you are with your self and your up-line. Everyone must learn to fallow before they can lead.

4)Honor"We believe in building reputations, good names, and public esteems. We believe that success is rooted firmly in moral excellence."
This is Probably my favorite of the 8 Core Values. Honor I feel is often Overlooked in today's society. It is easier to say, "Oh yes I am ____" when you are not then tell the truth. Lies have become a staple in today's world. but I have Great Respect for the fact that a Company would hold a Group of people to such a high standard. Not only hold them to that standard but remind them often that Everything they do not only say but do reflects on the reputations of every member of LTD.
Like a building has a foundation, the foundation of any business is based on its "reputations, good names and public esteems." For a company to put the foundation on the back's of its members says a lot about the way it feels about the business owners that are a member of the LTD team. That they ARE honorable, that they ARE trustworthy and that they will do what they say. What a wonderful feeling it is to know that YOU have the back of an entire business on your shoulders that you are the keystone of your business. Because you can't be fired it is up to you and your Honor code to keep your teams reputation alive.
It has been proven that the more trust children are given the more they will achieve. I feel that this Core Value is very similar to that. LTD is not putting it's trust in one or two people to show the world what a "Wonderful Business" LTD and Amway are, they are putting that in the hands of Each person.

5)Freedom"We believe independence and liberation from the slavery of others is imperative.  We value the absence of necessity, coercion, and constraint in choices or actions."
I think this sentance states it's self. Is it not a form of slavery to work for someone else that you have no idea if you can be fired at any time? Is it not a form of slavery when you have no idea what tomorrow will bring?
LTD helps to close the gap in the UN-known. If wanted it is a way to know every month what you will have in your business. If wanted and with a LOT of hard work it is a way to not have to worry about having to file for unemployment. The key words here are HARD WORK. Freedom is not easy and never has been.

6)Vision"We believe in our dreams, our strongly desired goals and purposes."
What did you want to be when you were a child? Since I was 4 years old I wanted to be a teacher. Right now I work in a call center. I am 25 years old. Why you ask, am I not in school to be a teacher; Like I said I was in a car wreck that changed my life. As an Epileptic most school districts will not higher you. I gave up on that dream. Through LTD I can be a teacher. I can teach my self and others to have self-worth and self-confidence. I can teach many things. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mother when I have children. Through LTD I can do that IF I WORK HARD and get the residual income to that level that I can pay my rent. Vision all comes down to what do you really want to do? What will it take to get there? How hard are you willing to work to get there?
"Work smarter not harder!" Many, many people now a day's are going to school for years and years and still can not find jobs. I read today that even though many students can not find jobs, Pennsylvania State is suing former students over "uncollected tuition and loans" So much for going to school for 4 years. They can't even get a job and now they have to go to court. What kind of vision what that?
LTD costs WAY less and teaches so much more. It is a "Work smarter not harder" I am not saying that college is a bad thing!!!!!! I know many many doctors who have saved my life many times! But they still don't have there dreams or goals reached. It is nice to know that LTD not only asks up to dream but is there to HELP US reach them if we want the help. All we have to do is ask, and be willing to take advice and WORK. Again the key word is WORK. No one is going to do the work for you.

7)Duty"We believe that binding tasks, conduct, and service arising from our positions in life are forces of moral obligation."
This is yet another statement that I feel does not need me to elaborate on.

8)Courage"We believe in both the mental and moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty."
Winston Churchill-"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." Courage is probably the thing that is needed most in any business. LTD is the portion of Amway that you do need to sit down and listen because it teaches you to stand up and speak but before you can stand up and speak you need the courage to just sit down and listen. LTD is the part of Amway the teacher of that portion of courage. Once you have that part down then LTD will help you stand up and speak. it will help you to stand up and speak to gain the two ways to make money with Amway ; 1) customers 2) franchising: But without Courage there is nothing. All you have is an empty plate an imagination. We can do a lot of talking with imagination, but in the end it gets you nothing.


I love the fact that the 8 CORE VALUES of LTD each tie in somehow with Amway. The best way to get acquainted with all of the Core values is through the advice of your up-line and with the products. If you don't know what product line you like or you just want to try them all then I would recommend looking at the Amway Fast Pack:retail price 406.53$ IBO Cost: 304.60$ -- It has a little bit of everything in it. I would even have your Up-line help you after you got it with the Service Core Value and throw a Party to help you show customers some of your products.


~Diane