Tag: devil’s advocate

Cult tactics, justice, court cases, Josh Duggar, Elizabeth Holmes, Ghislaine Maxwell

How Cult Tactics Affected the Duggar, Holmes, and Maxwell Court Cases

Published on by Grace LaConteLeave a comment

Manipulation, grooming, and cult-like behavior don’t just stay in the shadows. These tactics are used by religious leaders, business owners, and influencers all the time.

We can see the effects of cult tactics in recent federal court trials of Josh Duggar, Elizabeth Holmes, and Ghislaine Maxwell.

  • All defendants took advantage of innocent victims (allegedly).
  • All three were heavily influenced by a powerful, manipulative cult-like leader.
  • And all helped to develop an organizational culture that excused horrendous behavior, allowing them to callously inflict damage on their victims for years.
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14 Incredible Devil’s Advocates Who Refused to Stay Silent About Injustice

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Truth-tellers are able to shine a light on actions that could be causing harm. The Devil’s Advocate perspective can alert us to vulnerabilities and how to reverse them.

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Devil's Advocate, Devil's Advocate Perspective

What is a Devil’s Advocate Perspective?

Published on by Grace LaConteLeave a comment

When we ignore contrarian thinkers and those who call out injustice, it can alter our ability to make risk intelligent decisions. This article explains the history behind a Devil’s Advocate role, where the phrase comes from (hint: it’s Catholic!), and the benefits of welcoming contrarian points of view.

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"What's Wrong with Your Business" podcast with Grace LaConte Episode 7, Honeybee Scorpion and Nuclear Employees

Honeybee, Scorpion, and Nuclear Employees [Podcast]

Published on by Grace LaConteLeave a comment

The best way to avoid problems and overcome barriers in a company is simple: Listen to the experiences and opinions of your employees. Although listening to negative feedback can feel challenging to leaders, it is one of the most valuable sources of risk intelligence.

In this episode, Grace explains the three ways for frustrated employees offer their opinions and which 5 steps will help you create Healthy Feedback Loops in your organization.

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MLM, MLMs, Multi-Level Marketing, Network Marketing, Direct Sales, Psychology of Influence, Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini, influence, psychology, strategic risk

How MLMs Use the Psychology of Influence

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Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) is a very popular business method. It relies on “distributors” who use the power of influence to purchase the products—and ultimately, to sign up as a distributor in their downline.

MLM companies continue to grow in popularity. The products and services they provide are endless: cosmetics, essential oils, weight loss shakes, health foods, kitchen gadgets, jewelry, wine, and more Most MLMs are in the Health & Wellness Industry; you can find a comprehensive list of all health-related MLM companies here.

Unfortunately, the Direct Sales and MLM business model is very troubling, because it causes tremendous financial, mental, emotional, and social damage (see my previous posts).

Today, I’m going to give examples of how Direct Sales and Multi-Level Marketing companies use the 6 Principles of Persuasion, and a Devil’s Advocate perspective to make sure you recognize and avoid predatory tactics.

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HBO, HBO Chernobyl, Chernobyl, Chernobyl documentary, Chernobyl disaster, nuclear fallout, nuclear disaster, USSR, risk management, devil's advocate

7 Things HBO’s Chernobyl Taught Me About Devil’s Advocates

Published on by Grace LaConteLeave a comment

What can we do to avoid a catastrophe like Chernobyl?

Although your business may not be facing problems to the magnitude of a nuclear plant meltdown, it’s still possible to completely miss the warning signs that the ‘wheels are coming off the wagon.”

I have found that the best way to develop a resilient response to disasters is by relying on the feedback of Devil’s Advocates.

Continue reading “7 Things HBO’s Chernobyl Taught Me About Devil’s Advocates” →

HBO, HBO Chernobyl, Chernobyl, Chernobyl documentary, Chernobyl disaster, nuclear fallout, nuclear disaster, USSR, risk management, devil's advocate

HBO’s Chernobyl, Risk, and the Devil’s Advocates who Kept Us Safe

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The Chernobyl nuclear disaster, which affects millions of people to this day, is now available as a 5-part HBO mini-series.

Here is what it taught me about having the courage to speak up.

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Year In Review, Disappointment, Annual Review, Crummy Year, Awful Year, Failure, Business Year, Disappointing

What to Do If Your “Year In Review” is a Disappointment

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Some years, things go really well.

And some years, they do not.

If you’ve experienced a lot of difficulties in your business, you may be tempted to see it as a massive failure:

“What a crummy year! It was so terrible. I can hardly wait for it to be over.”

“The new year can’t come soon enough.”

Even you were not able to meet your strategic business objectives this year, I encourage you to consider the positives that happened, rather than speeding past it.

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MLM, Multi-Level Marketing, Cult, cult-like, MLM cult, MLM business, cult like, MLM company, direct marketing, direct sales, risk intelligence

11 Ways Multi-Level Marketing is Like a Cult

Published on by Grace LaConte7 Comments

We have the power to exert tremendous influence on others.

Sometimes, people use this power to take advantage of those who are vulnerable by exerting tremendous control on their choices and behavior.

Today I want to share some insights about why Multi-Level Marketing companies operate exactly like a cult and how to build risk intelligence to keep yourself safe.

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estimate, staff turnover, layoffs, resignation, turnover cost, staff turnover costs, risk management, strategic risk

How to Calculate What Staff Turnover is Costing You

Published on by Grace LaConte1 Comment

Did a long-time employee just hand in their 2-week notice?

Are you worried about how fast you’ll be able to find a reliable replacement?

Hiring the right people is extremely important for every business owner. That’s because staff are the most important resource in any company. Replacing an employee can cost significant money, time, and effort.

To avoid making an expensive and frustrating hiring mistake, you need a way to evaluate your company’s turnover data.

In this post, I explain some facts about turnover, why it relates to organizational risk, and how to calculate the total annual cost of adding new staff.

Continue reading “How to Calculate What Staff Turnover is Costing You” →