- Need to internalize the group's doctrine as "Truth"
In the Amway business, the most important experiences are those that help build the business. Over time, a person learns to express his activities in terms of how his business was built by those activities. Distributors are always trying to look good in the eyes of their upline, thereby receiving the upline's attention and help. Amway's corporate policies state that upline distributors may not withhold help from someone, but the reality of the situation is much different. Many speeches tell the true situation: distributors should only help people who "want it." (in other words, people who are being "good distributors"). If you want help, you'll behave like the upline wants you to behave, and express yourself the way your upline wants you to express yourself. After some time of expressing experiences based on how they relate to the building of their Amway business, distributors start to naturally ONLY express their experiences in these terms.
One of our Diamond's most oft-repeated phrases was "The truth will set you free"; you truly come to believe that you are serving God by helping His people as you bring them into this business.
A visit to a friend's house is not "successful" unless the distributor showed the neighbor the plan (or at least talked about Amway). Although a trip to the mall may be "successful" if the distributor purchased what he was looking for, it was not "successful" (in terms of the business) unless he prospected some people there. Success in the business is also measured along similar terms. Showing 15 plans a month is considered "successful" (the fact that no-one was sponsored is not the point- the person showed 15 plans!), but showing more plans is better and will get you more attention from your upline. Soon, everywhere you go becomes a place to prospect people... a place to schedule future plans.
Before long, distributors always have their "prospect radar" turned "on." Some distributors (including one of my upline) must talk about Amway with EVERYONE they see. No conversation (including ordering fast-food) is complete without prospecting the person. And yet, the distributor is oblivious to how this affects other people. My upline told me a story about how his doctor told him to find another doctor since she had grown tired of his constantly pitching the Amway business. He just laughed this off as, "Oh, that just means there's someone new for me to contact."
- Adopt "loaded" language
* characterized by "thought-terminating clichés".
There is a loaded language that is quickly assimilated. Eventually, it becomes simpler to socialize with and communicate with only those who are already "in" the business.
In the Amway business, there are plenty of terms for the new distributor to learn. (See Amway glossary page.) One example of this is the usage of a Diamond's name in place of a teaching technique. When I was in the business, distributors would commonly say, "How did I approach that guy? I just walked up and Bo Short-ed him." This refers to the speech/ audio tape, by Diamond Bo Short, in which he tells about the technique he used to approach people.
There is a loaded language that is quickly assimilated. Eventually, it becomes simpler to socialize with and communicate with only those who are already "in" the business.
Rather than tell an entire story, the distributor limits his vocabulary. At the same time, though, the distributor that's listening understands this short phrase. Any new person would say, "What does he mean? Who's Bo Short?" This further reinforces a distributor-only culture. Another way is by distributors? use of catch-phrases which involve a sort of circular logic. Some common phrases include: "If you keep doing what You're doing, you'll get what you've been getting," and "If you do what everyone else is doing, you'll get what everyone else is getting." A third phrase, used by the upline when questioned about a downline's own lack of progress, actually contradicts the first phrase: "Just keep doing what You're doing [and you'll be successful in the business]." These phrases are designed to separate the distributor from the rest of society: you don't want to be like the everyone else, do you? If someone is not building the business fast enough or is thinking about quitting, the upline distributor can use the threat of rejoining society: the distributor won't become wealthy, but instead, will "get what everyone else is getting." This further reinforces the distributor's phobias about quitting the business.
- Only "good" and "proper" thoughts are encouraged
See Thought Control: Need to internalize the group's doctrine as "Truth".
- Thought-stopping techniques
See also Information Control: Compartmentalization of information; Outsider vs. Insider doctrines.
- Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
There are many that are used as a standard course of conduct. My upline used this one particularly effectively.... "I was showing this broke guy the business an he asks me to see my tax returns..... so I tell him that is my personal and private information..... Suppose I want to see your personal and private information...let's hook up a video camera in your bedroom and video tape you having sex with your wife.. that's your private information and I want to see it....." Not only would no one ask for his tax return (perhaps 95% or more of his income also comes from the secret motivation business), but it is stronger than that... you now may not even think the thought of asking for his tax return, which is more powerful.
- Chanting
If you were to go to any of the meetings, you would probably hear the chant, "I'm going diamond, how about you?" Everyone is chanting this, but according to the statistics I have found, 99.99% of those people will not "go diamond;" in fact, 99.18% of those people won't even "go direct." Will you be one of those people that does manage to "go diamond?" Yes, there is a chance that with enough hard work and determination, you could be the next Diamond Distributor. But, chances are more likely that you'll not become a Diamond.
- Meditating
Not applicable.
- Praying
Not applicable.
- Speaking in "tongues"
Not applicable.
- Singing or humming
Not applicable.
- No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy seen as legitimate
One former member simply put it: "NO NEGATIVE, NEVER DE-EDIFY...EVER"
As a person learns more and more about how the Amway business operates, he learns that he is to never, never question his upline, his upline's judgment, or his upline's advice. He is taught not to question the workings of the business, usually because "it will become clear when you go Diamond." Time and again the audio tape-speeches tell stories of people who claim "when we stopped questioning, our business really took off" or "as soon as we started doing what [John] said, we really built this thing big." (actual quotes from audio tapes) After repeated stories and lectures about this point, a distributor soon realizes that the only way to build a successful business is not to question what is being said or done. This unquestioning can sometimes taken to great lengths.
- No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good, or useful
Like missionaries, Amway distributors go out into the world preaching that Amway is the way (in fact, the ONLY way) to "save yourself" from the coming dread of retirement and "financial disaster" as well as the only way to achieve your lifelong dreams. Wouldn't you really be happy owning a business of your own instead of working a job? (Of course, you are not really "owning a business of your own," you are an Amway distributor- bound by all of Amway's -and the AMO's- rules and regulations.) If you believe the information the distributor is showing you and become a distributor yourself, you are then considered to have "seen the truth" about the world. You have learned that you need extra income, which is provided by the Amway business, to have a good lifestyle (meaning a "happy life"). (Please ignore the fact that many people may be perfectly happy with their lives until someone comes along to tell them otherwise.) When retirement age does come, you will be one of the "saved" since you will have built a big Amway business and have plenty of money to live on. In reality, most people could achieve "financial freedom" with the help of a financial planner or a good investment program!
In fact, this characteristic can be taken a step further: distributors have been known to prospect people at their church. This would mean that the belief in the Amway business exceeds a person's belief in their (now previous) religion. I have heard many stories about how people have "gone through" their entire church congregation just to get new people for their business. When that congregation "dries up," the person switches to a new one... just so they can be around new people who haven't heard their sales pitch.
