Blessings: Leaders with Heart (Days 16,17,18)

Verses to ponder: When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13: 12-17)

This weekend, I was in Atlanta for the Simply Aroma Quan. Weird name; amazing experience.

At this event, I had the opportunity to hang out with my Simply Aroma team, fellow consultants, and leaders.

Even though I’d attended the first Quan in Greenville, SC, I learned so much more this time. You know how it is the second time you watch a movie or read a book? You just get something else out of your entire experience? That’s how it was this weekend. Regardless of the copious notes I’d taken in January, I had pages upon pages again with some of the same and quite a few extra light bulb epiphanies.

Kelly Love, our Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, talked to us about the principles of the Quan. While there were many, for me, it boils down to:

• serving others
• leading by example
• divorcing your emotions from your actions

Simply Aroma gives us the distinct opportunity to not only build our team but to build a structure for that team. Kelly’s model hands the consultant the reigns of their business.

But servanthood is really the crux of the Quan. Building a team is fabulous. But you can’t pass the buck or not help your team grow. And if you aren’t working right along side them, you aren’t really leading them.

My leader, Lori, is the reason that I even joined Simply Aroma with a true leap of faith, and it is because of Lori that I kept trying to build a business. Honestly, I continued to consider quitting because I just didn’t see that I had the time to devote (nor the skills). Lori didn’t give up on me because she believed in me. She helped me with every question or doubt I had along the way, and she always brought it back to the fact that, in reality, I wasn’t in charge. He was and is.

Lori is the true definition of leader. Regardless of life situation or slump or hardship, she’s there for me to encourage me and love on me. Even if it’s just to like a Facebook post for my blog. I know she has my back, and I don’t think I could ever express how much that means to me. She has shown me how to remove emotions from my actions: I can still help others when my life is not completely perfect. I can follow my plan and action steps to help others grow by divorcing my emotions from what I know I need to do.

 

Additionally, Kelly is a leader who continually encourages and lifts up his team — all of Simply Aroma. His willingness to share the Quan with us and to help us grow a business with the ability to “gift” consultants to our team members is outstanding. I have met Kelly multiple times. We’ve had dinner, phone conversations, email correspondence, and Monday Night Conversation interactions. In every encounter, he’s exactly who he was the last time: our leader. He constantly returns to the idea of serving our teams and each other — even consultants who are not on my team. Because, ultimately, we’re all on one big team together.

 

I left the Quan this weekend feeling more than just excited about Simply Aroma. Over and over, my heart is filled with a peace that in December of 2013, I made the right choice joining. I may have waited a bit to really get moving, but now that I’m applying what I’ve been taught and coming at the business from the aspect of serving others, I feel more confident about the future.

Tags: blessings, Easter, essentialoils, lent, Quan, simplyaroma