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

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

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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What is a Devil’s Advocate Perspective?

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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Honeybee, Scorpion, and Nuclear Employees [Podcast]

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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How MLMs Use the Psychology of Influence

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 Persuasionand a Devil’s Advocate perspective to make sure you recognize and avoid predatory tactics.

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

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.

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

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

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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11 Ways Multi-Level Marketing is Like a Cult

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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How to Calculate What Staff Turnover is Costing You

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.

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